Thursday, September 17, 1998
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P U N J A B | |
Thursday, September 17, 1998 |
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spotlight today's calendar |
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Badal holds
talks
Sanctity
of 'Sangat, Pangat' must be maintained SGPC
alleges land grab |
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Vigilance
team visits US
Embassy team visits Golden Temple |
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Tohra
warns Centre on Art 356 PSLC
backs Akal Takht Jathedar Ministerial
staff hold rally Ushering
in fiscal discipline Dashmesh
School teachers on indefinite stir |
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Badal holds talks with Tohra CHANDIGARH, Sept 16 — The SAD President, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, and the SGPC President, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, met here today to discuss certain politico-religious issues. The meeting assumes significance since it was held on the eve of the meeting of the SGPC Executive Committee, scheduled to be held at Anandpur Sahib on Thursday at 11 a.m. The issue hanging fire and requiring immediate attention is the war of attrition among the head priests. It is learnt that while Jathedar Kewal Singh of Takht Damdama Sahib, Talwandi Sabo, may be out of the woods, the clouds of uncertainty still hover over Jathedar Manjit Singh of Takht Keshgarh Sahib, who is being asked to submit detailed accounts of the money collected in his capacity as President of the World Sikh Council. There is strong pressure on him from Jathedar of Akal Takht, Ranjit Singh, on this issue. The SGPC President had met Jathedar Ranjit Singh and other head priests here on Tuesday. Given the "conservative" approach to controversial politico-religious issues of both Mr Parkash Singh as well as Mr Gurcharan Singh, sources say no "radical" outcome could be expected. There is possibility of a "patchwork" solution, which the SGPC Executive is likely to endorse. There is a strong possibility of Jathedar Manjit Singh being asked to let Mr Jaswant Singh Mann, Secretary-General of the "old" World Sikh Council, submit the accounts. At the same time Jathedar Manjit Singh could probably call the "old" Executive of the World Sikh Council, wherein it could dissolve the previous one and recognise the present council headed by Justice Kuldip Singh. Another dimension is that Jathedar Ranjit Singh had fired a broadside against Mr Parkash Singh Badal recently. The SAD Chief is believed to have told Mr Gurcharan Singh that he had not done anything or acted in any manner to earn the displeasure of Jathedar Ranjit Singh. However, close proximity of Mr Parkash Singh to Mr Manjit Singh cannot be denied and perhaps, the former will not let the latter be made an easy scapegoat and "sacrificed" the way demand for his ouster or resignation is being made. The latest salvo against Mr Manjit Singh was fired by the Sikh Vichar Manch on Tuesday which had demanded his resignation. Therefore the meeting between two senior leaders (among others) and the Executive meeting tomorrow needs to be watched. The other possible issues
discussed pertained to strategy over Udham Singh Nagar
and expansion of Cabinet hinted at by Mr Atal Behari
Vajpayee later this month. The emerging new power
equations within and around the SAD-SGPC have also been
taken cognizance of by the senior Akali leadership,
sources hinted. |
NHRC hearing begins on mass
cremations NEW DELHI, Sept 16 — Acting on the permission signal given by the Supreme Court to probe the alleged mass cremation of more than 2000 bodies by the Punjab Police, the National Human Rights Commission held a hearing today to work out modalities. The Supreme Court has ruled that a probe by the NHRC into the aforesaid matter could not be barred under the Limitation Act prohibiting human rights violation’s inquiry after a year. Favouring a consensus, the Chairperson of the Commission, Justice M.N. Venkatachaliah and members, Justice V.S. Malimatah and Mr Virendra Dayal invited suggestions on the modalities from counsel for the petitioners as well as the respondents.Prominent among those who attended the hearing were the Director General of Police, Punjab, Mr P.C. Dogra and Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Mr Sandeep Bagchi. The Chairperson asked
senior counsel and amicus curiae, Mr Venkataraman to hold
a meeting with both parties before the next date of
hearing scheduled for October 9.Ms Nitya Ramachandran
appearing for the Committee for Initiative on Punjab
submitted that the Commission should not put the onus of
proving the disposal of the body on the claimant. Mr
Sarup Singh, appearing on behalf of the Punjab Government
submitted that “as far as financial liability on the
claims goes, it is the Union of India which has to
pay.”Mr A.K. Wali, appearing for the Ministry of
Home Affairs sought time to work out modalities. |
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Sanctity of 'Sangat, Pangat' must
