Saturday, December 12, 1998
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Saturday, December 12, 1998 |
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Paying staff at cost of
development CHANDIGARH, Dec 11 — While a cabinet sub-committee of Mr Kanwaljit Singh, Mr Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal and Mr Madan Mohan Mittal dissects the officers' report and comes out with an "action plan" on the implementation of the recommendations for reforms for financial and administrative discipline, let us take an overview of some of the issues examined in the document. Battlelines
drawn in Akali Dal Tohra
defends 'hukamnama'
"A
prison-like mental hospital" Congress
to mobilise people |
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Human
rights wing's plea to CM Banks
‘harassing’ pensioners Petrol
station manager stabbed to death |
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Paying
staff at cost of development CHANDIGARH, Dec 11 — While a cabinet sub-committee of Mr Kanwaljit Singh, Mr Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal and Mr Madan Mohan Mittal dissects the officers' report and comes out with an "action plan" on the implementation of the recommendations for reforms for financial and administrative discipline, let us take an overview of some of the issues examined in the document. First, the 11 recommendations for reforms: (1) zero net growth in staff numbers with a complete ban on fresh recruitment; (the final word will lie with the Cabinet or a competent authority); (2) enforcement of fiscal discipline by limiting future non-Plan expenditure to the current year's estimates; (3) administrative restructuring, including disbanding and assimilation; (4) total review of the planning process by adopting zero based budgeting, discontinuance of projects and diversion of resources to relevant schemes; (5) decentralising and empowerment of grassroots democratic institutions under 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments; (6) economic pricing of public services which can be based on recommendations of a Public Services Tariff Commission or authority to be set up; (7) reduction on financial support to educational institutions; (8) overhaul of the public and cooperative sector by removing budgetary support and selective privatisation of functions; (9) effective management of public debt on the basis of professional financial appraisal; (10) involvement of the private sector for developing infrastructure; and (11) reforms in tax regime to ensure buoyancy of revenue and compliance of laws. Some of the salient highlights of the analysis done in the report are as follows — while revenue expenditure as percentage of state gross domestic product (SGDP) is rising, capital expenditure is declining and revenue receipts are stagnant. The tax revenues at 7 per cent of the SGDP is also at a standstill; this is less than the rate of inflation. The cash balance is falling every year and there is mismatch between receipts and payments with the Government paying heavy interest to banks on all advances. The Plan size of the current year is Rs 2500 crore. The assured resources are Rs 1500 crore; a shortfall of Rs 1,000 crore. Thus development agenda gets shifted to the backburner for want of money. Growth of non-Plan expenditure is much higher than growth of development expenditure. Against a Plan expenditure of Rs 2500 crore (current year's Budget estimate), the non-Plan expenditure is Rs 4,376 crore, which will be Rs 5,600 crore by the close of 1998-99. Expenditure on salaries and allowances has risen eight times from Rs 441 crore in 1984-85 to Rs 3654 crore in 1998-99. The employees get paid at the cost of development. The police expenditure has shot up 15.5 times from Rs 55 crore in 1984-85 to Rs 850 crore in 1998-99. Even after return of normalcy, expenditure remains unchecked. This reduces funds for development. An analysis of sales tax and duties reveals that revenue in the state grew at an average rate of 12.4 per cent between 1985 and 1990-91 at 14.8 per cent between 1990 and 1995 and only 5 per cent between 1995 and 1998. Punjab has the lowest growth rate of revenue among northern states (Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Rajasthan). Punjab has more fiscal indiscipline than other states, says the report. The chapter on "proliferation of manpower" is interesting. The total number of employees has gone up from 291,668 (1985) to 373,468 (1997). The growth rate of senior bureaucrats is as follows: the total cadre strength of IAS is 206 now, against 165 in 1984. Superintendents of Police and