Friday, November 6, 1998
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P U N J A B | |
Friday, November 6, 1998 |
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spotlight today's calendar |
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Punjab
facing cash crunch
Delhi-Lahore
bus may not start today Sikh
library to have souvenir section |
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Anti-adulteration
drive to pick up
Rs
37 crore spent on welfare scheme Congress
plea on Lok Pal turned down SGPC
invitation to Sharif BSP
decries BJP stand on U S Nagar |
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Punjab facing cash crunch CHANDIGARH, Nov 5 — Punjab is facing a cash crunch. The situation at best, can be described as one of hand-to-mouth. This is despite the Rs 200 crore advantage that accrued to the state with the Centre agreeing to waive repayment of the special term loan. Where has all the money gone? Why even the budgeted money is released either in driblets or delayed? Is the state heading for yet another debt trap? Answers to such questions are not far to seek. Not many, however, are willing to talk and share what has gone wrong where and why. Yet all talk about the financial crisis. What TNS gathers is that the crash is a result of "heavy expenditure on salaries, allowances and pensions (nothing new, it has always been like that); slow growth (return) of taxes (the income or revenue generating departments and agencies have remained slack and smug); too many populist announcements and concessions; ambitious plans; and unimplementable commitments." These are only some of the factors responsible. Overdraft for Punjab is neither new nor rare. The Council of Ministers, after a review of the financial health, has constituted a committee to suggest ways and means to ensure economy, administrative reforms and greater financial discipline. That committee, headed by the Principal Secretary, Finance, Mr Rajan Kashyap, includes Mr IS Bindra, Ms Kusumjit Sidhu, Mr Vijay Kain and Mr Sudhir Mittal. The committee is expected to submit its recommendations to the Council of Ministers next week. This is not the first time that such an exercise has taken place. Since February, 1992, when Punjab got its first elected government after several years of President's rule, the corridors of power have been abuzz with talk of "austerity, financial discipline and administrative reforms". There have been several reports too on the subject prepared by organisations like the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy and National Centre for agricultural economics policy etc. These have ornamental value only. The implementation has been tardy. What the present committee recommends next week is unlikely to create waves. Solutions are known. Problems have been well diagnosed but medication is not there. It is in this context one has to see how the State Infrastructure Board functions. This was formed on October 15, when the formal notification was issued. The Chief Minister heads the board. The setting up of the board enables the government to levy "infrastructure cess" on various categories of articles and goods, which are specified in a schedule. The amount of cess collected would constitute a corpus of an infrastructure fund, which will be used for development of infrastructure. It is presumed that cess will fetch at least 50 crore, say sources. Infrastructure, in fact, is a major area of "concern" to the state now if future growth and development prospects in Punjab are to be secured. The state has drawn up plans to go in for massive credit (loans) from various financial institutions, including banks. The government is willing to stand guarantee. The stumbling block in respect of several projects which are hinged to expected loans and borrowings (including investment of the private sector) is repayment of the same. Nevertheless, a status paper on "managing infrastructure funding at the state level" has been prepared by Mr Kashyap, which gives a glimpse of "external participation" in infrastructure development. It has drawn guidelines from the India infrastructure report, 1996. Punjab, Mr Kashyap told TNS today, requires a minimum of Rs 5000 crore per annum in infrastructure in the next five years if the growth rates projected for the Indian economy are taken into account. The projected economic growth rate for the country being 7.2 per cent by 2001 from 6 per cent in 1996 and 8.5 per cent in 2006. It implies a rise on the investment from 25 per cent of the gross domestic product in 1996 to 29 per cent in 2000 and 31.5 per cent in 2005. Investment in the rural sector in Punjab, it has been calculated, declined from 13.46 per cent of the net state domestic product at current prices between 1964 and 79 to only 4.76 per cent between 1991 and 1996. Earlier, major financing for urban and rural areas was through HUDCO and Nabard. Now private sector institutions, many with foreign partners, are being allowed to invest in states directly. Therefore, Punjab is now