be maintained CHANDIGARH, Sept 16 — The sanctity of "sangat and pangat" has to be maintained. The degradation that has been going on for the past several decades has to come to an end. This was stated by Mr Baldev Singh Balluana, president of the Sikh Intellectual Council, while addressing mediapersons at the Sector 34 gurdwara here today. Five resolutions were passed by the members of the executive on the occasion. The resolutions pertain to not raising the issues facing the community at present till the celebrations of the tercentenary of the Khalsa are over, having langar while sitting on the floor, keeping some control on the proposed Punjabi channel so that no programmes depicting distortions of Sikh history and programmes depicting obscenity and violence are telecast. The members appealed to
those responsible for organising a seminar in a hotel in
the city on the institution of Akal takht to desist from
doing so. They also urged the jathedar of Sri Takht
Keshgarh Sahib to hand over the accounts of the World
Sikh Council to the council formed by the jathedar of
Akal Takht. |
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Candidates allege harassment CHANDIGARH, Sept 16 — Tempers ran high as hundreds of candidates appearing for 1,800 of elementary teachers training (ETT) posts before the Departmental Selection Committee, Punjab, in Sector 34 alleged harassment and non-consideration of candidates with higher qualifications for the posts. For interviews, held over the past few days, candidates having passed the ETT course have been called. They have also not been informed about the refund of the Rs 100 draft that had been attached with their applications, the protesting candidates told TNS here. Mr Bua Singh, who accompanied his daughter and one of her friends from Amritsar, said the authorities did not have the courtesy to inform them beforehand. I had to accompany my ward despite my heart ailment only to realise that it had been a futile journey, he lamented. Ms Anita and Mr Barinder Singh, also from Amritsar, said while they had reached the city at 9 a.m. the chairman of the selection committee turned up only at noon. Even then the candidates who had arrived from far-flung places had to sweat it out as there were no enquiry counters to guide them. They also alleged that it was not mentioned in the advertisements that the candidates with higher qualifications would not be considered for the post. We had attached self-addressed pre-paid envelopes but the authorities had not bothered to mail information to us. This way harassment, time and expenditure of hundreds of candidates would have been saved, said three candidates. Ms Virpal Kaur, hailing from Bathinda, while showing her interview call latter (number 233 dated August 24) said that she was turned away without assigning any reason. Similar was the grouse of as many as 60 candidates who had passed their JBT (home craft) from Haryana and after a six-months condensed course were eligible for the above mentioned posts. They too alleged that they were not being considered. Seeing the mood of the protesters, the police was called by the authorities. The candidates were urged not to create nuisance at the interview venue. On the other hand, the candidates who had passed the ETT course told TNS that only they should be considered for the job as they had the requisite qualifications and if the candidates with higher qualifications, were to be considered what was the use of their going in for the present course asked some. Mrs Daljit Kaur Chadha, chairperson of the selection committee, said the entire process was as per the directives of the government. As our candidates who
conform to the norms are not considered in Haryana, the
same is done by Punjab. |
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Vigilance team visits Punjabi
University PATIALA, Sept 16 — The Vigilance Bureau inspected two new buildings of Punjabi University here and took away construction records late last evening, setting in motion an inquiry against Vice-Chancellor, Dr Joginder Singh Puar and an executive engineer. An inquiry is being conducted against the Vice-Chancellor and Xen Amarjit Singh Sandhu in connection with alleged misappropriation of funds during the Science Congress held in January, 1996. The vigilance team, which was accompanied by technical specialists from Chandigarh, inspected the pharmacy building and the Itihas Bhawan. The team took aluminium and marble samples from the two buildings. The team also took samples of aluminium from Guru Gobind Singh Bhawan which was redone during the Science Congress. It took away records pertaining to the construction of the newly constructed buildings. Vigilance officials said the inspection had to be conducted in the presence of the Sub Divisional Officer as Xen Sandhu, who had been informed about the inspection yesterday had "got himself admitted to a local hospital on medical grounds". The officials said these were allegations that the marble and aluminium used were of a sub-standard quality and had been bought at "very high rates". The officials said it had also been charged that rules had not been followed while making these purchases. They said the samples would be verified before any further action was taken on the matter. There may be more vigilance inspections and raids as the regular inquiry which has been marked to the SP (Vigilance), Patiala, has listed 20 charges. However, Dr Puar, when contacted, said he was not being interrogated on misappropriation of funds during the Science Congress. He said no one had questioned him in