above has risen from 112 to 258, while, number of PCS officers is up from 269 to 288 as of now. There are 34 IAS officers in the rank of Chief Secretary and Financial Commissioners against just seven in 1984. On the Police side, Directors-General and Additional DGPs number 21 against eight in 1984. Inspectors-General are 21, DIGPs 28 and SPs 193. Salarywise Punjab employees are among the highest paid. The State Pay Commission report implementation has put an additional burden of Rs 1000 crore for 1998-99. On non-plan expenditure, the report percentage growth in 15 years, 1984 to 1999, has been 588 in respect of legislature, 519 for the Governor, 670 for the Council of Ministers, 696 for the high court and judiciary, 15.5 for police, 455 for universities and 666 for secretariat general services. Even the number of divisions, districts, sub-divisions, sub-tehsils, blocks, police ranges, districts and stations and posts are all up. These all add up to 362 against 197 in 1967. The growth of "inefficiency" of public sector and cooperative institutions also worried the committee members. Not only has their number increased but even amount of government equity and loan has gone up. All told, there are 75 of these institutions with amount of government contribution for equity at Rs 3214.15 crore and amount of government loan at Rs 3801.29 crore. Losses, including interest payments, of all PSUs total Rs 1100 crore. Though these are supposed to return 4 per cent, annually, on the equity contributed by the government, none does so. This means the state loses Rs 130 crore, annually. The state pays Rs 60 crore by way of grant-in-aid to the universities (1998-99) and Rs 56 crore to private colleges. Capt Kanwaljit Singh has talked of "action plan" and "down-sizing of the government, making its role that of a "promoter" not an "operator" and spoken of "credible and mature" relationship between the government and the private sector and referred to redefining of the government. But how will the government do so is a million dollar question. It may not even be able to remove distortions and overlapping of "social and promotion services" suggested in the report. A number of "line departments" are doing the same thing and catering to the same target group. Why not a "composite scheme" and amalgamation of certain departments and redeployment of the existing functionaries? Punjab is, thus,
over-governed, over-burdened and living on a empty kitty
while the SAD-BJP feed the belly of the people with
setting up of committees, holding prolonged meetings,
making announcements and then working out and wondering
why, what it intended to do, could not be done. |
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CM
blames Congress governments for crisis MACHHIWARA (Ludhiana district), Dec 11 — The Chief Minister of Punjab, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, said today that the present financial crisis facing the state was the result of the wrong policies pursued by the previous rulers. "The present situation has not come about in the last one-and-a-half years", he said. "It had been in the making for a long time." The Chief Minister was speaking after inaugurating the Rs 78-crore Malwa Denim project promoted by Malwa Cotton Spinning Mills, Ludhiana, in the joint sector with the PSIDC. It had an installed capacity to manufacture 10.10 million metric tonnes of denim fabric per annum. The Chief Minister asserted that it was his government which was taking concrete steps to put the economy of the state back on the rails. It was because of his efforts that the Centre had waived the term loan of Rs 8400 crore. The state had also secured approval for the installation of a Rs 18,000 crore oil refinery at Bathinda. This was one of the biggest projects in the country and would change the face of the state. Mr Rishi Oswal, Managing-Director, Malwa Cotton, explaining the main features of the project said that it would offer direct and indirect employment to 1,000 persons. The unit planned to export 60 per cent of production, helping the country to earn a foreign exchange to the extent of Rs 500 crore over the next 10 years. Mr Ramesh Inder Singh, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, said during a meeting between the Chief Minister and the Prime Minister at Delhi yesterday, it was decided to extend the Kandla-Delhi pipeline to Bathinda for carrying liquefied natural gas. A survey in this regard would be completed within three months. The Finance Minister, Capt
Kanwaljit Singh, said the government was doing its best
to undo the neglect of the industrial sector in the past.
