In a major push to ensure a safe and secure environment across the state as per the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav on Monday directed all field units to strengthen police presence and police patrolling through strategic nakas, mobile patrols, vehicle checking and effective area domination for enhancing public confidence and ensuring secure environment.

The DGP was chairing a state-level Law and Order review meeting in virtual mode with senior Special DGPs/Additional DGPs/IGPs/DIG rank officers deputed as Supervisory Officers for Districts/Commissionerates, Range IGP/DIGs, all Commissioners of Police (CPs) and all Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) at his office here. The primary focus of the deliberations was to emphasise the core policing priorities of the Punjab Government, review the crime situation, and intensify area domination across the state.

“I’ve directed all CPs and SSPs to increase police nakas (checkpoints) in their respective jurisdictions. Maximum vehicles should be thoroughly checked at these nakas, and mobile patrolling must be intensified to deter criminal elements and ensure a foolproof security blanket across Punjab,” said DGP Gaurav Yadav.

He also directed district police chiefs to ensure the deployment of maximum force on the ground to instil a strong sense of safety and confidence among the general public.

During the meeting, the DGP also comprehensively reviewed the progress of Punjab Government’s two flagship initiatives— ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ and ‘Gangstran Te Vaar’.

Revealing a major strategic shift, DGP Gaurav Yadav stated that Punjab Police is heavily focusing on choking the money supply of the drug trade by taking stringent legal action against illegal Hawala Operators. “Our investigation and operational focus is on targeting the money suppliers who route funding through middle-east countries to send it to Pakistan using illicit hawala networks. These networks channelizing the funds of the drug trade will be completely dismantled, and the perpetrators will be brought to justice swiftly,” the DGP added.

Laying strong emphasis on people-friendly policing, the DGP instructed all CPs and SSPs to work on increasing interaction between the general public and the police force. District heads have also been asked to hold frequent meetings with various local associations, citizens, and Village Defence Committees (VDCs) to strengthen the crucial Police-Public Partnership.

The Bhagwant Mann Government’s Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana (MMSY) is helping people across Punjab get quality healthcare without worrying about medical expenses. Under the scheme, every eligible family can receive cashless treatment worth up to ₹10 lakh per year.

The scheme has received an overwhelming response, with more than 45 lakh people already registered. Thousands of families have benefited from it, especially during medical emergencies, and many have expressed gratitude for the support it provides.

One such beneficiary is a woman from Bhatinda. A routine life was suddenly overshadowed by a dangerous heart condition for 37-year-old Gurpreet Kaur. Diagnosed with a large hole in her heart, she faced both, a medical crisis and the fear of mounting treatment costs. Thanks to a successful procedure at AIIMS Bathinda and support under the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana, she has been given a fresh chance at life.

For most people, the sound of a heartbeat is something they never think about. It just keeps time through the joy and struggles of every day life. However, for Gurpreet Kaur, every heartbeat had unknowingly been carrying a hidden danger.

Until recently, Gurpreet’s life revolve around the simple responsibilities of family. She cared for her loved ones, managed her household, and looked ahead to the future with the hopes common to any person. Few would have guessed that she was living with a congenital heart that had gone undetected for years.

Doctors later discovered that Gurpreet had a large Atrial Septal Defect (ASD), a 22-millimetre hole between the upper chambers of her heart. The condition was causing abnormal blood flow and placing strain on the organ. Left untreated, it could have led to serious complications, including heart failure.

The diagnosis brought fear into the family’s life. There were concerns about her health, but there was also another worry that hangs over countless households whenever illness strikes, the cost of treatment. “My first thought was about my the financial burden,” Gurpreet Kaur recalled. “I worried about how we would pay for the treatment. It felt like our family was standing at a crossroads.”

Medical experts at AIIMS Bathinda recommended a specialised procedure to close the defect. Hospital records show the it was carried out on 5 May 2026 in the Cardiac Catheterisation Laboratory under general anaesthesia. A 24-mm Amplatzer Septal Occluder device was carefully positioned to seal the opening in her heart.

The family placed their trust in Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana that covered the cost worth around a lakh rupees. The procedure carried risks. Consent documents warned of possible cardiac complications, haemodynamic instability and the potential need for intensive care support.

Standing outside the Cardiac Catheterisation Laboratory, waiting with their fingers crossed and pewing endlessly were the family members. Her husband remembers those anxious hours vividly. “We could do nothing except pray,” He said. “Every minute felt longer than the last. When the doctors finally came out and told us everything had gone well, it felt as though a mountain had been lifted from our shoulders.”

The procedure was successful and there were no complications. For Gurpreet this was the dawn of recovery and a hope that nurtured a healthier future.

Equally important was the financial relief provided through the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana. The scheme helped spare the family from expenses that might otherwise have become overwhelming.

Punjab Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh said the case reflected the purpose of public healthcare support. “No family should be denied quality treatment because of financial hardship,” he said. “Gurpreet’s recovery shows how timely medical care and financial protection can save lives and preserve the dignity of families.” Today, Gurpreet, like many other beneficiaries of Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana, is recovering with renewed hope.

Recent data received from the State Health Agency (SHA), Punjab, shows that under the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana (MMSY), a total of 175,210 patients have benefited so far, receiving 343,370 treatments in aggregate. The scheme has incurred a total expenditure of ₹581.90 crore, reflecting its extensive utilisation and financial commitment toward cashless healthcare services in the state.

Reaffirming Punjab’s path of strong fiscal performance, Finance, Excise and Taxation Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema announced on Monday that the state has recorded a robust growth of 14.59 percent in Goods and Services Tax (GST) collections during May 2026. Finance Minister Cheema said, “The Gross GST Collection for the month reached ₹2,400.52 crore, marking a significant increase of ₹305.71 crore compared to the ₹2,094.81 crore collected during May 2025”.