preparing to take advantage of this opportunity and seek
"direct investment", which has been slow in
coming, so far. The state is keen to have a
"balance" between "direct" investment
and credit (loan) investment to avoid getting into a debt
trap. |
DAP shortage to hit wheat crop FATEHGARH SAHIB, Nov 5 — Farmers are a harassed lot nowadays. First unseasonal rain played havoc with their paddy crop, now non-availability of DAP fertiliser during the wheat sowing season threatens to aggravate the situation. They resent the indifferent attitude of the state government, which poses to be a saviour of farmers. The acute fertiliser shortage has affected the sowing of wheat and if the government does not arrange the fertiliser for them within a week, they might not harvest the wheat crop and the nation would suffer. These were the views expressed by farmers who had queued up in front of the Punjab Agro-Industries Corporation (PAIC) office at Sirhind for the fertiliser. The farmers alleged that they had made advance payment to the cooperative societies to get the DAP fertiliser but these societies had not received any stock till now. Neither is it available with private traders and the only hope for them is PAIC, a government organisation, which distributes DAP fertiliser at controlled rates. Jarnail Singh of Lattour village told this reporter that PAIC was distributing only 10 bags to each farmer, but he needed at least 50 bags. If he does not get it in time, he would be unable to sow the full wheat crop. His paddy crop had been spoiled by rain and now he was being harassed in getting fertiliser. Sucha Singh of Sonda village, said although he was an Akali but the party's policies had ruined farmers as they had never faced such humiliation earlier. He had been trying for the past 10 days to get fertiliser and had failed to get it. Mr Chaman Lal, a big farmer of Bhatmajra, said he had been visiting the PAIC office for the past 10 days regularly and stood in the queue but when his turn came the stock had ended. Even at 4 a.m. the queue was long. He said DAP fertiliser was available with influential farmers. Jagdeep Singh of Mandroli village said DAP was not available in open market even with urea. He, along with other family members, had been queuing up for a week but had not got even a single bag. Shamsher Singh of Badochi village was highly critical of Union Agriculture Minister SS Barnala. He said if the Akali Minister at the Centre cannot arrange fertiliser for Punjab farmers, he should resign. This year the wheat yield would be less due to non-availability of fertiliser. Harjit Singh of Madhupur said only persons with blue turbans got fertiliser. Those who call up this office get DAP without having to stand in the queue. He had stood for 10 days in the queue without any luck. Jarnail Singh of Ferozepore said one of his family members was still waiting in the grain market waiting to sell paddy while other family members were in the queue. He feared that he may not be able to sow the wheat in time. Sukhdev Singh of Chanarthal village said earlier they had deposited the amount with cooperative societies to get the fertiliser and now they had to take loans from arhtiyas to make payment of DAP from PAIC. There were hundreds of farmers who were ready to talk to the Press to get their genuine demand published in newspapers. When contacted, Mr Gurnam
Singh, PAIC storekeeper, who made the bills and counted
the money, said shortage of DAP had occurred due to
non-supply by the government. He said the demand for DAP
was 20,000 bags daily but he was getting only 200 to 300
bags daily. Markfed, various cooperative societies and
IFFCO did not have any fertiliser and it was only PAIC,
which was getting supplies. |
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Farmers
hold protests PATIALA, Nov 5 — Contrary to government claims there continues to be an acute shortage of DAP fertiliser in the district with farmers camping at outlets of the Punjab Agro Industries Corporation (PAIC) and even indulging in protests and blockades. Farmers blocked traffic in the local grain market in front of the retail outlet of the PAIC besides raising anti-government slogans. The blockade and slogans were due to the alleged discrimination in the distribution of the fertiliser of DAP which arrived at the outlet today. Farmers claimed that while some had been camping in front of the outlet for the last three days, DAP fertiliser was distributed to influential persons in large quantities. "I have been waiting here for three days but cannot get my hand on even a single bag of DAP while some others are taking tractor loads of it away", alleged Teja Singh of Sawaisinghwala village in Bhunderheri block of the district. Another farmer Jasjit Singh Sandhu of Dakala said government officials were claiming there was no shortfall and DAP was arriving in bulk in the district. He could not get the four bags of DAP which he needed to complete his