Mr Charanjit Singh Atwal, Speaker, Punjab Vidhan Sabha,
who represents the constituency in the assembly, also
spoke. |
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Congress
to file PIL : Amarinder PATIALA, Dec 11 — The Punjab Congress has decided to file a public interest litigation (PIL) to check extravagant spending by the Punjab Government. Talking to mediapersons here today, Punjab Pradesh Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh said the Congress was initiating this step to end further "misutilisation" of funds in Lambi and Gidderbaha blocks represented by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his family. Capt Amarinder said a cumulative amount of Rs 1400 crore had been transferred to Lambi and Gidderbaha during the past two Budgets. He alleged that money had been taken from the Agricultural Marketing Board and Rural Development Fund for Flood and Salinity Control, ignoring other areas of the state. The state Congress chief said the state had already to repay a debt to Rs 6,500 crore to the Centre. Despite the claims of the SAD, interest was accruing on the amount. Besides, the state was trying to raise Rs 2,100 crore for power generation from overseas, Rs 1100 crore for building roads and Rs 300 crore for road transport. This would increase the debt to Rs 10,000 crore which would be impossible for the government to repay. Capt Amarinder said despite such a crisis, Finance Minister Capt Kanwaljit Singh, instead of announcing structural changes, had announced measures amounting to "political gimmickry". How could there be a cut in ministerial spending when 30 vehicles formed part of the entourage of the Chief Minister and each minister had five cars in his entourage, he asked. Capt Amarinder Singh said the current crisis whereby the Reserve Bank of India had refused to honour cheques issued by the Punjab Government had occurred due to the tendency of the government to give political sops without arranging for generation of funds. He said things had come to such a pass that no attempts were being made to bring about fiscal management. The Congress leaders said the state Congress had foreseen the crisis four months back and had warned the government but to no avail. He claimed that government employees would be the next victims with the likelihood of their salaries being stopped. A delegation of the party would meet the Punjab Governor as well as the President to urge them to dismiss the Punjab Government. The delegation would urge
the President to declare a financial emergency in the
state as the Akali-BJP government had earned the dubious
distinction of being the first government of a
progressive state like Punjab to become bankrupt, the
Congress leader said. |
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Battlelines
drawn in Akali Dal CHANDIGARH, Dec 11 — Irked by the demand raised by the SGPC President, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra that Mr Parkash Singh Badal should quit the Akali Dal presidentship and concentrate on his government work, the Badal faction has urged the Chief Minister to retaliate with full force. In fact, Mr Badal, who first got the intelligence report and later the news agency copy last evening, felt that something would have to be done to nip this in the bud. During the day, several of his supporters, the Finance Minister, Capt Kanwaljit Singh, the Dal General Secretary, Mr Sukhdev Singh, and another General Secretary, Mr Balwinder Singh Bhunder, and several ministers urged him to take suitable action. According to sources close to Mr Badal, he was visibly upset and remarked that he had been doing everything to accommodate Mr Tohra and his wishes. He cared for him, respected him as a senior leader, but he had been paid back in a bad way. "This much and no further" was said to be his words to even some officers who were at his residence this morning. The inner-party struggle in the Akali Dal is now an open game. The murmers and behind the scene comments and leg pulling is now a thing of the past. The first major salvo was fired by the SGPC President, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, yesterday at Jalandhar when he deliberately chose to speak to a news agency in order to spread the message fast and quick that Mr Badal should quit as Dal President and devote time to his government work. Mr Tohra's logic is that the Adampur byelection result where the Dal met an ignominious defeat is because the Dal had lost the shine. Mr Badal is also losing the grip over the government and this is causing huge damage. Evidently, Mr Tohra, who has always shown a sense of timing, and neither treats anyone as friend nor as a foe, gave his reasons. The Akali Dal is the party of a minority community and the President has to articulate the aspirations and fears of the minority and as Chief Minister, anyone would face constraints in that direction. Mr Tohra had a dig when he suggested the name of Mr Gurdas Singh Badal, a protege of Mr Badal, as