Bathinda, October 24
Thousands of unemployed educated persons registered with the employment exchanges in the state are unable to get the unemployment allowance from the District Employment Offices due to strict norms and conditions fixed by the government for granting the allowance. The unemployed persons include matriculate, graduate and above, all types of diploma holders, ETT/BEd, staff nurses.

An unemployed person has to fulfill several conditions to get the unemployment allowance, which include he/she should be between 16 years and 40 years of age; not employed in any government, semi-government department, local body, private establishment or involved in any kind of self-employment venture; and he/she should not be a student of any recognised educational, technical/professional institution etc.

These conditions may, however, be fulfilled by many unemployed educated persons, but a strict condition that prevents thousands of them from getting the meagre amount is that the monthly income of his family from all sources should not exceed Rs 1,000.

According to sources in the Employment Department, the condition of Rs 1,000 per month family income was fixed about two decades ago, which is now irrelevant, as during the past two decades, the income of the families as well as the prices of the commodities have risen manifold.

The department officials feel that this condition should be relaxed up to Rs 7,000 per month, if the government really wanted to benefit the unemployed youth.

Owing to these strict conditions, only 144 unemployed persons (matriculate and above) could benefit from the unemployment allowance scheme from the Bathinda District Employment Office during the last financial year.

In the current financial year, only 126 unemployed persons are getting the allowance from the Bathinda office though at present, over 7,800 unemployed educated persons are registered with this office.

An unemployed person (matriculate to BA Part II), who fulfills conditions, gets Rs 150 per month as allowance while a graduate and above gets Rs 200 per month. A matriculate handicapped person Rs 225 per month while a graduate and above gets Rs 300 per month.

Bathinda, October 24
In an irony that even as the Punjab government runs its official websites in English while claiming to promote Punjabi, neighbouring Sriganganagar district in Rajasthan, has launched its official website in Punjabi language along with English and Hindi.

The website (http://www.ganganagar.nic.in) gives the impression of being the website of a Punjab district. It has pictures of huge agricultural fields, men sowing paddy, Gurudwaras, youth dressed up in colourful bhangra attire and the Indiara Gandhi canal, etc.

Informing about the prestigious status of Sriganganagar and its population, the website mentions the details about Arjun awardee Col. Avtar Singh Cheema, mentioned as the first Indian to climb Mount Everest, ghazal maestro Jagjit Singh, Padam Shree recipient Shyam Sunder Mahewashri, who all belonged to this district.

The website mentions that Sriganganagar is the northern most city of Rajasthan state of western India, situated at the point where the Sutlej waters enter the state. The district adjoins the Ferozepur district of Punjab, so Bagri and Punjabi languages are spoken by a majority of the population there. The economy of Sriganganagar district is dependent on agriculture.

When contacted, Pritam Singh, Commissioner of Bikaner division, under whose jurisdiction Sri Ganganagar district comes, said, “We have taken this step considering the sentiments of a majority of the population of the district, that speaks the Punjabi language.

Though the Punjabi version of the website has various mistakes in Punjabi words, but considering the interest of its population, the attempt by the district administration there is appreciable.

On the other hand, despite the fact that the Punjab government has been pressing hard to implement Punjabi, when the official website of any district of the state including the state government’s own website is clicked open, all carry the information in English only.

When contacted, Director, Language Department, Punjab, Balbir Kaur said, “We have provision for converting the websites in Punjabi but due to various reasons, like limited resources, it will take time.”

Muktsar, October 24
Despite the fact that there has been a record increase in the area under PUSA-1121 basmati collection in Punjab, farmers this year are sore that they are not getting proper price for their produce.

All the six government agencies which are in the process of procuring other varieties of paddy in the grain markets of this district are not buying basmati leaving the farmers at the mercy of private traders.

Last year, farmers were lucky to get as much as Rs 3,000 per quintal for basmati. However, private traders, ever so quick to fleece the farmers, are buying the same basmati at Rs 1,800 to Rs 2,000 per quintal.