this regard. He went on to say that the cases being inquired did not concern him as all decisions during the congress had been taken by committees formed for the task. "I only made the committees and approved their proceedings", he said. Though his name was in the inquiry, no case had been made out against him, he added. Dr Puar said he had been only questioned regarding four appointments made by the university and a book written by him which has been included in the university syllabus. Dr Puar said vigilance officials had questioned the teachers yesterday. He said even in these cases he was not involved as he had only recommended the cases which were approved by the Syndicate. Things at the campus may hot up further as the new Punjabi University Teachers Union (PUTA) formed yesterday is an anti-Vice Chancellor front. Prof Kehar Singh, the spirit behind the PUTA had been spearheading the campaign against the Vice-Chancellor. He had been sidelined last year as he did not take up the presidentship of the PUTA for the half term allotted to him by the university authorities following a tie with Dr B.S. Nanda. Dr Kehar Singh had all along alleged that he had fraudulently been denied the presidentship. The Punjab Government had
sanctioned Rs 7 crore for the Science Congress which was
held for the first time in this region. It is alleged
that at least Rs 2 crore was siphoned off while making
preparations and establishing infrastructure for hosting
the congress. |
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Tohra warns Centre on Art 356 PATIALA, Sept 16 — The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, while warning the central government against using Article 356 to dismiss the Bihar Government, today appealed to all regional parties and democratic forces to scuttle the move to remove a democratically elected government. In a statement released on his behalf by his press secretary Malwinder Singh Malli, Mr Tohra said if the BJP tried to topple the state government in this way it would prove very costly for it as reports of breakdown of law and order machinery in Bihar were "self-manufactured" by the BJP. The SGPC chief went on to even question whether the law and order situation in states ruled by the BJP and its allies, like Delhi, Gujarat and Maharashtra was any better. Mr Tohra said Article 356 was the creation of the Congress which had used it to topple democratically elected governments in Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir. He said it was because of this that the people of both states had got alienated from the Centre and had lost faith in the parliamentary set-up. Urging the BJP central
leadership to rethink a hundred times before imposing
Article 356 in Bihar, Mr Tohra urged the people scuttle
the conspiracy. |
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SGPC alleges land grab by
corporation AMRITSAR, Sept 16 — The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee has alleged that the municipal corporation has grabbed prime land worth crores in various parts of the city owned by it. In a press note issued here today, Mr Surjit Singh, secretary, SGPC, alleged that despite a number of representations, the municipal corporation had neither handed over the land nor given compensation to the SGPC so far. Giving details, the SGPC secretary alleged that the corporation had "grabbed" more than eight kanals in Ajit Nagar which belonged to the Golden Temple. Similarly, it had "encroached" upon more than 20 kanals adjacent to Gurdwara Shaheedan on the pretext of constructing children’s burial ground. The corporation had constructed a "marriage palace" on 19 marlas which belonged to the Golden Temple and no compensation was paid to the SGPC. The Improvement Trust had also encroached upon the SGPC land (9 kanals and 6 marlas) on the GT road at Mall Mandi. Mr Surjit Singh described as "unfounded and unfortunate" all allegations that the SGPC had encroached upon the municipal corporation land. He described the charges as "baseless and misleading" that the SGPC had constructed a serai (resthouse) on the municipal corporation land which was part of the Golden Temple beautification project. He alleged that though
there was SAD-BJP government in the state, yet some
bureaucrats were damaging the image of the government by
levelling "baseless" allegations against the
SGPC. |
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US Embassy team visits Golden
Temple AMRITSAR, Sept 16 — Ms Geeta Pasi, First Secretary for Political Affairs, US Embassy, New Delhi, has said here today that she would submit her preliminary report to the American Government in which she would mention that "Punjabis are very keen to welcome the US President". Amritsar-born Ms Pasi said she would ask the President to visit Amritsar and pay obeisance at the Golden Temple. Ms Pasi said this would help strengthen relations between Punjabis settled in America and the Americans. Ms Pasi led a delegation, which included Ms Gina C. Faddis, Second Secretary for Political Affairs, and Ms Shireen Singh, also a Punjabi. The delegates later paid obeisance at the Golden Temple and Akal Takht. They were presented with a siropa each by Mr Amarjit Singh Grewal, Mr Ranbir Singh and Mr Surjit Singh, all SGPC members. The US delegation is on a "familiarisation" tour of this border state. A number of Punjabis, especially Sikhs, have written to the US Government pleading that Mr Clinton must visit Punjab, especially the Golden Temple, during his proposed visit to India. In the evening the delegates visited the Wagah border and witnessed the retreat ceremony. The delegates talked to a