the new Dal President. Evidently he is not qualified to hold that position. Also, he said tongue cheek that the coalition here and at the Centre must continue. In fact, Mr Tohra would wish it to end. Otherwise why should he be so critical of the BJP at the Centre? While Mr Badal gave his kind of reasons for the BJP's defeat in the three states, Mr Tohra blamed the policy of Hindutva to lambast the BJP. He also said that minorities were not safe with the BJP at the Centre and yet he would like the BJP coalition to continue to rule. As a leader with his nose to the ground, Mr Tohra can measure up the days of the Vajpayee Government. In the same way Bhai Ranjit Singh, Head Priest of Akal Takht, is critical of the Badal Government. He says that this is not a government of the Sikhs. Earlier, at Anandpur Sahib during the procession taken by the SGPC and Sant Samaj, he had asked Mr Badal to ensure that all Sikhs in Punjab Government's employment observed Sikh tenets. His tone day by day is becoming strident. At least many in the Badal faction of the Akali Dal feel that both Mr Tohra and Bhai Ranjit Singh are working in tandem. They made a common attack on Ajit's Editor, Mr Barjinder Singh Hamdard and called him a traitor and a Congress agent. His resignation from the Anandpur Sahib Foundation, tirelessly pursued by the Tohra camp, not only made them happy, but more vocal also. Now they are demanding his resignation from the Rajya Sabha also. At the root of the factional feud in the Akali Dal is basically the urge to capture power. But the Akali Dal, a party wedded to religion, is never tired of inner fights even when not in power. Mr Tohra has at times sided with Mr Jagdev Singh Talwandi to see Mr Badal eat humble pie and then sided with Mr Badal to make Mr Surjit Singh Barnala suffer humiliation. From 1967 to date, the Akalis could never complete their five-year term even once despite massive mandate of the people. While Mr Tohra has rarely allowed anyone to come close to his citadel — the SGPC's presidentship — Mr Badal has managed to capture political power. But this demarcation has not stopped them from sniping at each other. Mr Badal, according to one assessment has still the majority in the SGPC's general house. Mr Tohra does not have more than 15 to 16 supporters in the 73-member strong Legislature Party. He has three of his associates as Ministers. Mr Badal thought that since he would not upset Mr Tohra's applecart, the SGPC President too would reciprocate in the same manner. But this is not happening now. Mr Tohra's calculation is simple. The Government at the Centre is not going to last very long. In any case, on the crucial issue of Udham Singh Nagar's inclusion in the proposed hill state would force Mr Badal to withdraw the Akali nominees from the Union Council of Ministers. This would have its repercussions on the coalition in Punjab. Meanwhile, leaders who
form part of Mr Tohra's inner circle today wholeheartedly
supported the demand of Mr Badal quitting the Dal
presidentship. Mr Bharpur Singh, Col (retd), Jasmer Singh
Bala, Prof Gurbhagat Singh and Mr Mehtab Singh of the
Panthic Vichar Manch wanted Mr Badal to adhere to Mr
Tohra's advice. The same way a former Advocate-General,
Mr G.S. Grewal, who otherwise toes Mr Badal's moderate
political line, wanted Mr Badal to quit as Dal President
and concentrate on government work which was suffering. |
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JALANDHAR, Dec 11 (UNI) — The SGPC president, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, after having fired a "political salvo" against Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal by asking him to quit the office of president of the Akali Party, has strongly defended Akal Takht's "hukamnama" (edict) on the "langar" issue, despite its defiance by a section of Canadian Sikhs in the gurdwara elections held there recently. In an interview here last evening, the SGPC chief said the defeat of the "pro-hukamnama" lobby in gurdwara elections in Canada could not and should not be misconstrued that the Sikh community had gone against the edict. Justifying the "hukamnama", Mr Tohra argued if the argument of the anti-edict lobby that there was no harm in adapting practices of modern living was accepted, the lobby would next ask that trimming or shaving of beard and hair also be allowed. Mr Tohra said the Sikh Gurus had ordained partaking of "langar" by squatting on the floor as it symbolised equality before God and was in conformity with the basic ethos of the egalitarian social order preached by Gurus. The SGPC supremo, in an apparent move to undermine the authority of the Akali government of Mr Parkash Singh Badal in Punjab, advocated that the responsibility of celebrating the tercentenary of the birth of the "Khalsa" be "jointly" entrusted with the ruling party and the SGPC. He said since the
government in Punjab had to function under the secular
Constitution of the country, it would find many
constraints in celebrating the tercentenary in a
