J A L A N D H A R

Rs 290 crore scheme for leather industry
Jalandhar, March 7
In an effort to give impetus to the Indian leather sector with technological upgradation, the Department of Industrial Policy and Preparation (under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry) has devised an Integrated Development of Leather Sector Scheme with an outlay of Rs 290 crore in its 10th Five-Year-Plan.

Audio recordings: Rana, Bibi deny charges
Kapurthala, March 7
After a private TV channel telecast the recordings of telephonic conversations, which it claimed were between the Jalandhar MP, Rana Gurjit Singh, and Bholath MLA, Bibi Jagir Kaur, and Mr Swaran Singh Josh, Senior
Vice-President of the SAD’s district unit and Mr Pritam Singh Sikri, Secretary of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, the Congress leader from Bholath, Mr Sukhpal Singh Khaira, repeated his allegations that Bibi Jagir Kaur had joined hands with Rana Gurjit Singh to try and unsuccessfully defeat him (Mr Khaira) in the Cooperative Bank elections held on February 27.

Youth Cong leader arrested, released on bail
Phagwara, March 7
The Phagwara Block (Rural) Youth Congress President Amarjit Singh Gabhroo was among a group of youths arrested on charges of assaulting and causing injuries to guests at a marriage function and also vandalising a vehicle here yesterday night. Gabhroo and another youth Vishal Bugga, along with their companions, were arrested after a case under Sections 341, 506, 323, 148, 149 of the IPC was registered against them. Those arrested were released on bail this morning.

Advocate Raj Kumar Bhalla (centre) being felicitated by his supporters after he was declared the President of the District Bar Association, Jalandhar, on Tuesday.
— Tribune photo Pawan Sharma

EARLIER STORIES MC House meeting likely to be stormy March 7, 2006 Alawalpur suffers from poor civic amenities March 6, 2006 Late Major Sandeep Shankla’s parents felicitated March 5, 2006 Sketches of bank robbers released March 4, 2006 Spectacular show by Army jawans March 3, 2006 Rs 1.56 lakh looted in bank dacoity March 2, 2006 Budget disappoints teachers, pensioners March 1, 2006 Cong infighting: Khaira targets Rana Gurjit February 28, 2006 Waiting to get his passport back February 27, 2006

	Jalandhar, March 7 As many as 1,116 degrees were awarded to students of Lyallpur Khalsa College during its annual convocation held here today. The chief guest on the occasion was Kirti Chakra and Padma Shree recipient, Mr Swaran Singh Boparai, Vice-Chancellor of Punjabi University, Patiala.
Students of Lyallpur Khalsa College at the annual convocation of the college in Jalandhar on Tuesday. — Tribune photo by Pawan Sharma

Over 100 goats die mysteriously
Phagwara, March 7
As many as 108 goats have reportedly died of some mysterious disease in the nearby Pandhwan village during the past five days.

• Body found

Rs 290 crore scheme for leather industry
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, March 7
In an effort to give impetus to the Indian leather sector with technological upgradation, the Department of Industrial Policy and Preparation (under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry) has devised an Integrated Development of Leather Sector Scheme with an outlay of Rs 290 crore in its 10th Five-Year-Plan.

Mr D. Chandramauli, Director Grade Scientist, Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI), Chennai, Mr B.S. Katyar, Consultant, Footwear Design and Development Institute (FDDI), Noida, and Mr S.K. Misra, scientist-in-charge, Regional Centre for Extension and Development, Jalandhar, said this in a press conference here today.

Mr Chandramauli said that out of the total amount earmarked under the project, Rs 150 crore had been sanctioned for the upgradation of tanneries, while the rest, he added, would go to leather goods’ manufacturers.

The CLRI, he said, would act as a project implementation unit for tanneries, while the FDDI would assist manufacturers of leather goods, garments and footwear.

The CLRI scientist said that only those leather units would qualify for assistance that had been in existence for the past three years and had been making profit for the past two years.

He said each such SSI would get a 30 per cent grant over its investments, while a medium and large scale unit would get 20 per cent grant on its outlay. Mr Chandramauli said there was a ceiling of Rs 50 lakh on a grant through this scheme.

The leather experts said that the CLRI and the FDDI would conduct technical appraisals of the applicants for technical and financial viability.

They said if everything, including the papers, was found to be satisfactory the recommendations would be passed to a steering committee headed by the Joint Secretary, Ministry of Commerce and Industry and Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Mr N.N. Prasad, within a period of 15 days.

They added that the department would then sanction the amount, to be released through SIDBI.

Mr Katyar pointed out that assistance would not only be provided for buying machines but also for developing hardware solutions, e-governance, networking, R&D, testing and sample taking, capacity expansion and for developing environment-friendly effluent discharge mechanisms.

The consultant pointed out that the applications for the scheme could be downloaded from the sites of the CLRI and the FDDI.

He said the scheme had been on since November 3 last year and 33 tanneries and 35 leather goods’ manufacturers, including four from Jalandhar, had already applied for it.