The total area in Punjab under PUSA-1121 cultivation touched 5.5 lakh hectares as compared to 3.50 lakh hectares last year. According to the agriculturists, farmers in Punjab have gone in a big way to cultivate this high yielding varieties like Pusa-1121, which only last year has been accorded basmati status.

Said Jagtar Singh, who has been waiting in the Muktsar grain market for the past so many days in an attempt to find buyers for his produce, “The Punjab government has constituted Basmati Development Board to facilitate basmati growers and exporters. The board, we thought, would create a healthy atmosphere for the export of basmati. However, till yet not much has been done and with the absence of the procurement agencies from the market, we have been left high and dry-totally at the mercy of private traders and commission agents.” Another reason being touted by the commission agents for non-procurement of Pusa 1121 Basmati is the fear of oversupply of the product in the market.

Said Shiv Charan Singh Brar, a noted agriculturist of Muktsar, “Paddy growers are unlikely to get as much price for this variety of rice as compared to the last year in view of expected oversupply of crop due to doubling the area under Pusa-1121 during this kharif season and weak sentiment in the export market. One reason as to why farmers got as much as Rs 2,800 to Rs 3,000 per quintal last year was due to the fact that a government agency-Markfed was involved in the purchase. However, now no government agency is in the procurement process leaving the poor farmers to fend for themselves.”

“An expert pointed out that the government agencies should be involved in the basmati procurement process. Farmers should be encouraged to cultivate Pusa-1121 as this variety requires less fertilisers and pesticides. Moreover, as compared to other varieties of paddy basmati does not produce toxic methane gases,” he opined.

A commission agent, preferring anonymity said, “Farmers earned around Rs 50,000 to Rs 60,000 per acre from Pusa 1121 variety alone last year. This prompted them to bring more and more area under Basmati in the current kharif season. It is simple economics that if the supply of any commodity increases, the rates of such an item will certainly fall.”

An Amritsar-based exporter claimed that Pakistan had also developed Pusa-1121 variety under the name of Kaynat, which was giving a tough fight to the Indian variety in the international market. He added, “This year they (Pakistan) has also brought large areas under the Kaynat variety which is actually Pusa-1121 and they are selling it at much lower rates and trying to capture our traditional markets like Iran.” Whatever be the dynamics involved in buying and selling the crop, farmers are surely an aggrieved lot in mandis across Punjab.

Fazilka, October 24
Nearly 350 students of different schools poured water into the dry Badha Lake with their water bottles on the International Day of Climate Action here on Saturday to preserve Badha lake wetland of Fazilka in its original shape and to ensure future life at Fazilka by preserving its natural environment.

A programme for pouring water into Badha Lake was organised here today by the Graduate Welfare Association, Fazilka (GWAF) and international-level Global Campaign against Climate Change Association. MC president Anil Sethi was the chief guest on the occasion.

Online signature campaign was launched by the people of Fazilka. More than 350 on-line grievances by the people were sent to higher authorities to take action to save environment.

“Different organisations in 177 countries have been organising about 4,600 programmes simultaneously today to create awareness amongst the people against the threat of global warming and to preserve the environment,” said engineer Navdeep Asija, secretary of Graduate Welfare Association.

It is pertinent to mention here that in year 1980, the natural water of the decades-old, 10 feet deep and spread in 17 acres of land, Badha lake had dried up. No political representative or government functionary bothered to save the lake.

At present, the existence of this lake is almost vanished. The panchayat of village Badha on outskirts of Fazilka had started leasing out the lake land for cultivation to private persons from the day it had dried up.

As per the information, gathered by The Tribune, there were about 150 peacocks, the national bird, in the forest around this lake. However, at present not even a single peacock can be seen in this area.