befitting manner. |
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Plot
to ‘undermine’ Akal Takht AMRITSAR, Dec 11 — All-India Sikh Students Federation President Harminder Singh Gill has said there was a deep-rooted conspiracy to undermine the authority of Akal Takht, at a time when the Sikh panth was busy in celebrating the tercentenary of the Khalsa. In a press note issued here today, Mr Gill said the "so-called verdict" in the gurdwara elections of Canada should not be considered to be a referendum on hukamnama. He also urged Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra to take action against those who were speaking against the Takht. Meanwhile, Bhai Ram Singh,
General Secretary, Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), has
said that hukamnamas issued from the Takht should not be
adjudged with the verdicts given by the electorates in
any gurdwaras. |
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"A
prison-like mental hospital" AMRITSAR: "The local mental hospital, established 50 years ago, gives a very depressing, ugly and prison-like look". "Most of the inmates are getting grossly inadequate, outdated medicines. Thus, the retention of these patients without giving them the promised treatment is wrong and may be unconstitutional. The mentally ill patients have a constitutional right to treatment consistent with reasonable opportunity to cure or improvement." These are some of the findings of a report prepared by an experts committee as directed by the Punjab Human Rights Commission. However, officials of the mental hospital claim that most of the inmates have been languishing here as their relatives are not ready to take them. There are confirmed reports that many patients who were discharged by the hospital authorities were readmitted on one pretext or the other. It is the moral duty of the relatives to come to their rescue. Voluntary organisations also have a great role to play in this noble cause, the officials say. The report states that the condition of locked wards and barracks is bad. They give a prison-like look. The basic amenities for the patients are not available. The report further states that violent and restless patients, when exposed to uncomfortable conditions, become more restless and violent. Moreover, the wards are situated far apart from one another, with the result that it becomes difficult to manage the hospital. The report states that some patients develop chronic problems because they have not been administered proper treatment in the hospital in the initial stages for want of adequate psychiatric facilities. "Psychiatry has taken rapid advances but the Mental Hospital, Amritsar, has taken a few steps backward. The gap between what is possible and what is available has widened," the report reads. The mental hospital, established in 1948, is spread over 90 acres. Supposed to be a highly specialised hospital, it accepts patients from Punjab, Haryana, Himachal and Chandigarh. The report says that during the examination of the files of some patients it was found that most of the patients were diagnosed by non-psychiatrists. Worse still is the fact that diagnoses once made were never revised. The manic depressive psychosis is an illness for which specific and effective methods of treatment exist. But unfortunately, most of the patients are not being given this required treatment. The report alleges that
even the prescribed medicines are not being administered
to the patients. Several discrepancies were noticed
between what is prescribed and what is actually
administered. The strength of doctors is grossly
inadequate. The use of obsolete and inappropriate
medicines and the lack of proper nursing care are other
problems affecting the hospital. |
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Congress
to mobilise people JALANDHAR, Dec 11 — In a move to bring the Sikh peasantry back into its fold, the state Congress is planning to celebrate the tercentenary of the Khalsa in a big way in a bid to break the monopoly of the SAD and SGPC on the celebrations. A rejuvenated state Congress, confident after its success in the Adampur byelection has, according to reliable party sources, chalked out a strategy at its December 8 meeting in Patiala to take full advantage of the "warring" between Mr Badal and Mr Tohra over the event. Party vice-president Mr Jagmeet Singh Brar had earlier held numerous meetings at gurdwaras in the state to gauge the mood of the Sikh masses. Now, with the clear signal of the Delhi assembly elections before it the Congress is sure, that the 'hurt Sikh psyche' has not only heeled, but Operation Bluestar and its aftermath is not a factor any more. AICC President Sonia Gandhi has attempted to woo back the Sikhs in Delhi and Punjab, while the PPC chief, Mr Amarinder Singh is projecting a 'new image' of the party in the state. He will loan 'historical weapons' of the Sikh Gurus to be displayed in proposed processions to be led by the party in the state starting from January 14 to coincide with the `maghi'. The mobilisation for the marches is already underway and the party leadership hopes to use them to pressure the SAD-BJP government and educate the people on the near collapse of the economy of the state. These 'celebration marches' will cover the entire state — Doaba, Majha and Malwa. In this context, Mr Anil