The applications for the scheme, Mr Katyar added, would be received till March 31, 2007.

Audio recordings: Rana, Bibi deny charges
Arun Sharma
Tribune News Service

Kapurthala, March 7
After a private TV channel telecast the recordings of telephonic conversations, which it claimed were between the Jalandhar MP, Rana Gurjit Singh, and Bholath MLA, Bibi Jagir Kaur, and Mr Swaran Singh Josh, Senior Vice-President of the SAD’s district unit and Mr Pritam Singh Sikri, Secretary of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, the Congress leader from Bholath, Mr Sukhpal Singh Khaira, repeated his allegations that Bibi Jagir Kaur had joined hands with Rana Gurjit Singh to try and unsuccessfully defeat him (Mr Khaira) in the Cooperative Bank elections held on February 27.

While talking to The Tribune, Mr Khaira alleged that Rana Gurjit Singh was weakening the party by “conniving” with Bibi Jagir Kaur.

Copies of the audio tapes reportedly recorded during the recent cooperative bank elections have been procured by The Tribune.

Meanwhile, Rana Gurjit Singh, denying all the allegations of Mr Khaira, said that it could not be proved through the audio recordings that he talked to Bibi Jagir Kaur on any such issue. Moreover, he added that the cooperative bank elections were not fought on the party’s symbol.

Bibi Jagir Kaur, when contacted, said, “Mr Khaira is trying to take his party’s infighting to our doorsteps by alleging that I have joined hands with Rana Gurjit Singh. I have never talked things like the one being presented in the recordings.”

When contacted, Mr Josh confirmed that it was his voice in the recording and that he was talking in a casual manner to Mr Sikri.

According to Mr Khaira, a voice resembling Bibi Jagir Kaur’s could be heard claiming that she had joined hands with Rana Gurjit Singh on the issue of the Kapurthala Cooperative bank elections, while a voice resembling Mr Josh’s could be heard talking of horse-trading in the polls.

Youth Cong leader arrested, released on bail
Our Correspondent

Phagwara, March 7
The Phagwara Block (Rural) Youth Congress President Amarjit Singh Gabhroo was among a group of youths arrested on charges of assaulting and causing injuries to guests at a marriage function and also vandalising a vehicle here yesterday night.

Gabhroo and another youth Vishal Bugga, along with their companions, were arrested after a case under Sections 341, 506, 323, 148, 149 of the IPC was registered against them. Those arrested were released on bail this morning.

When contacted today, ASP, Mr Sukhchain Singh Gill, confirmed this. The alleged accused had reportedly barged into a marriage hall on the Phagwara-Banga road here. They wanted to ‘have a word’ with the owner of a DJ regarding an old money matter.

The police had to intervene and both parties were taken to the police station, where the dispute was reportedly resolved.

However, when the youths, including Gabhroo, came out of the police station, they allegedly attacked the members of the marriage party. Three persons sustained injuries, sources added.

1,116 degrees awarded at annual convocation
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, March 7
As many as 1,116 degrees were awarded to students of Lyallpur Khalsa College during its annual convocation held here today.

The chief guest on the occasion was Kirti Chakra and Padma Shree recipient, Mr Swaran Singh Boparai, Vice-Chancellor of Punjabi University, Patiala. He conferred 552 degrees on postgraduate students and 564 degrees on graduates.

Congratulating the students after the convocation, he told them that they had passed out from an institute that was originally established in Lyallpur, now in Pakistan. He said the college was older than most universities of India. He urged the students to donate money to educational institutes after they started earning an independent living.

Addressing the students, he said, “As much as 90 per cent of charity in India goes to religious places. It is high time that most of us change and start donating towards temples of learning. Do not ever think that you do not have enough to give. Every small donation sends out a positive signal.”

Talking of various initiatives being taken by Punjabi University, he said that it was running three engineering colleges, out of which two had been set up to cater to rural students.

He said the university had tied up with 400 sponsors from industries to take care of educational needs of such students.

The Vice-Chancellor further said, “The percentage of girls opting for engineering courses in most colleges of the region is just 18 per cent. But due to special incentives for Punjabi University affiliated colleges set up in rural areas, the percentage of girls opting for engineering stream is 43 per cent, with all of them pursuing the course even after their marriage.”

Mr Balbir Singh, President of the governing council, Mr Bhagwant Singh Sangha, honorary secretary, and Dr Satish K. Kapoor, Principal, were present on the occasion.

Over 100 goats die mysteriously
Tribune News Service

Phagwara, March 7
As many as 108 goats have reportedly died of some mysterious disease in the nearby Pandhwan village during the past five days.

A team of veterinary doctors from the Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (Northern Region) took the blood samples of the dead animals. They said the treatment was being provided to the remaining over two hundred goats in the village.

Body found

Phagwara, March 7
An unidentified body of a 50-year-old man was found in a pond in Chachoki near Phagwara yesterday. A case under Section 174 of the CrPC had been registered, the police said. — TNS