cross-section of citizens on the political, social and
economic situation in the state. Interestingly, they
questioned about the relations between Mr Gurcharan Singh
Tohra, SGPC chief, and Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Chief
Minister. |
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PSLC backs Akal Takht Jathedar LUDHIANA, Sept 16 (PTI) — The Punjab Sikh Lawyers Council (PSLC) today supported Akal Takht Jathedar Bhai Ranjit Singh and asked Prof Manjit Singh, Jathedar of Takht Kesgarh Sahib and Giani Kewal Singh, Jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib, to submit their resignations in the better interest of the Sikh Panth. Hailing Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, president Gurcharan Singh Tohra’s stand of lending its support to the People’s Commission constituted by Justice Kuldip Singh, the PSLC presidium condemned certain individuals and political groups for allegedly making a hue and cry about the commission even after the matter was in the state high court. The PSLC presidium members, Mr Gurdish Singh Grewal and Mr D.S. Gill, and its general secretary, Mr Mohinder Singh Grewal, and secretary Mr M.L.S. Dhillon, in a statement here censured pseudo intellectuals with vested interests who had demanded resignations from the Jathedar of Akal Takht. These are people who had challenged the authority of Akal Takht in a court, transgressing all tenets, doctrines and faith of the Sikh people, said the PSLC activists, adding, "They must withdraw the court case and submit accounts of the World Sikh Council’’. The SGPC president, they said, must ask Prof Manjit Singh and Giani Kewal Singh to resign. Applauding the decision of the Supreme Court in the case of cremation of unidentified and unclaimed bodies by the Punjab police, the Sikh lawyers asked the opponents of the commission to see reason before raising hell regarding the constitution and working of the People’s Commission as the matter pertained to people who had just disappeared. Such an enforced or involuntary disappearance of a person is a heinous crime, they said, adding that it was a doubly paralysing form of suffering for victims, who were kept ignorant of their fate, frequently tortured and constantly feared for their lives and that of their family members. The lawyer activists have
urged the coordination committee on disappearances in
Punjab on whose behalf Justice Kuldip Singh had
constituted the People’s Commission to become party
to intervene in the writ petition pending in the high
court in this regard so that the matter could be legally
clinched and properly thrashed in law courts. |
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Ministerial staff hold rally ROPAR, Sept 16 — Employees of the ministerial services today held a protest rally in support of their demands as a part of their four-day pen-down agitation at the mini secretariat here. Besides local leaders of the ministerial staff, Mr Raj Kumar Arora, president of the Punjab State Ministerial Services Union, Mr Kulbhushan, Secretary-General, and Mr R.K. Jindal general secretary, while addressing the rally criticised the state government for not implementing the demands of the ministerial staff which had already been accepted by Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Punjab Chief Minister, at two different meetings on December 31 last year and August 12. The rally was also addressed by Mr Harnek Singh Mavi, president of the district unit of the Punjab State Ministerial Services Union, Mr Faqir Chand Sharma, Mr Narinderpal Singh, Mr Jagir Singh, Mr Ajit Singh Pardesi, Mr Ajit Singh and Ms Manmohan Kaur. According to a press note issued here today by Mr Harish Kalra, press secretary of the union, on the second day today the ministerial staff observed a pen-down strike in all offices in the district. FATEHGARH SAHIB: The district unit of the Punjab State Ministerial Services Union observed a strike for the second consecutive day on Wednesday. The staff organised a rally and staged a dharna in front of the Deputy Commissioners office. Addressing the rally, Mr R.S. Dhaliwal, president of the district unit of the union demanded Punjab Government should implement all those demands which had already been conceded. LUDHIANA: More than
1.25 lakh ministerial services staff working in various
government offices observed a complete pen-down strike
for the second day here on Wednesday. The call for the
strike had been given by the Punjab State Ministerial
Services Union to press the government to implement the
demands already accepted by the Chief Minister. A rally
was also held in front of the mini secretariat to protest
against the inaction of the government with regard to
implementing the union's demands. |