Datta of the Congress said that the tercentenary
celebrations of the Khalsa Panth were not a monopoly of
the SAD and the SGPC. |
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Sack
notices: dharna by varsity staff PATIALA, Dec 11 — A joint action committee formed by various organisations of employees of Punjabi University staged a dharna on the campus here today in protest against the dismissal notices served on as many as 495 ad hoc, contractual and daily wage employees of the university. These employees, teaching and non-teaching, have been served notices that their services would continue only up to December 31. The protesting employees said many of them had earlier got orders to continue for another six months. There are 250 daily wage earners, 150 ad hoc employees and 60 employees getting fixed salaries in the non-teaching category. In addition to these there are 35 ad hoc teachers. Mrs Parminderjit Kaur and Mr Nishan Singh of the action committee said most of the staff was in service for more than four years and many ad hoc teachers had become over age to apply elsewhere. The protesting employees vowed to continue their dharna and to start relay fast if the dismissal notices were not withdrawn immediately. They urged upon the Punjab Governor, and Chancellor Punjabi University, Lieut-Gen B K N Chhibber, to intervene. Meanwhile, members of PUTA staged two separate dharnas in front of the office of the Vice Chancellor. PUTA president S S Khaira said they were demanding an immediate end to a victimisation of employees by Vice Chancellor, another option be provided to the employees regarding pensionery grants, release of increments of the teachers, and contingency provident fund of 12 per cent. Regarding the ad hoc employees Mr Khaira said PUTA was in favour of the continuation of the ad hoc employees till their posts were rationalised. He accused the university authorities trying to split PUTA. The second dharna was
organised under Dr N S Attri, secretary, PUTA. He said
the services of all ad hoc employees should be
regularised as there was no justification in dismissing
them in mid-session. |
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Striking
students lathicharged PATIALA, Dec 11 — At least, 12 police personnel and an equal number of students sustained injuries as the police resorted to a lathicharge to disperse striking students near Government Mahindra College here today. Mr Surinder Singh Ghumana, convener, joint action committee (JAC), which is spearheading the stir against the hike in the fee structure by Punjabi University, claimed that the police resorted to a lathicharge when students were going towards Modi College from Mahindra College. He claimed that students were beaten up mercilessly and 12 of them, including six girls, were injured. He said some of the students had been admitted to hospitals in the city alleging that girl students were also manhandled. He claimed that 14 students, including five girls, were rounded up by the police. However, district police chief Parampal Singh Sidhu said the police was forced to resort to a mild lathi-charge when students started throwing stones at the police. He said the trouble started when some students tried to forcibly stop students of Mahindra College from entering the college to sit for qualifying tests. The police officer said a student lay down on the road to stop buses outside the college and when he was rounded up some students pelted stones following which the police resorted to a lathicharge to disperse the mob. He said about 12 police personnel, including two women were injured in the stone pelting. He said a stone struck SP (City) Gurpreet Singh and SDM Surinder Kaur Riar who were present on the occasion. He said while three of the girls who were rounded up were let off in the evening. Twelve boys were still in police custody. He said preventive action would be taken against them. He said the police was also putting in more force in the colleges of the city to prevent any untoward incident till the strike by students continued. Meanwhile, Mr Ghumana said students from all colleges in the city including State College, Modi College, Government Mahindra College, Government Girls College and Physical Education College boycotted their qualifying tests today. He also condemned the lathicharge on the students and rounding up of students leader Raminder Popi. The joint action committee gave a call to all colleges affiliated with Punjabi University to boycott the qualifying tests tomorrow. The JAC will also meet tomorrow to plan the future course of action. Meanwhile, some students
