Punjab CM Mann slams Centre for citing unrest issues in NHAI projects

16 Aug 2024 CW Team

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann criticised the Central government for attributing delays in National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) projects in the state to law and order issues. Mann responded to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari's warning that highway projects in Punjab could be terminated if the situation did not improve, asserting that the real issue was the "inadequate" compensation offered to farmers for land acquisition. Mann pointed out that the delays were due to disputes over land acquisition rates between farmers and the NHAI, rather than any law and order concerns. He questioned why the Centre was focusing on law and order, stating, "On every issue, they say law and order," and emphasised that no curfew had been imposed in Punjab in the past two and a half years. In contrast, he highlighted that Haryana's Nuh district had been under curfew for four months and suggested that the Centre should instead focus on law and order in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh. In a letter to Gadkari, Mann reiterated that land prices in Punjab are higher than in other states, such as Odisha, due to the fertility of the land, and farmers are unwilling to sell at low rates. He asserted that there was no law and order issue, but rather a need for fair compensation for farmers. Gadkari's letter had cited two recent incidents on the Delhi-Katra Expressway projects where engineers were assaulted and threatened, attributing these events to the broader law and order situation in Punjab. He also noted that due to unresolved land acquisition issues and the current situation, several contractors had requested to terminate contracts and raised claims against the NHAI. In response to a separate question about Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria's recent meeting with administrative secretaries, Mann downplayed the significance, describing it as an introductory meeting. Kataria, who also serves as the administrator of Chandigarh, had reviewed central development projects and welfare schemes during the meeting, stating his intention to act as a bridge between the Centre and the Punjab government for the state's development. (ET)

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann criticised the Central government for attributing delays in National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) projects in the state to law and order issues. Mann responded to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari's warning that highway projects in Punjab could be terminated if the situation did not improve, asserting that the real issue was the inadequate compensation offered to farmers for land acquisition. Mann pointed out that the delays were due to disputes over land acquisition rates between farmers and the NHAI, rather than any law and order concerns. He questioned why the Centre was focusing on law and order, stating, On every issue, they say law and order, and emphasised that no curfew had been imposed in Punjab in the past two and a half years. In contrast, he highlighted that Haryana's Nuh district had been under curfew for four months and suggested that the Centre should instead focus on law and order in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh. In a letter to Gadkari, Mann reiterated that land prices in Punjab are higher than in other states, such as Odisha, due to the fertility of the land, and farmers are unwilling to sell at low rates. He asserted that there was no law and order issue, but rather a need for fair compensation for farmers. Gadkari's letter had cited two recent incidents on the Delhi-Katra Expressway projects where engineers were assaulted and threatened, attributing these events to the broader law and order situation in Punjab. He also noted that due to unresolved land acquisition issues and the current situation, several contractors had requested to terminate contracts and raised claims against the NHAI. In response to a separate question about Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria's recent meeting with administrative secretaries, Mann downplayed the significance, describing it as an introductory meeting. Kataria, who also serves as the administrator of Chandigarh, had reviewed central development projects and welfare schemes during the meeting, stating his intention to act as a bridge between the Centre and the Punjab government for the state's development. (ET)

Resources

24 Dec 2025

Asian Paints presents St+art Kolkata 2025–26 with ADDA

Asian Paints, in collaboration with the St+art India Foundation, has announced the St+art Kolkata Festival 2025–26, themed ADDA: The Third Space, a citywide public art initiative celebrating creativity, community and everyday engagement in Kolkata.The festival unfolds across Ballygunge in South Kolkata through a series of public art interventions inspired by the city’s adda and rowak culture. Central to the programme is the Colour Corridor, an immersive installation by artist Sayan Mukherjee inspired by Asian Paints’ Chromacosm concept, which explores how colour influences mood, memory a..

Resources

24 Dec 2025

Godrej Enterprises Group opens forklift training centre in Pune

Godrej Enterprises Group has inaugurated a Forklift Training Center in Bhosari, Pune, through RenTRUST, the rental arm of its Material Handling Equipment business, to support youth skilling, improve workplace safety and strengthen India’s manufacturing and warehousing ecosystem.Spread across 2,000 sq ft, the dedicated facility is designed to train and certify forklift operators through structured classroom learning, safety-first practices and hands-on assessments. The centre can train over 45 candidates per month, catering to growing demand for certified operators across factories, warehouse..

Infrastructure Energy

23 Dec 2025

Delhi HC Stays PGCIL Order against KEC International

KEC International has informed stock exchanges of a significant legal development concerning its eligibility to participate in tenders floated by Power Grid Corporation of India (PGCIL), in a disclosure made under Regulation 30 of the SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations.The update follows the company’s earlier intimation dated November 18, 2025, regarding an order issued by PGCIL that excluded KEC International from participating in its tenders for a period of nine months. Challenging the said order, the company filed a writ petition before the Hon’ble High C..