wheat sowing. Mr Sandhu is among those who had been lucky in buying most of their fertiliser requirements when reports of shortage first seeped in. Chief Agriculture Officer Nirmal Singh Heera when contacted said besides panic buying, the reason for the present heavy demand of the fertiliser was that farmers wanted to take advantage of the recent rains to sow paddy without irrigating the land again. He said the amount of DAP received till now in the district was equal to that received last year but early sowing of wheat had created a heavy demand for the fertiliser. Mr Heera however admitted that the distribution of the fertiliser had been limited due to private dealers not selling the commodity. He said a rake of DAP containing 2200 tonnes of the commodity had arrived at Rajpura yesterday and that while half of the fertiliser had been lifted yesterday the other half would be lifted today. This would tide over the crisis in a day or two. Farmers however claimed they had to waste their time to come to the city here to get DAP while it would have been made available at cooperative societies in the villages. Markfed officials when contacted said fertiliser had been allocated to cooperative societies in various subdivisions. However Mohinder Singh of Bilaspur village, near Dakala, disputed this fact saying: "Am I a fool to come here if I can get the fertiliser at my village". Very few private dealers are selling the fertiliser in the district. This is mainly because they have to sell it at Rs 415 per bag at which rate traders claim they get a net profit of 50 paise per bag. It is because of this that the traders, who are selling DAP, are forcing farmers to also take two bags of urea of equivalent pesticide along with each bag of DAP. Chief Agricultural Officer Nirmal Singh Heera said he had received reports regarding this from Rajpura and other places also and would investigate the matter. Deputy Commissioner
Biswajit Khanna when contacted said of the total
requirement of 40,000 tonnes of DAP, 24,000 tonnes had
been distributed in the district. He said 3,000 tonnes
was lying in stock out of which 2,000 tonnes was with
private traders and 1000 tonnes with Punjab Agro. |
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DAP shortage
denied BATHINDA, Nov 5 — Mr S.R. Ladhar, Deputy Commissioner, yesterday said that there was no shortage of DAP fertiliser in the district. Addressing newsmen, he said all arrangements had been made for the supply of DAP fertiliser to the farmers in the district through various distribution centres. He said as per Agriculture Department sources, the demand for rabi season of DAP was about 31,000 mt of DAP fertiliser. He added that more than 10,000 mt had been distributed while 7,000 mt would be distributed in two or three days. The Deputy Commissioner said the sowing of wheat was always late in the district as compared to other districts so there was no problem in supplying DAP fertiliser to the farmers. According to his
informations, he said, some of the farmers of other
districts were buying DAP fertiliser from the
distribution centres in this district which was creating
problems. He added that he himself was monitoring the
sale of DAP fertiliser. |
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Woman moves rights’ panel BATHINDA, Nov 5 — Ms Sapna, a resident of the town, in a complaint to the Chairman, Punjab State Human Rights Commission, has alleged that her brothers and parents were being harassed by the police at the behest of her husband who wanted a divorce from her. According to the complaint, Ms Sapna alleged that she was having a matrimonial dispute with her husband which was pending in the court. She said on a complaint registered by her husband against her, her brothers and father, the police registered a case on June 5, 1997. She alleged soon after filing the case her brother, Dr Vinod Goyal, was arrested and severely tortured. Dr Goyal had to be moved to the PGI on July 5 for about one month. She said on her representation the case was investigated by DSP, Amrik Singh. The report submitted on July 21, 1998, said that her brother and father had been falsely implicated in the case and recommended appropriate action against her husband for misleading the police. She alleged that despite repeated assurance from the police authorities, the case has not been withdrawn against them. She said despite representations to the SSP, Bathinda and the DGP, Punjab, had not yielded any result. Mr Harnek Singh Sran, SSP,
when contacted said after investigating into the matter,
the police had presented the challan of the case
registered against Ms Sapna and others in the court. He
added now Ms Sapna and others should plead their case in
the court as the police could not do anything in this
regard. |
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Chawla