alleged that they were not allowed to enter Mahindra
College to appear in the examination by the striking
students. Modi College Principal S.R. Sahani claimed that
all students appeared in the qualifying tests in his
college. |
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Teachers
resent government apathy AMRITSAR, Dec 11 — On a call by the All-India Federation of University Teachers Association (AIFUTA), the GNDUTA executive held a dharna in front of the Vice-Chancellor's office in protest against the indifferent attitude of the Punjab Government towards the revised pay scales, of university teachers. The executive committee condemned the unnecessary delay in the implementation of the revised pay scales. In a statement, the GNDUTA executive appealed the Punjab Government to immediately implement the new scales and remove all anomalies. The executive lamented that teachers had not been paid the revised scales, whereas all central and state government employees had been given new scales since January 1996. Dr R K Bedi and Dr
Davinder Singh, president and secretary of the GNDUTA,
respectively stated that the further course of action for
the implementation of the scales would be decided at a
meeting of AIFUTA and PFUTA being held December on 28 and
December 29. |
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Hike
in exam fee decried ROPAR, Dec 11 — The Private Students Union has criticised Punjabi University for raising the examination fee for private students appearing in graduate and postgraduate examinations this year. Ms Pooja Jaggi, press secretary of the union, said here yesterday that if the university authorities did not with- draw the hike immediately, the private students would be forced to start an agitation. She further said that
while on the one hand the state government was committed
to providing education free of cost to girls, on the
other hand the university authorities were forcing the
parents of poor students to stop the education of their
wards by introducing the new fee structure. |
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Students
to hold rally PATIALA, Dec 11 — The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of various student organisations which is agitating against the fee hike by Punjabi University yesterday, said the students would hold a rally in front of the Vice-Chancellor's office on December 15, if the hike was not withdrawn. In a statement here, JAC convener Surinder Singh Ghumana said a decision in this regard was taken following a meeting of the committee here. Mr Ghumana also said the
strike call given on Wednesday had evoked a positive
response. He said the agitation would be intensified if
the hike was not withdrawn. |
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Human
rights wing's plea to CM AMRITSAR, Dec 11 — The human rights wing of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has urged the Chief Minister to constitute a fact-finding commission to highlight alleged police excesses committed during the past 15 years. This demand was raised at a meeting of the wing held here yesterday. The meeting regretted that even three years after the killing of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra allegedly by the Punjab police, no action had been taken by the state government against the guilty so far. Mr Surinder Singh
Gharyala, chairman of the wing, said the result of the
Adampur byelection should serve as an eye-opener to the
Chief Minister who should review his policies. |
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Pensioners'
plea to govt BATALA, Dec 11 — A meeting of the Punjab Government Pensioners Association was held here today under the chairmanship of Mr Surinder Mohan Gupta. It was unanimously resolved to request the state government to remove disparities in pensions of those who retired between January 1, 1996, and September, 1996. It also demanded that a
notification for the enhancement of pensioners' dearness
allowance should be issued alongwith the one being issued
in case of employees. |
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Tempo
rams into train: 2 killed MALERKOTLA, Dec 11 — Kewal (30)and Khalil Ahmed (35) were killed while Sabar Ali (30) was seriously injured when the tempo in which they were travelling rammed into a train at the railway crossing on the Madhevi road here yesterday. They belonged to Mubarakpur village. According to reports the victims were returning to their village and Kewal Kumar was driving the tempo. On seeing the gates of the railway crossing open, he tried to pass the crossing. But the tempo rammed into the 6 LJH passenger train coming from Ludhiana. The Divisional Manager (Railway) the Senior Divisional Commercial Manager and the Area Manager of the Ferozepore Division today visited the accident site and ordered a departmental inquiry into the accident. Gateman Balwinder Singh has absconded. The railway police, Sangrur, has registered a case against him. When contacted Mr M.L.