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Ushering in fiscal discipline CHANDIGARH, Sept 16 — The SAD-BJP Government in Punjab is now making a belated attempt to make its presence felt and correct its future politico-administrative trajectory. During the past 18 months the government had remained mesmerised by the massive mandate received at the hustings in February, 1997. It now seems to have woken up to the growing negative impact of its please-all policies, which have earned it more brickbats than bouquets. Almost a month ago, August 5 to be precise, the Punjab Cabinet undertook a review of the state's financial health. A two-member committee was set up to closely monitor how different departments prepared their respective plans on the suggested guidelines to ensure "discipline in expenditure, augmentation of resources, administrative reforms and drastically cutting down all ostentatious expenses." These decisions were, however, kept under wraps all these past weeks. Now the Finance Department has decided to come out openly to talk about the same and share what had been decided upon. Though the immediate provocation for this exercise is not understood, it is, however, learnt that the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (funded by the World Bank) has submitted a stinging report on the state's fiscal health. A World Bank team is slated to visit Punjab shortly for an appraisal and review as to how the recommendations contained, therein, were being implemented. The report by three experts of the NIPFP — Indira Rajaraman, Hiranya Mukhopadhyay and H.K. Amar Nath — is a strong indictment of the government, they have x-rayed the government's financial performance. The Principal Secretary, Finance, Mr Rajan Kashyap, today told TNS that the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, was seriously involved in setting the house in order. He wanted accountability at all levels. Managing finance was not the prerogative of the Finance Department alone. It was the collective responsibility of all departments to do so through a system of self-discipline and self-motivation, he added. The attempt, henceforth, would be to ensure augmentation of resources, enforcement of existing laws for revenue collection, setting and achieving targets and introducing tax reforms in the system in line with any national decision. Punjab was not keen to lower its taxes to attract investment. But it wanted "uniformity" in sales tax among states and union territories. It was also committed to introduce a value added tax system provided other states did so. These "reforms" were expected to be implemented by December-end. Mr Kashyap pointed out that August 5 meeting was perturbed over the huge outgo of money towards payment of salaries and allowances to its employees: this alone accounted for 62 per cent of the revenue. In fact in the past two years, wages and allowances alone had shot up by 4 per cent. Wasteful expenditure, out of the non-Plan Budget, was another area of concern. The Chief Minister was keen to curb telephone bills, travels, vehicles, expenses on petrol, oil, lubricants, furnishing rent of hired premises and maintenance services. The idea was to "decentralise" maintenance, downsize the government, freeze new recruitment, disinvest in public sector undertakings and wind up unproductive boards and corporations. Moreover, there had to be "pricing of public services". Punjab is in dire need of a strong infrastructure for any future economic growth, industrial as well as agricultural. For this, the Planning Commission member, Dr Montek Singh Ahluwalia (former Union Finance Secretary), has accepted the request of the state's Finance Minister, Capt Kanwaljit Singh, to help Punjab prepare a "design" and provide money for its implementation. Consequently, it has been agreed upon that Punjab will do its homework and a team of experts will visit it in the second week of October for a detailed discussion. That team will comprise Mr Deepak Parikh, Chairman, National Infrastructure Development Corporation; Mr Rakesh Mohan, Chairman, National Council for Applied Economic Research; and Mr Ashok Lehri of the NIPFP. Panic buttons have been pressed in the state over its financial condition. It is ironic that despite the waiver granted on repayment of special term loans, Punjab should find itself in financial crisis. In fact, the Budget documents of the state, the NIPFP has noted, concealed more and revealed less. Given the present revenue income expenditure trends, Punjab will barely be able to achieve a gross state domestic product rate of 5.6 per cent, annually, between 1997-2002, which will be lower than the national average rate. This projection is slightly optimistic. This will happen only if reforms are introduced and enforced, says the NIPFP report. Mr Kashyap said Punjab has
pleaded with the Reserve Bank of India, along with other
states, that its "minimum" cash balance should
be enhanced from the present Rs 60 lakh. Likewise, its
"ways and means reserves" should be enhanced
from the present Rs 139.20 crore. |
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Dashmesh School teachers on