blames government for encroachments AMRITSAR, Nov 5 — The BJP MLA, Mrs Laxmi Kanta Chawla, yesterday criticised the state government and the corporation for encouraging encroachments in the city. In a press statement, on Wednesday Mrs Chawla said the representatives of the ruling party were a part of the nexus which had been indulging in encroachments with impunity. Mrs Chawla alleged that
the dental college had encroached upon the land of the
corporation but no action had yet been taken in this
regard. |
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CHANDIGARH, Nov 5 — In 1996, the Akali Dal still languishing in the Opposition, took a major policy shift and moved out of its narrow groves. At Moga, where the party met for its annual session, the Akalis pledged for allround development of Punjab. It paid dividends. Two years later they, along with the BJP, captured power and nearly wiped out the Congress. It was also clear that the Akalis, who like other sections of people in Punjab paid a huge price during the long widespread violence, had learnt their lessons. While autonomy was still a demand, it was not the demand. Issues like Sikhs are a separate nation, a separate homeland and personal law for Sikhs was no longer there. Moderation was the key word. It may be mentioned here that in January, 1984, the Akalis had led a loud protest, tore a part (Article 25) of the Constitution, some even burnt it and many, including the party leadership, went to jails. The protest was against their clubbing with Hindus. They did not reject the whole of Article 25 since it guaranteed freedom of conscience and religion. But now for the past some months, another shift is being marked, at least by a section of the leadership. Last month the SGPC, while electing Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra for the 25th time as President, also talked about the need to have some kind of Sikh personal law. Earlier also, there have been attempts to get the Gurdwara Act amended. Take the issue of langar, settled way back in 1935 was once again under focus when the Jathedar of Akal Takht pronounced that Sikhs throughout the world would have langar while sitting on the floor. In Canada and the United States, there had been clashes and at least two Sikhs have died in Florida. The memorandum submitted by Mr Tohra to the Prime Minister also dealt with issues relating to Sikhs. Also issues like no helmet for Sikh women or the People's Commission, were offshoots of the minority politics or the Sikh identity syndrome. At least a good section of the people thought so. Basically, two clear strains are emerging once again. Leaders like Akali Dal President and the Chief Minister Mr Parkash Singh Badal; have refused to comment on these issues; they still hold to the 1996 resolution and would wish to develop Punjab and take all the communities along. For them there is no identity crisis and no need for having Sikh personal law. But this section too would like the Hindu Succession Act amended to deny daughters a right in their parents' property. Guided by the parameters of power, they are keen to be associated with and be part of the national mainstream. This despite the fact that this section admits that the Akali Dal is a religious political set-up. But then there is an attempt, a deliberate one, not to dabble in the issues that are more religious and less political. What exactly is the Sikh personal law which its votaries wish to establish? Basically, not many have given a serious thought to it. As an idea it is there. Some have objections to the Hindu Marriage Act of 1955, the Hindu Succession Act of 1956, Hindu Majority and Guardianship Act of 1956 and Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Act, 1956. But what exact changes the protagonists of the Sikh personal law would like is not very clear. For some, there should be a separate setup of Sikh personal Acts, even similar or based more on custom. There was the Anand Marriage Act of 1909. But it is redundant since another law has replaced it. But the marriages performed in the presence of the holy Guru Granth Sahib cannot be dissolved. No party can seek a divorce. For good or bad, the couple is tied for life. The same way many would wish to amend the Succession Act, depriving daughters of their right in their parents property. Interestingly, while Muslim personal law, is enshrined in the Koran, the Sikh holy book does not speak about the Sikh personal law. There is no holy origin available. But Christians and Parsis too have personal laws. This also spurs some Akali leaders to demand a separate personal law. But the larger question is why this demand at this juncture? While Mr Tohra and his supporters assert that there is nothing new and nothing alarming about it, others belonging to the second set of Akalis and at present in a more dominating position find a sinister game behind this. Does it spring from the ambition of some leaders to upstage others? While Mr Tohra's domain is
largely the Sikh affairs and the SPGC, Mr Badal has been
concentrating on issues relating to the peasantry,
development and politics of more powers for the states.