Aggarwal, Station Superintendent, said the gateman was
informed about the arrival of the 6 LJH but he did not
close the gates of the crossing. |
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Panches
to get I-cards LUDHIANA, Dec 11 — Capt Kanwaljit Singh, Finance Minister, Punjab, has said the administration will be geared up to redress the complaints of the general public and sarpanches and panches will be issued identity cards and shown proper respect in all government offices and police stations. Addressing the monthly meeting of the newly constituted District Grievances Removal Committee, the Finance Minister called upon the district officers to immediately respond to the complaints made by the representatives of the public and warned that strict action would be taken against the erring officers. The minister called upon the members of the committee to submit important complaints relating to general public with documentary proof and get the routine complaints settled by directly meeting the officers in their offices. Addressing the meeting
Deputy Commissioner, Arun Goel said he along with all
district officers visited one village in a week, where
the complaints of the people belonging to surrounding
areas were settled on the spot.
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Banks
‘harassing’ pensioners AMRITSAR, Dec 11 — The CPI leader, Mr Satya Pal Dang, has brought to light the plight of old-age pensioners who are unable to open accounts in nationalised banks to get their pension. Mr Dang, in a letter to the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, which was released to the press here today suggested that the state government should take up the matter with the Reserve Bank of India to find a solution to the problem. Mr Dang said some of the designated banks, which were directed by the authorities concerned to open accounts, had refused to comply with the instructions leaving a large number of pensioners high and dry. The CPI leader has also taken up the issue of the payment of scholarships being offered to the Scheduled Caste school students through cheques. He said the guardians of these students were required to open bank accounts. However, the guardians are also unable to open bank accounts. The government should
evolve some other mode of payment of these scholarships,
he suggested. |
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Punjab
transfers CHANDIGARH, Dec 11 — The Punjab Government today issued the following posting and transfers of IAS officers with immediate effect. Mr B R Bajaj, Principal Secretary, Department of Youth Welfare and Sports swaps place with Ms Harsimrat, Secretary, Department of Information Systems and Administrative Reforms. Mr K K Bhatnagar, Principal Secretary, Department of Medical Education and Research, will also look after the work of Health and Family Welfare looked after by Mr Rajesh Chhabra who is on a foreign tour. Meanwhile some changes have been made in the police also. Mr R K Sharma, DIG/Admn IRB is posted DIG, crime, in place of Mr Rajan Gupta, transferred and posted as DIG/Training, PAP, Jalandhar. Mr Madan Gopal SP (D)
Jalandhar has been transferred as Assistant Commandant
27th Bn PAP Jalandhar, and Mr Gurbachan Singh Mann,
DIG/Faridkot Range is adjusted for pay purpose against
the post of DIG Admn, Commando Training, Bahadurgarh,
Patiala.
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JALANDHAR, Dec 11 (PTI) — A scribe working for Punjabi daily "Ajit" was today crushed to death by a truck. Lakhwinder Singh Rahi (44) was on his way to cover a function of Punjab Education Minister Tota Singh when the accident occurred. The driver of the truck is absconding. Rahi, who is survived by his wife and two schoolgoing children, was working for the newspaper as an honorary reporter as he was employed as a government teacher. Editor-in-Chief of Ajit
publications Barjinder Singh Hamdard and senior News
Editor Darshan Singh Makkar have expressed shock at the
death. |
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Petrol
station manager stabbed to death LUDHIANA, Dec 11 — Mr Mohinder Singh Bedi (57), manager of a petrol station on the Ludhiana-Chandigarh highway, was stabbed to death last night. The assailants took away nearly Rs 70,000 he was bringing with him on a scooter as the day's collection from the petrol pump. The incident took place near the Vardhman Mills on the highway which remains fairly crowded throughout the day. An FIR has been lodged. Mr Nahar Singh Gill, a Punjab Congress leader at whose petrol station Mr Bedi was employed, has strongly condemned the murder. He said it reflected the rapidly deteriorating law and order situation in the state. Other Congress leaders including Mr Amarjit Singh Tikka and Mr K.K. Bawa have also condemned the murder. Mr Bedi's funeral in the
afternoon today was largely attended. |
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