Jalandhar, November 21
Even though the NRI Department has failed to conduct elections of the executive body of the NRI Sabha for the past two years, no signs of preparedness are in sight for the polls of this NGO that are due again in the first week of January next year.

This is evident from the fact that there is no coordination between the Minister of NRIs, Mr Amarjit Singh Samra, and the NRI Commissioner, Mr N.S. Kalsi, as both showed divergent views over the schedule of the elections. Though both confirmed that elections would be held for the new term, Mr Samra said he was planning to hold the elections in the first week of February, while Mr Kalsi said the polls would be conducted on a Sunday prior to the Lohri, as per the constitution of the NGO.

Mr Samra said the elections could be delayed owing to many national level cultural events falling in the month of January. But Mr Kalsi contradicted it by saying that the poll schedule could not be altered as the NGO’s constitution had mentioned a specific calendar for the same.

Neither Mr Samra nor Mr Kalsi were clear on whether the NRIs would be able to exercise their franchise through their nominees, who were their relatives and friends living here.

The NRIs have long been demanding that an amendment be made in the constitution pertaining to the infringement of the rights of their nominees to cast their votes.

Ambiguities prevail among the authorities despite the fact that a notification pertaining to the elections must be issued in another fortnight. “Since the elections have to be held on January 7 as per the NRI Sabha’s constitution, the notification must come by December 7,” said Mr K.K. Sharma, Managing Director of the Sabha, who has also been delegated the power of the President since January 2004.

Such events have caused much disappointment among the members of the Sabha as they apprehend that the polls could be put off again this year.

Mr Pritam Singh Narangpuri, a Sabha member, said he was planning to write to the Chief Minister, who was also the Chief Patron of the Sabha, to issue a notification for the conduct of polls as soon as possible.

He said he would also demand that the right of the NRIs to vote for through their nominees be restored.

“With this rule in place, the NRIs will be left with no option but to return to Punjab personally to elect the executive committee, which means that each one of them will have to shell out at least Rs 1 lakh biennially,” he said.

Mr Narangpuri said since the NRIs had started returning home now, a grand get-together for celebrating the home-coming must be held in the coming January before the polls.

He said the NRIs could not participate in such a get-together for the last two consecutive years which was also against the regulations of the constitution.

“Such events will re-enforce faith in the minds of the NRIs who are worried about the fate of the NGO set up for their development.”

“After all, we have paid Rs 5,000 as life membership so that we can draw out some help for ourselves at times of need. If our money and our association with the Sabha is not valued, there is no point in continuing with it,” a member rued.

Jalandhar, November 21
After onions, it seems to be the turn of potatoes to burn a hole in pocket of the common man and disturb the kitchen budget.

Since a fortnight, the price of the essential vegetable has virtually doubled.

This steep hike in the price of potatoes is believed to have been caused by absence of old stocks and the slow pace of replacement by the new advance stock.

The vast gap between the demand and supply of potato in first two weeks of November was coupled with the rains, which damaged the advance crop in the month of September in Punjab.

A survey of the Doaba markets revealed that currently a kilogram of potato was priced between Rs 10 and Rs 12, while the same quantity was available in retail markets at a price tag ranging between Rs 4 and Rs 6 till the first couple of days of November when new crop had just started descending onto markets. The wholesale price of the vegetable has also increased from about Rs 300 to Rs 650-700 per quintal during this period.

Interestingly, the retail price of the vegetable fluctuated between Rs 3 and Rs 4 per kilogram, while its wholesale price remained in the range of Rs 150 to Rs 225 during the corresponding period last year.

The wholesale price of potato even touched it’s lowest at about Rs 100-125 per quintal for some time last year.

“It is all due to the huge demand-supply gap. Rain played spoilsport and damaged crops in Punjab and West Bengal as well. This has delayed arrival of the new crop in the market,” said Mr Dimpy Sachdeva, a wholesaler in a market here.

He said the prices might start falling in the first week of December after the new crop starts arriving in the markets. “You won’t find any stored potatoes in the market; whatever is coming is new,” added Mr Sachdeva.

Major part of the crop inflow comes from the Hoshiarpur district, where farmers were able to sow advance crop even after the first lot was damaged by untimely rains.

Meanwhile, potato growers rue that most of them could not sow the crop again after it was damaged by the rains. “Our economic condition doesn’t allow us to spend an amount of Rs 15,000, incurred on sowing one acre of crop,” said a farmer of the nearby Partapura village.

“But we are happy with our per acre return, which ranges between Rs 40,000 and Rs 50,000.”

“Actually, there is no price control mechanism as far as vegetables and raw food products are concerned,” said Dr Jasbir Dosanjh, a local skin specialist.

Kapurthala, November 21
The problem of getting LPG cylinder refilled is becoming more acute day by day. Hundreds of people can be seen queuing up in front of the agency office of the Bharat Gas situated on the Sultanpur Lodhi Road here.