But ever since he announced the celebrations of the
tercentenary of the birth of the Khalsa with total
government support, Mr Tohra felt slighted since it was
his area. Mr Tohra thinks he is providing an ideological
input to the celebrations by asking from Sikh personal
law, and thus upstaging Mr Badal. |
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Top Panjwar aide arrested GURDASPUR, Nov 5 — The police has arrested Gurwinder Singh Kala and Manjit Singh, SSF activists, and recovered two Chinese-made Mauser pistols with 16 cartridges and four H.C.-36 hand grenades from them. According to the police, Manjit Singh who belongs to Samrawa under Noormahal police station in Jalandhar district was arrested from outside Jalandhar bus stand on yesterday and Gurwinder Singh Kala who belongs to Dadumal under Jalandhar police station and is lodged in Amritsar jail was brought on production warrants on Nov 3. The police chief, Mr Gaurav Yadav said the accused during interrogation confessed having hidden the said arms and ammunition consignment which was received from near Madhopur in the district. He said the police received information that the accused had received a consignment of arms and explosives from Pakistan based ISI agents in June, 1998, when Gurwinder Kala was out on parole. The consignment was buried in the Madhopur area for retrieval and later use. He said that after receipt of information a case under Section 411/414 of the IPC was registered in Pathankot on October 27. Two special operation groups were formed to nab the accused. The police chief said the accused disclosed that they were in touch with a six-member module led by Amarjit Singh of Cheema Khurd which was busted by the police on October 30. A conspiracy was hatched to cause bomb explosions in public places, trains, buses, vital installations like bridges, oil depots and VVIP targets by use of human bombs. The module belonging to the ideological platform of ISYF (Chaheru) was the action group for KCF (Panjwar). The accused were assigned the role of co-ordinating activities, supplying information, storing explosives, training and motivation of youths. Kala (33), came in contact with Gurdeep Singh, alias Deepa, Hira and Satnam Singh of the KCF (Panjwar) in 1990. To escape the police dragnet, he left India in October, 1990, for Moscow and from there he slipped to the then West Germany through Eastern Europe and applied for political asylum there. In 1991, he went to the UK from where he was deported back to Germany. The accused then applied for political asylum in Holland and Belgium. During this period, he came in contact with Khalistani ideologues and became a die-hard Khalistani votary. During June, 1992, he went to Pakistan with a religious jatha and stayed there. He was initially lodged in Green Town, Lahore, where he met Paramjit Singh Panjwar and became his follower. Towards the end of 1992 Kala was imparted training for 2 months along with a batch of 20 other terrorists by officials of the Pakistan Army and ISI agents. He was trained in the use of AK 47 rifle, GPMG, rocket launchers, pistols and hiding of explosives. He stayed with Panjwar and was part of the reunification process of all militant outfits except the Babbars, started by Panjwar. In November, 1993, Panjwar and Dr Sohan Singh, chief of the Panthak Committee went to Nepal and before leaving Pakistan, Panjwar had formally designated Kala as the second-in-command and deputy chief of his outfit. Panjwar was away for a period of 6 months. Dr Sohan Singh was subsequently arrested by the Punjab police but Panjwar escaped to Pakistan. During January, 1995, the accused was sent back by Panjwar along with other terrorists. The SSP said the accused was accompanied by two heroin smugglers Amarjit Singh, alias Amba, and Mukhtiar Singh who carried 24 kg of heroin. On January 5, 1995, Kala was arrested along with the two smugglers by the Customs Department and 24 kg heroin was recovered from them. Kala was challaned, tried and was convicted to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment under the NDPS Act by the Sessions Court in Amritsar where he is lodged at present. In June, 1998, he came out of the jail on a six week parole and contacted Paramjit Singh Panjwar on the telephone for making revival plans. Panjwar said the district police chief, instructed him to get in touch with the six-member terrorists module headed by Amarjit Singh and to guide them. The accused also received some arms and ammunition which he was to handover to the action group. Manjit Singh had links with federation activists, when he was a student of Guru Nanak College, Jandiala. Some of them went abroad and became important coordinators of terrorism. They had asked him to assist Kala in picking up arms. Manjit Singh was then to hand them over to another group. The police said the
interrogation of the accused was on and their further
links with terrorists were being explored. |
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Ministerial temper JALANDHAR, Nov 5 — More than half a dozen SAD-BJP ministers who descended here to file the nomination papers of their party candidate misbehaved with the Executive Magistrate, Mrs Sarojani Gautam, in the presence of mediapersons here today. The ministers were agitated that the room in which the papers were to be filed was not fit for their status. While the Food and Supplies Minister, Mr Madan Mohan Mittal, started shouting at Mrs Gautam, who is the assistant Commissioner of Municipal Corporation here, for failing to get the hall vacated for the ministers and the party workers. Interestingly, the ministers passed with fake files for the "benefit" of the cameramen and the TV team, while the actual files of nominations were submitted when the ministers had left. A visibly upset Mrs Gautam
who, in her capacity as Executive Magistrate, is
designated to oversee the filing of the nomination papers
for the Adampur byelections, said: "It is a serious
business to receive the nomination papers of candidates.