The Finance Minister emphasised that this impressive surge reflects sustained economic activity, improved tax compliance, and the effective execution of enforcement measures by the Excise and Taxation Department.

Revealing this in a press communique issued here, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema highlighted that Punjab’s GST performance compares exceptionally well with national trends, vastly outperforming the country’s gross GST revenue growth of approximately 3.2 percent over the corresponding month of the previous year. The Finance Minister said, “While Punjab’s cash collection growth stood at 6.57 percent, the State’s gross GST collection growth reached a much higher 14.59 percent, illustrating a strengthening state revenue base, enhanced compliance levels, and highly effective tax administration measures”.

Turning to enforcement achievements, Finance Minister Cheema said, “The State Intelligence and Preventive Units (SIPUs) across Punjab delivered notable results by imposing penalties amounting to ₹182.69 crore and recovering ₹178.76 crore during May 2026 alone.” He said that these substantial recoveries were driven by extensive data analytics, intelligence-based investigations, targeted verification exercises, and well-coordinated field operations conducted across the state.

Revealing a major breakthrough against tax evasion, Finance Minister Cheema said, “The Punjab Taxation Department successfully busted an ₹85.4 crore fake billing racket during May 2026 and arrested the director of a Ludhiana-based firm for allegedly availing fraudulent Input Tax Credit (ITC) amounting to ₹15.56 crore through bogus transactions”. He said that investigations by SIPU exposed the use of non-existent firms, fake invoices, fraudulent debit notes, and fabricated transportation records to facilitate tax fraud, leading to the director’s arrest under the Punjab Goods and Services Tax Act and the subsequent recovery of approximately ₹3 crore from beneficiaries linked to the fraud.

Concluding his statement, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema reiterated that the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government remains firmly committed to safeguarding public revenue and ensuring a level playing field for honest taxpayers by leveraging advanced data analytics, e-way bill scrutiny, FASTag verification, and intelligence inputs. The Finance Minister reemphasised the Government’s strict zero-tolerance policy towards fake billing and organized tax evasion networks, pledging that the Excise and Taxation Department will continue to protect the interests of genuine taxpayers through a balanced approach of facilitation, rigorous monitoring, and uncompromising enforcement.

Punjab’s emergence as a preferred investment destination received another major endorsement on Monday as Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann secured significant investment commitments from Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), with the energy major announcing plans to expand its footprint in the state through investments in refinery, biofuel and biogas sectors.

During a meeting with HPCL Chairman Vikas Kaushal, the Chief Minister highlighted Punjab’s robust infrastructure, strategic location, investor-friendly policies and transparent governance framework, which have helped position the state as North India’s most attractive investment hub. The meeting also saw HPCL-Mittal Energy Limited (HMEL) announce further expansion of its operations in Punjab, including biofuel and biogas projects that are expected to generate employment, strengthen the rural economy, support industrial growth and provide a sustainable solution for agricultural waste management.

During the meeting, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann showcased Punjab’s position as North India’s preferred investment destination, highlighting the state’s strategic location, seamless connectivity to the National Capital Region and major ports, strong industrial clusters, uninterrupted quality power supply, skilled workforce and progressive policy ecosystem. The Chief Minister also apprised the HPCL delegation about Punjab’s governance and regulatory reforms, including the Fast Track Punjab single-window system offering more than 173 government-to-business services, auto-deemed approvals, PAN-based business identifiers and amendments to the Punjab Right to Business Act that enable time-bound in-principle approvals.

During this, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann stated, “The vision of the Punjab Government is simple and clear. We want to make Punjab a preferred destination for global industry by offering stability in policy, speed in decision-making and a governance system that respects the time and trust of investors.”

The Chief Minister reiterated that the Punjab Government is fully committed to encouraging investments and creating a conducive environment for industry. “It is encouraging that HPCL has shown keen interest in investing in key sectors such as refinery and biogas in Punjab. These investments will significantly benefit the state. Apart from giving a major boost to economic activity, these projects will open new avenues of employment for the youth of Punjab,” he stated.

The Chief Minister further noted, “It is heartening that HPCL-Mittal Energy Limited is further expanding its operations in Bathinda by working on 2G technology. This initiative has immense potential to strengthen the biofuel sector while creating value from agricultural residue.”

He further informed that the company is in the process of establishing ten biogas plants across Punjab, of which five have already become operational. “These biogas projects will go a long way in ensuring effective management of agricultural waste in the state. This will not only help address environmental concerns but will also immensely benefit farmers,” added CM Bhagwant Singh Mann.

Assuring full support and cooperation to the HPCL delegation, the Chief Minister said that the Punjab Government remains steadfast in its commitment to attracting investment and facilitating industrial expansion. “Investors are true patriots who serve the nation by making large investments, creating jobs for youth and ushering in an era of unprecedented progress and prosperity. The Punjab Government stands firmly with every investor who wishes to contribute to the growth of the state,” asserted CM Bhagwant Singh Mann.

He further assured the delegation that the business environment in Punjab has undergone a complete transformation. “There was a time when investors faced unnecessary hurdles and undue demands. Today, the Punjab Government is working solely for the welfare of Punjab and Punjabis and is committed to ensuring a transparent, investor-friendly ecosystem,” said CM Bhagwant Singh Mann.

Chief Secretary KAP Sinha, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Dr Ravi Bhagat, Secretary Industries Gurkirat Kirpal Singh, Secretary Rural Development Ajit Bala Ji Joshi and other senior officers were also present during the meeting.