indefinite stir FARIDKOT, Sept 16 — The teaching staff of the local Dashmesh Public School went on an indefinite strike yesterday. They were demanding immediate removal of the principal who they alleged had been "behaving like a dictator". Dashmesh Public School is one of the prestigious institutions with a strength of over 2,700 students. It is run by Bhai Pheru Sikh Educational Society, Faridkot. It has its branches at Kotkapura and Bargari in Faridkot district. Talking to mediapersons, today, Mrs Sunita Chauhan, who is leading the strike charged the principal with making the institution a "money-making machine". She alleged that the principal collected Rs 60,000 as fine from students who could not clear the monthly tests during the month of July. She also accused him of often passing derogatory remarks against pupils and teachers during the morning assembly. A memorandum signed by 99 teachers had been sent to the chairman of the society, she said. Some of the demands were basic facilities to the teachers in accordance with the CBSE rules and formation of parents teachers association, besides immediate removal of anomalies in pay scales. The memorandum made it clear that if the demands were not met the teachers would be compelled to go to court. Denying the charges, Mr
Gurcharan Singh, Principal, said he had always been
polite with the staff members. However, he had to ensure
a work culture among his staff members for the interests
of the students |
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Rice
millers give memo to DC SANGRUR, Sept 16 — Rice millers of this district in a memorandum submitted to the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Anirudh Tewari, have said that state agencies will not be permitted to store procured paddy in their mills till their demands are accepted by the government. This was stated by Mr Parmodh Kumar Modi, Chairman, District Sangrur Rice Millers Association. He said huge stocks of
previous year's paddy were also lying with them following
the non-acceptance of their demands which include levy
rate of rice as that of the rate given to state agencies
by the FCI, the withdrawal of the 1994-95 paddy cases and
milling charges for new rice at Rs 47 per quintal and for
parboiled rice at Rs 92. |
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Paddy
procurement begins in Punjab CHANDIGARH, Sept 16 — Paddy procurement has commenced in Punjab. So far 4.24 lakh tonnes of paddy, have arrived in mandis of which millers have purchased 4.12 lakh tonnes while the remaining has been lifted by different agencies, according to an official press release. The procurement had been preponed by at least 15 days due to pressure from farmers' lobby despite the fact that early arrivals contained higher percentage of moisture. Ferozepore has had the
maximum procurement — 1.69 lakh tonnes —
followed by Amritsar and Kapurthala. |
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Reinstate
Xens, say Punjab JEs ROPAR, Sept 16 — The Association of Junior Engineers (Civil) of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) has demanded reinstatement of two dismissed executive engineers (Xens) — Mr R.L. Chhokar and Mr R.S. Bhatti of the erstwhile Haryana State Electricity Board, Mr Rajinder Saini, general secretary of the association, said here today the Xens were dismissed as they had organised workers and engineers under the banner of "Bijli Nijikaran Virodhi Manch aimed at educating the masses on the "anti-people short-sighted policies of the Haryana government. The general secretary
called upon all like-minded employees' organisations in
the region to gather at one platform to secure
"justice", especially in the case of the two
dismissed engineers. |
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Govt
to buy more new buses KAPURTHALA, Sept 16 — Mr Raghbir Singh Transport Minister, has said Rs 85.97 crore will be spent on the purchase of new buses and for improving the condition of bus stands in the state. He said at a function organised in connection with "sangat darshan" at Sidhwan Dons village yesterday. He said 536 buses had already added to fleet and that 200 more would be added during this month. He stressed that there was need to provide better transport facilities in the rural areas. He said houses would be
constructed for 23 dalit families of the village and
announced a grant of Rs 1 lakh, for a school and mahila
mandal in the village. |
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Govt
to upgrade hospitals PATIALA, Sept 16 — The Punjab Government will spend Rs 65 crore on upgrading nearly 150 hospitals and dispensaries in the state. Stating this after inaugurating a 30-bedded hospital at Banur town, Capt Kanwaljit Singh, Finance Minister, said more than Rs 400 crore would be spent on providing better health facilities in the state. He said with the opening
of a hospital at Banur persons from nearly 25 surrounding
villages would benefit. He said the government had
earmarked Rs 6.12 crore for the hospital. |
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Tohra criticised for comments BATHINDA, Sept 16 — Mr Bhupinder Singh Gora, vice-president, Punjab Youth Congress, today condemned the statement of the SGPC president, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, in which the latter had dubbed the head of the Sacha Sauda sect, Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh as a "pakhandi" sadhu. In a press note issued
here, he said that by making such derogatory remarks, Mr
Tohra had hurt the sentiments of followers of the sect.
He demanded that Mr Tohra should seek an apology for his
statement, failing which Youth Congress workers would
launch an agitation. |
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