I cannot personally be held responsible for making
arrangements for the ministers". |
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Rs 37 crore spent on welfare scheme CHANDIGARH, Nov 5 — The Punjab Government has spent Rs 37.95 crore on various welfare schemes for backward classes. This was stated here today by Mr Gobind Singh Kanjla, State Minister for Youth Services. He said that books worth
Rs 7.2 crore had been distributed among 12.5 lakh
Scheduled Caste students. As many as 6532 houses had been
constructed will date and 3052 were allotted to Dalit
families, he added. |
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BEFI
conference
on November 8 BATHINDA, Nov 5 — The seventh conference of the Bank Employees Federation of India (BEFI) affiliated with the State Bank of Patiala Staff Union will be held here on November 8. In a press note issued here today, Mr M.M. Behal, general secretary of the union, said that about 400 delegates from Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pardesh would participate in the conference which would be presided over by Mr Jiwan Rai, MP. He said the conference
would discuss issues like corruption by higher officials
of the bank, frauds in the banks and policy for launching
agitation against the Narsihman Committee’s
recommendations. |
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Delhi-Lahore bus may not start today AMRITSAR, Nov 5 — The much-publicised first Indo-Pak international bus is unlikely to be launched from tomorrow as officials here have not got any communication in this regard till late evening. The decision to start a bus between Lahore and Delhi was result of the recent talks between Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee and his Pakistani counterpart, Mr Nawaz Sharif at New York. Neither officials of the district administration nor the Border Security Force, Customs and Intelligence agencies had received any communication regarding launching of the bus. According to highly placed
sources, the Indian government had completed all the
modalities and was eager to ply the bus as per schedule.
However, it faced teething problems from its Pakistan
counterpart. While a "dry run" by Delhi
Transport Corporation bus was performed on November 2.
There was no response from the Pakistan side. Pakistan
officials had no information about plying of the bus
between Delhi and Lahore. So the bus had to return from
Wagah. |
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Congress plea on Lok Pal turned
down LUDHIANA, Nov 5 — The Governor of Punjab, Lt-Gen BKN Chhibber, today turned down a plea by the Congress for the replacement of Mr Harbans Singh Rai as the Lok Pal. In an exclusive interview with TNS here, the Governor said "I have no reason to believe that the present Lok Pal will transgress the functional parameters laid down for him by the law. The Lok Pal is an important Constitutional institution. Let us all give it a fair try." He said the Punjab PCC chief, Capt Amarinder Singh, had met him at Chandigarh some time ago and among the issues discussed was the Lok Pal. The Congress leader complained that Justice Rai did not inspire confidence because he could be partial in view of the fact that he was related to the powers that be. "But I have no reason to believe that Justice Rai will operate outside the law. As far as his appointment is concerned it is in accordance with the prescribed procedure." General Chhibber said there was no denying the fact that the institution of Lok Pal had been accepted by all political parties. It was created by the Beant Singh government. The Harcharan Singh Brar government appointed Justice S.S.Sodhi as the first Lok Pal. The Rajinder Kaur Bhattal government changed it to a three-member institution. The present government headed by Mr Parkash Singh Badal changed it back to a one-man show and appointed Mr Justice Harbans Singh Rai. The Chief Minister had stated that before making the appointment, even the then leader of the Opposition and the Congress party, Mrs Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, was consulted. Therefore, it would not cut much ice with him if some one said now that he had no faith in the Lok Pal. The Governor described as "ineffective" the so-called boycott of the Lok Pal announced by the Punjab PCC chief, Capt Amarinder Singh." The Lok Pal has been created under the Constitution. It is the law. How can you boycott it? If you don't appear before it. It could still hold proceedings like any other judicial court... In reply to a question, the Governor said that he had received certain recommendations from the Lok Pal with regard to three former Punjab ministers." I am examining them. I had certain queries for which I have asked for clarifications. Since people involved are important public men who have held high positions in the government. And since it is there reputation which is at stake, I want to be absolutely sure about all aspects of the case. I don't want to seem to be partial to one side or the other..." The Governor expressed the hope that he would be able to forward "in good time" to the government the recommendations of the Lok Pal for necessary action. Answering a question, the