Flouting the rules and regulations of company and ignoring all the safety precautions, the LPG cylinders are also being distributed from the roadside instead of the godown. People are compelled to buy the cylinders without verifying their weight.

On enquiring, Mr Ranjit Singh, a resident of the Car Bazaar, said he had been queuing up since the last two days to get the cylinder refilled. “The dealer failed to deliver the cylinder to my home even after taking charges for it.”

Mr Pritam Singh, another consumer, rued that though the price of cylinder included the carriage charges they had to take their cylinders themselves waiting for hours daily in the chilly morning.

“Though the government is denying any shortage of LPG cylinders, yet the dealers are creating an artificial shortage to sell these in the black market,” alleged Mrs Anita, a housewife.

On contacting, Mr Gulbahar Singh, DFSC, Kapurthala, said he had deputed an officer to enquire into the commercial usage of cylinders meant for domestic supply and would take strict action against the guilty. And as far as the supply of LPG cylinders on the roadside was concerned, he assured of looking into the matter.

Mr Kailash Aggarwal, the owner of the agency, when contacted, claimed that cylinders were being distributed on the roadside for the convenience of consumers. He also legitimised the practice of collecting cash in advance saying consumers felt more confident of getting the cylinder after obtaining the cash slip. 

Phagwara, November 21
The Smt Suhagwati Kharaiti Ram Aggarwal Charitable Trust, Phagwara, has announced annual awards for six outstanding persons in recognition of their distinguished services in different fields.

The Trust’s secretary, Mr S. N. Aggarwal, and managing trustee Dr Raman K. Aggarwal said here the persons would be given the awards at a function to be held at the local Kamla Nehru College for Women on November 27.

The legal luminary, Mr H.S. Mattewal, would be awarded the “Nayay Rattan,” while advocate Daya Chaudhary would be given the “Nayay Shiromani” award, they disclosed.

In medical field, Dr Vinay Aggarwal, secretary, IMA(HQ), would be awarded the “Chikitsa Paras” while engineer N. K. Khanna, would be given the “Techno Shri” award.

In education, Mr M. L. Aeri, Principal, DAV College, Jalandhar, would be awarded the “Vidya Alankar” award.

Mr I. K. Sardana, Managing Director, and Mr K.K. Sardana, Joint MD, Sukhjit Starch and Chemicals, Ltd, Phagwara, would be awarded the “Udyog Gaurav” award.

The Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal would present these awards.

An exhibition and seminar on AIDS awareness would be organised by Dr N.S. Bawa on this occasion, which would be inaugurated by Dr S.B. Khurana, former Principal of the DMC & H, Ludhiana, said Mr S N Aggarwal. 

Jalandhar, November 21
A two-day seminar on “Banking and Insurance Sector in Changing Economic Scenario: Challenges and Responses” began at DAV College here today.

Prof Manoj Kumar, Reader, University Business School (UBS), Punjab University, read out the keynote address. He spoke about the drastic changes occurring in the country’s business environment and challenges posed by it to the banking sector. Citing various instances pertaining to the onslaught by new-age private sector banks, he highlighted how de-regularisation, decontrol and opening up of the Indian economy had led to re-thinking, re-engineering and business outsourcing by the Indian banks.

Pointing out that the future of Indian banks lay in developing core competency as per the changing scenario, the professor said the banks should design and formulate their missions with a proper perspective. The value system of the banks could be properly achieved only if accountability and financial responsibility could be taken care of, he added.

Scholars and researchers from various universities and affiliated colleges participated in the seminar.

They presented their papers on the performance of public sector banks in the post-reform era. They said that owing to an effective management of these banks, non-performing assets have fallen from 14.5 per cent of net advances in 1993-94 to less than 5 per cent in 2004.

The scholars were also of the opinion that consolidation of banking industry was the need of the hour and could not be avoided.

Mr Rakesh Pandey, Minister of State for Technical Education, was the chief guest. 

Phagwara, November 21
As many as 433 patients were examined free of cost at a check-up camp organised by the Bahra Hospital, Chachoki, near here.

Mr Surinderjit Singh Riyat, Secretary, Bahra Charitable Trust, said patients suffering from blood pressure, diabetes and other heart diseases underwent medical examination by a team of expert doctors.

Blood sugar tests, urine tests and X-rays were performed free of cost here. Medicines too were provided to the patients.
Mr Riyat said Mr Lakha Singh Bahra, a philanthropist, had established the Bahra Hospital, equipped with all the modern facilities and machinery for providing affordable medical treatment to the poor.

Mr Jarnail Singh Wahid, Chairman-cum-Managing Director, Wahid-Sandhars Sugars Ltd, Phagwara, was the chief guest on the occasion.