Jalandhar, January 27
More than 40,000 acres of land under the occupation of people in the rural areas of Punjab for the past many decades will be given to those tilling it. Revenue minister Ajit Singh Kohar stated this while addressing the gathering at the district-level 59th Republic Day function at Guru Gobind Singh Stadium yesterday.

He handed over the title papers to 29 such farmers on the occasion. The minister also gave away 22 tricycles provided by the Red Cross Society to the physically challenged persons and 11 sewing machines to needy women.

Congratulating the people on this day, he said, “We should not forget the supreme sacrifices made by our freedom fighters so that we could live in freedom. The people who forget their heroes are doomed.”

Kohar said the government had drawn elaborate plans and schemes for the benefit of the people. Many were being implemented while several others would begin in the days to come. The government was committed to bringing all round development of the state, he declared.

He said the government was providing relief to more than 14 lakh poor families by way of cheap atta and dal. This had ensured that the beneficiaries had two square meals a day, he said.

Commenting on the power crisis in the state, he said four big thermal plants would be constructed in the coming months so that Punjab became a power surplus state. In addition, efforts were afoot to generate 5000 MW of power in the alternate sector.

The government was executing a World Bank scheme wherein clean drinking water would be provided to the people in rural areas. In fact, this year was being celebrated as Year of Development by the state government, he pointed out.

Earlier, the minister took the salute at an impressive march past comprising contingents of the Punjab police, the PAP, the BSF, the CRPF, the Home Guards and the NCC cadets, Scouts and Guides and schoolchildren.

KAPURTHALA: Local bodies minister Manoranjan Kalia unfurled the National Flag here and took the salute at an impressive march past on the occasion of the 59th Republic Day function. The minister appealed to the people to remain united to defend the unity and integrity of the country. He handed over a cheque for Rs 1.6 crore to the deputy commissioner for laying sewerage in the town. He also gave certificates of land ownership to five farmers. He also distributed 13 tricycles, 10 sewing machines and three wheelchairs to the needy persons.

NAWANSHAHR: Technical education minister Chaudhary Swarna Ram unfurled the Tricolour and took the salute from contingents of the Punjab police, the Home Guards, ex-servicemen, NCC cadets and girl guides at the district-level Republic Day function here on Saturday.

The minister, while paying tributes to the martyrs, exhorted the public to maintain peace, communal harmony, national unity and integrity.

The minister, while expressing grief over a road accident, in which three schoolchildren were killed here on Friday, announced a financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh each for those families which have losts their kids, Rs 50,000 each for the seriously injured and Rs 25,000 for each injured kid.

He announced Rs 1 lakh for the participants in the Republic Day function and a special award of Rs 11,000 for the horse riders of the Kirpal Sagar Academy who presented a spectacular show during the celebrations. He gave away land ownership certificates to 20 farmers, sewing machines to 105 needy women and tricycles to 28 disabled persons on the occasion. Besides, 26 personalities were also honoured.

Hoshiarpur, January 27
Minister for finance, planning and programme implementation Manpreet Singh Badal unfurled the National Flag and took the salute from the contingents of the BSF, the police, Home Guards, NCC cadets, Scouts and Guides. 

Documents of ownership of rural land were given to 35 farmers and cheques for Rs 80,000 each to seven persons who lost their limbs during wheat threshing. As many as 20 sewing machines were also provided by the District Red Cross Society to poor women. Punjab would take the lead in development in every sector during the next four-year regime of the SAD-BJP alliance, he said.

He announced Rs 1 lakh for the welfare of all those  schoolchildren who participated in the Republic Day function. A colourful cultural programme and mass PT show were staged by the students of various schools.

BATALA: The Tricolour was unfurled by Punjab chief parliamentary secretary Jagdish Sawhney during the Republic Day celebrations here. An armed contingent of the Punjab police along with Home Guards jawans, NCC cadets and Scouts and Guides saluted the National Flag. A cultural programme was presented by school and college students. The chief parliamentary secretary honoured different personalities and social workers of the area.

Jalandhar, January 27
The ministry of human resource development has come up with a unique concept of household survey (HHS) to boost the Sarav Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) 
in Punjab.

The study would identify the school dropouts (6 to 14 years) and other education parameters required for the preparation of the annual work plan for 2008-09. The survey would be conducted from January 29 to 31 while the evaluation would be done on February 21.

Talking to The Tribune, HHS district project coordinator Rajiv Kumar Joshi said the prime objective of the survey was to reduce the dropout rate, physically assess the working of the education guarantee scheme (EGS) and alternative innovative education (AIC) centres functioning in various parts of the district.

“Our primary aim is to facilitate the process of mainstreaming of children in the age group of 6 to 14 years as this is the period when a majority of children stop going to school due to one reason or the other. Besides, we wish to build a plan to upgrade elementary government centres to regular government primary schools. Every child has the right to education and that is what the SSA is trying to do. We wish to impart quality education to every child in the state,” said district education officer (secondary) Harinder Sahni.

He added that though the survey would be carried out during working days, it was ensured that every school had a teacher.

For the study, the authorities have divided the district into 1,185 units, of which 988 are villages, while 197 are wards. The survey would be carried out by selected school teachers, officials (two from each school) in their respective villages, wards, towns, cities and other localities. “To achieve the target 1,246 teachers have been engaged. These include 505 teachers from government schools, 340 from panchayati raj institutions, 18 from urban local bodies and 386 from upper primary schools,” added Joshi.

Batala, January 27
Taking strong exception to the raising of temporary huts on a piece of government land in the old Mall Mandi area, a party headed by BDPO Bhagwan Singh demolished the huts on the order of SDM Sandeep Rishi here on Friday.

They were earlier removed from the same place a few months ago on the promise of allotting them land in the new Mall Mandi on the Gurdaspur road. But they were evicted from there also a few months ago.

The administration today again up rooted all the huts leaving the poor people to shivers in the coldest nights.

They rued that the administration was discriminating against them. Supporters of the ruling party were allowed to raise shops/rehris in the Leik Wala Talab areas and on the Hansli bridge, they alleged.

When contacted, the SDM refuted the allegations and stated that action had been taken as per the decision of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.