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Assembly
Govt wants Rs 1,100 cr from PSEB
House for second-language status for Punjabi in other states
‘Victimisation’ of Judge’s
Debate on Budget |
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‘Graft cases not part of political vendetta’
Pak intruder shot dead in Ferozepur
Inside Babudom
BPL youth to be trained as guards
Drama at PSEB headquarters
18,000 posts vacant in PSEB
No more liquor vends in Amritsar
Teenager kidnapped, gangraped
Labourer facing murder charge shot dead
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Assembly
Chandigarh, March 18 The issue raised by Congress MLA Sunil Jakhar was taken up again during Question Hour today with Jakhar hammering in his point about irregularities. On seeing Minister for Agriculture Sucha Singh Langah fumbling for answers, Speaker Nirmal Singh Kahlon suggested that the prayer for an inquiry could be accepted. Taking a cue from the mood of the House, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal announced that the Financial Commissioner, Development, would be asked to conduct a probe. Jakhar alleged that there was not enough seeds available with the government which passed off ordinary wheat that cost Rs 1,080 (as per MSP) as seeds to the farmers for Rs 1,250, claiming to give a subsidy of Rs 500 on it. He said the government cheated the farmers twice, first by supplying them ordinary wheat as seeds and secondly by pocketing the subsidy received from the Centre. He claimed that 5,11,759 quintals of wheat was sold as seeds. This could affect the production of wheat this season. Langah told Jakhar to meet him after the session. But when Jakhar insisted on inquiry, the Speaker supported it. Yesterday, Jakhar alleged before the media that some firms from Malaut, Gidderbaha and Jaito had been given licences to sell foundation seeds “which did not exist”. Today, in the House, Jakhar further alleged that the seeds supplied was given away in plastic bags instead of gunny bags. “Plastic bags affect germination, yet the seeds were supplied in plastic bags because the plastic bag is Rs 7 cheaper”. He further pointed out that any seed supplier had to get a non-availability certificate (NAC) from PAU. He wanted to know if these firms had procured the NAC. During Zero Hour leader of the Opposition Rajinder Kaur Bhattal raised the question of murder of Vickey in Nabha and said the Chief Minister had assured the House that the guilty would be punished within six months, but the case had made no progress. Sukhbir Badal assured the House that he would get the case examined. The House brought two resolutions thanking Delhi and Haryana of according the second language status to Punjabi and seeking other states with large number of Punjabis to follow suit. The House also passed another resolution seeking appointment of 60 per cent officer in Chandigarh from Punjab.
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Govt wants Rs 1,100 cr from PSEB
Chandigarh, March 18 The government apparently wants to make a paper adjustment against Rs 1,600 crore outstanding loan due to it. This despite the fact that the Board is on the brink of financial collapse as it has exhausted its bank limit. It has also overdrawn Rs 200 crore and still has to repay Rs 500 crore loans in this financial year. The government wants to undertake this paper adjustment despite the fact that the tariff order of the State Electricity Regulatory Commission for 2009-10 had stipulated that it pay Rs 3,144 crore subsidy due to the PSEB in equal advance instalments. The issue is now, likely, to be taken up by the PSERC for adjudication with a petition claiming that the government has defaulted in making subsidy payment in each and every month this year and should not be allowed to make any paper adjustment. The petition, filed by Gurnek Singh Brar, claimed the PSERC ought to have invoked Section 65 of the Electricity Act, whereby, the Commission has the power to charge full tariff, in case subsidy is not paid in advance. The petition has called for incorporating a specific provision in the 2010-11 tariff order to give practical shape to Section 65 of the Electricity Act. It has called for specifying that in case there is a default in advance payment of subsidy by 15 days, the new tariff as determined by the Commission would be applicable from the sixteenth day. The petition has demanded that the PSERC ensure that the government does not adjust subsidy against loan as happened last year, when 1,362 crore was adjusted against loan. It claims this is a violation of the PSERC tariff order and also a commitment made by the government that it would pay subsidy in advance instalments. It has also said the non-payment of subsidy by the government has created an acute financial crisis in the PSEB that is unable to pay its bill for power purchase in time, which may lead to forfeiture of rebate. The petition points out that for ensuring uninterrupted fuel supply to its thermal stations, the PSEB has to make advance payment for coal and railway freight. It claims these payments are now endangered.
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House for second-language status for
Chandigarh, March 18 Assembly Speaker Nirmal Singh Kahlon asked Education Minister Upinderjit Kaur to move the resolutions which she had been asked to draft earlier on March 15. The first resolution, while thanking Haryana and Delhi for giving Punjabi second-language status, requested all states with Punjabi populations, including Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Rajasthan to give second-language status to Punjabi. Capt Balbir Singh Baht of the SAD, while appreciating the move, said due honour needed to be given to writers in the state. Dr Upinderjit Kaur maintained this was already being done with the state government raising the prize money for literary awards from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2.50 lakh and also increasing the number of awards from 13 to 15. The resolution was subsequently put to vote and passed. Another resolution was moved after this calling for the appointment of all officials in Chandigarh in a 60-40 ratio with the larger portion going to Punjab. It was also passed unanimously.