While giving the details about 350.org, the patron of the GWAF Dr Bhupinder Singh disclosed that the organisation, has been helping people hold rallies, aimed at focusing attention on the number 350 because scientists have insisted in the recent years that 350 parts per million (PPM) is the most carbondioxide we can safely have in the atmosphere.

The present CO2 concentration is 390 PPM, which has been damaging the atmosphere badly, he said.

Hanumangarh/Abohar, October 24
Hundreds of Sikhs participated in the an impressive nagar kirtan procession that was organised in Hanumangarh on Saturday as part of the fortnight long Gurpurab celebrations on the eve of 541st birthday of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism, who had upheld the cause of women, downtrodden and the poor.

Baba Balkar Singh, head of the Baba Sukha Singh Mehtab Singh Gurdwara flagged off the procession at Gurdwara Guru Nanak Darbar in Gandhi Nagar.

The holy book of the religion was placed in the flower-bedecked palki that was led by traditionally dressed Panj Pyaras.

Devotees were found cleaning the route and sprinkling water with reverence as the procession passed through the main roads of the district town.

Shabad singing continued throughout the route. Locals from all castes and creed welcomed the nagar kirtan and paid obeisance on the way. The community has decided to illuminate all the Gurdwaras in the rural area also on November 2. 

Muktsar, October 24
A meeting of the district-level Vigilance and Monitoring Committee was held under the chairmanship of Ferozepur, member of Parliament, Sher Singh Ghubaya here on Saturday.

It was decided in the meeting to establish Reverse Osmosis (RO) plants in Muktsar district so that the residents could have safe drinking water. Ghubaya assured the officials that developmental works in the town were being executed in right earnest.

He added that for the convenience of the residents of the area he was making all out efforts to ensure that the railways start a train on the Fazilka-Delhi route.

Prominent among those who attended the meeting were the DC Rajat Aggarwal, the ADC (development) Varun Roojam, ADC (General) D. Lakra and Harpreet Singh, MLA Malout.

Bathinda, October 24
Seven-year-old Sudrishti, a student of class II at RSD Raj Rattan Public School, Ferozepur City, has brought laurels to her school and family with her achievements. Recently, she was honoured with a trophy and a cash prize of Rs 5100 in an international kabaddi tournament held at village Kamalpura in Jagraon.

Sudrishti also won gold medal in swimming competition held at the Punjab Agriculture University (PAU, Ludhiana.

The roller skating show under car was one of her achievements.

She was recently honoured by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal at the Shaeed Bhagat Singh Stadium, Ferozepur, on August 15.

Principal Usha Kiran said, “She is an all rounder. Her achievements are no small feat.” — TNS

Bathinda, October 24
On the issues of food problem and rising prices, the CPI and the CPM will jointly organise a state-level demonstration and a rally at Ludhiana on December 2. About 5,000 workers of both the parties from Bathinda district will take part in the events. This was decided at a meeting, held under the presidentship of Gulab Khan Gharrali and Ram Lal Garg here today.

District secretaries of the CPI and the CPM Jagjit Singh Joga and Harnek Singh Alike, respectively, said the parties would take out “Jatha marches” from November 3-5 and from November 16-19 in the district to mobilise the people to make the rally a big success. — TNS

Bathinda, October 24
To help schools in the city step into digital learning age, an event titled ‘NexGen Smart class seminar’ was held here today.

Organised by the Educomp in collaboration with Intel, Acer, Dell and MIMIO, the seminar showcased to the school community the latest technology that is changing the way teachers teach and students learn across the globe.

Principals and teachers from schools across the city attended the seminar in large numbers. The organisers updated them about the current trends in today’s digital learning age and shared technological solutions designed to meet the challenges faced by teachers.

Rakesh Dahiya, assistant vice-president, the Educomp Solutions Ltd, said, “Today, innovative solutions designed to supplement traditional methods of learning in classrooms with multimedia applications are required so as to enhance a child’s educational experience. Information Technology can empower the teacher by providing her with additional education tools within the classroom.” — TNS