Governor said he had no information on press reports that
the Lok Pal had received three more cases for
investigation. One related to a senior BJP minister in
the Badal cabinet, the second was about a senior Akali
leader who served for some time in a public sector outfit
while the third related to a top bureaucrat of the state
government. General Chhibber felt that perhaps it might
not include government servants within the purview of the
Lok Pal Act since there were well laid out procedures
available to the government to deal with such cases. |
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No
need
for special girdawri: Mittal JALANDHAR, Nov 5 — The SAD-BJP government's Food and Supplies Minister, Mr Madan Mohan Mittal, said here today that there was no need for a special girdawri as the farmers had been given adequate compensation by relaxing the rule for procuring discoloured paddy. At a joint press conference addressed today by seven ministers of the SAD-BJP government after the filing of nomination papers of their party candidate, Mr Dalbir Singh Dhirowal, the minister said their party would go to the electorate in the Adampur constituency for having 'fulfilled' all promises made in the party manifesto. However, queried about the long-pending issues of the state like the transfer of Chandigarh, river water dispute and transfer of Punjabi-speaking areas, the ministers dubbed these as 'political issues'. However, on the issue of corruption, when media persons cited instances like the auctioning of certain buildings by the Punjab Urban Development Authority (PUDA) at a rate lower than the market price, some of the ministers became visibly agitated and the Minister for Technical Education, Mr Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal, even tried to 'intimidate' the newspersons. On a special package for Punjab, Mr Mittal said that there had been no announcement by the Chief Minister in this regard so far. Meanwhile, the SAD candidate, Mr Dalbir Singh Dhirowal and the BSP candidate, Mrs Vidwant Kaur, were among the six candidates who filed their nominations today for the November 25 Adampur assembly byelection, raising the total number of nominations filed so far to nine. Besides Mr Dhirowal and Mrs Vidwant Kaur, the others who submitted their nominations today were the BSP (Ambedkar) General Secretary Mr Vijay Kumar Hans, Mr Gurdial Singh and Mr Harnam Singh, both covering candidates of Mr Dhirowal, and Mr Pawan Kumar Tinoo, the BSP covering candidate. Mr Kamaljit Singh Lalli of
the Congress and his brother, Mr Sukhjinder Singh, as his
dummy, had filed their nominations on November 2. Dr
Wariam Singh Rajput was the lone Independent to file his
nomination on November 3. |
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SGPC invitation to Sharif AMRITSAR, Nov 5 — The President of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, has invited the Pakistan Prime Minister, Mr Nawaz Sharif, to participate in the tercentenary celebrations of the Khalsa Panth to be held at Anandpur Sahib in April next. A letter inviting Mr Sharif was sent through Mr Balbir Singh Pannu, General Secretary of the SGPC, who led a jatha of Sikh pilgrims to Pakistan on October 30. Mr Tohra has written that the tercentenary would be celebrated with great religious fervour by the Sikhs all over the world. The SGPC chief has also
invited descendants of Rai Bular, a big landlord and
devotee of Guru Nanak Dev ji, and Bhai Mardana, also a
devotee of the Guru. Several Pakistani writers and
journalists, who have been writing on Sikhs shrines in
Pakistan and Sikh gurus, have also been invited to the
tercentenary celebrations. |
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Currency
racket busted BATALA, Nov 5 — The police has busted a racket of smuggling foreign currency and hawala trade with the arrest of Palwinder Singh of Mustafabad Saidan village. Stating this here today,
SSP Lok Nath Angra said the accused was arrested by
Shrihargobindpur police station SHO Skattar Singh in the
wee hours of November 3 near a bridge over the Beas
towards Hoshiarpur and his search led to the seizure of
396 Iraqi dinars worth Rs 3.5 lakh. |
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Office-bearers
appointed MANSA, Nov 5 — The following have been appointed office-bearers of the district unit of the Akali Dal (Badal), according to Mr Mukhtiar Singh Tandian, district jathedar of the party. Senior Vice-Presidents: Mr Baldev Singh Makha and Mr Gurmel Singh Hero; General Secretaries: Mr Harbant Singh Datewas and Mr Surjit Singh Boha; Junior Vice-Presidents: Mr Gurdev Singh Samaon, Mr Parkash Singh Riaund and Mr Karnail Singh; Organising Secretaries: Mr Kaur Singh Khara, and Mr Sohan Lal Bhikhi and Mr Gurjant Singh Joga; Press Secretary: Mr Bikar Singh Meghania; Cashier: Mr Avtar Singh; Propaganda Secretary: Mr Lakhwinder Singh Mussa; Special Chief Advisor: Principal Jagjit Singh Aulakh. As many as 5 members have
been appointed for the district working committee. |
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Sikh library to have souvenir section AMRITSAR, Nov 5 — The SGPC has decided to set up a "souvenir" section in the Sikh reference library. The Director Sikh History Research Board, Dr Harjinder Singh Dilgir, said ‘souvenirs’ and ‘abhinandan granths’ released in honour of distinguished personalities including writers, journalists, scholars and political leaders would be kept in this section. He appealed to various
organisations to send two copies each of the
‘souvenirs’ and ‘abhinandan granths’
to the library for the study of the visiting scholars. |
||
Anti-adulteration drive to pick up PHILLAUR, Nov 5 — The Punjab Food and Supplies Minister, Mr Madan Mohan Mittal, has instructed the departmental officials to accelerate the drive to check adulteration in petrol and diesel at petrol filling stations. Mr Mittal instructed the
officials to check the supply of essential products,
including LPG. He claimed that there was no scarcity of
any essential commodities in the state. He denied reports
that the Union Government could not control prices of
essential goods. Mr Mittal said it was the responsibility
of states to implement the Essential Commodities Act. |
||
Student
held for raping minor GURDASPUR, Nov 5 — The Dina Nagar police yesterday arrested Inderjit, alias Rana, a DHMS student and a press correspondent, for allegedly raping a minor after promising her marriage. A case under Sections 363/366/376,306,506 and 511 of the IPC has been registered against the suspect. The girl and her parents
filed a complaint with the police, alleging that the
suspect raped her on August 9 and 31 after promising that
he would marry her. Later, he refused to marry her and
threatened her with serious consequences if she disclosed
the incident to anyone. |
||
Brar favours joint Khalsa
celebrations FATEHGARH SAHIB, Nov 5 — Mr Jagmeet Singh Brar, a senior vice president of the PPCC, has called upon all organisations including the SGPC to come forward to take part in the tercentenary celebrations of the Panth jointly and dedicate it to the glorious history of the Sikh Panth. Talking to mediapersons after presiding over a meeting of Congress workers at Gurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib in connection with the 300th birth anniversary of the Panth here today Mr Brar said PPCC had appointed him as convenor of the celebrations committee and he was mobilising the public in the entire state to join celebrations. He said at every district-level 51 member preparatory committee would be formed and similar committees would also be formed at the village-level. Mr Jasjeet Singh Randhawa,
Sadhu Singh, former ministers, Dr Harbans Lal, MLA,
Mohinder Singh Badochi, Sham Lal Talwar senior Congress
leaders also addressed the meeting. |
||
BSP decries BJP stand on U S Nagar ROPAR, Nov 5 — Opposing the inclusion of Udham Singh Nagar into the proposed hill state of Uttaranchal, Ms Mayawati, a former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and vice-president of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), today said the BJP stand on the issue was 'totally wrong' and demanded that the matter should be left to the people of the area to decide. Talking to newsmen here, she claimed the BJP took this stand without knowing the feelings of the residents of Udham Singh Nagar and taking them into confidence. The BSP had demanded that the Central Government should constitute a survey committee headed by a sitting high court judge to go to Udham Singh Nagar for getting the views of the residents. She asked the Akali leadership to learn a lesson from the fact that Hardwar had been excluded from the proposed Uttaranchal by the BJP, while Udham Singh Nagar's fate was still undecided. She asked the Akalis to keep away from the BJP in Punjab and withdraw support to the Centre. Regarding the ensuing assembly elections in four states, Ms Mayawati said the BSP was contesting in three states, except Mizoram. Her party would work for the defeat of the BJP. The BSP would go it alone, she added. On the rising prices, she
alleged that the BJP got election funds worth crores for
forming governments in the states and had thus allowed
traders to sell items of daily use at high prices. She
alleged it was a pre-planned move of the BJP which
prompted the traders to hoard daily-use commodities. |
||
PSSF
demands increased DA JALANDHAR, Nov 5 — The Punjab Subordinate Services Federation (PSSF) has criticised the Finance Minister's statement regarding dearness allowance of government employees and demanded an increase in DA without any delay. Mr Ranbir Dhillon, General Secretary of the federation, said in a press statement here yesterday that the rise of DA by six per cent was based on June, 1998, prices. However, now the prices had gone up by 150 per cent. The federation demanded a 10 per cent hike in DA in cash and the bonus in cash on the Central pattern. The PSSF will stage a
black flag march on November 13 from Bhogpur to Adampur
and hold a rally and a demonstration at Adampur on
November 22 in support of its demands. |
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