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‘Victimisation’ of Judge’s
Chandigarh, March 18 As zero hour commenced, Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira, representing the Bholath assembly constituency, flashed a copy of The Tribune. Khaira asserted that the law and order situation was “so bad” that Muktsar sessions judge J.S. Kalar had to complain to the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Kalar had brought to the high court’s notice the withdrawal of his security as he had heard corruption cases against the Badals during his tenure at Mohali. Khaira added that the sessions judge had not even been provided with proper accommodation and if this was the fate of a sessions judge, how secure was an ordinary citizen. Khaira also asked whether the Deputy Chief Minister would like to comment on the issue. In response to the assertion, Sukhbir Badal assured the House that all facilities, the sessions judge was eligible for, would be provided to him. Information suggests that the district administration has already restored the security cover. In fact, police officials were posted as security guards even before dawn. Arrangements are also being made to provide him with “proper accommodation”. In the report, “Sessions judge faces victimisation by admin”, carried in these columns on March 18, it was asserted that the sessions judge was left with little security and suitable accommodation was not being provided to him, even after the high court’s intervention. Kalar had even brought the matter to the high court’s notice and the high court had taken a serious view of the alleged
victimisation.
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Debate on Budget
Chandigarh, March 18 World-class infrastructure and investor-friendly policies can accelerate not only economic growth but also help Punjab to recapture the position of pride it held for a long time. Joining debate on the Punjab Budget, some of the first-time members of the House gave a new direction to the deliberations. The first time MLAs include Qila Raipur MLA Jasbir Singh Khangura and Jasjit Singh Bunny representing Banur. They argued that since the beginning of the new millennium, the world had witnessed two major recessions. Unfortunately, Punjab was not prepared to grab the opportunities offered by outsourcing while Haryana, Karnataka and Andhra made tremendous gains from it. The second global economic slowdown of 2008 saw shifting of major markets to self-sustaining agro-based economies like India. Major companies shifted their focus on developing economies and India had been their automatic choice, Bunny said. States with world-class infrastructure were turning out to be automatic choices for investment. Secured investment and user-friendly environment were the major allurements for global economic players. Now was the time for Punjab to grab the fallouts of the current major global recession, he said. Khangura wanted the state to come out with a policy that inspired confidence among three million Punjabis overseas and invite them to invest in Punjab. Even if the government decided to charge them a special fee for registration of their residential properties by promising them protection against grabbing, the NRIs would welcome it. The government should talk to captains of the industry as days of the industry running after the governments were over long time ago. One had to keep pace with the economic developments. Appreciating the initiatives of the SAD-BJP government on improving power generation, Khangura also sounded a note of caution, saying increased production meant more losses. Harish Rai Dhanda, Harpreet Singh and Dr Dalbir Singh (all of SAD) blamed the UPA government for unprecedented inflation and price rise in essential commodities. Amarjit Singh Sahi (BJP) said it was unfortunate that the Centre instead of recognising Punjab’s effort of feeding the central pool in spite of drought-like conditions, had been given only Rs 800 crore in return for a demand of Rs 1,400 crore. Ajit Inder Singh Mofar (Congress) said instead of opening degree colleges, the government would do well to lay more emphasis on technical education.
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‘Graft cases not part of political vendetta’
Chandigarh, March 18 She was reacting to a letter written by Deputy Speaker Satpal Gosain to Speaker Nirmal Singh Kahlon urging that all cases of political vendetta be reviewed so that there could be reconciliation among political opponents. Talking to TNS, Bhattal said cases that could be taken up under political vendetta should be defined first. She said moreover, how the government proposed to take back cases that were being tried in a court or in which political personalities had been chargesheeted needed to be explained. Among those whose ongoing cases would be affected are CM Parkash Singh Badal, Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal, former CM Capt Amarinder Singh and the Assembly Speaker himself. The CLP leader maintained that rather than trying to find a way to take back cases registered against senior leaders, efforts should be made to take back cases against over 16,000 Congress workers. She said these cases, which had been registered in the past three years and fit into the category of political vendetta, should be addressed first. Legislator Sukhpal Singh Khaira maintained that the Congress rank and file would not reciprocate the peace initiative unless the issue of withdrawal of cases registered against Capt Amarinder was part of the plan. There are some Congressmen who feel that the SAD-BJP government feels its senior leadership would meet the same fate in the future and that due to this it was trying to make amends. Qila Raipur legislator Jassi Khangura said the ruling combine was now “afraid” and that this was the reason why it had initiated the process of reconciliation. SAD sources claim the move has the support of the Deputy CM who is keen to be seen as a mature leader willing to turn the clock back to a time when political parties fought on issues and not with the aim of fixing each other.
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Pak intruder shot dead in Ferozepur
Jalalabad, March 18 Braving heavy firing by three Pakistan nationals for about 20 minutes, the BSF officials succeeded in gunning down one of the intruders, while the others fled . The encounter took place near a point located between Jodhewala and SS Wala border observation posts. The entire operation was supervised by DIG, Abohar Sector, Vimal Satyarthi. The senior functionaries of Narcotic Control Bureau, Chandigarh, had also rushed to the spot after receiving the information in connection with huge seizure of heroin, worth Rs 130 crore in the international markets and fake currency. Satyarthi said last night, special ambushes were laid down in the wheat grown field. When the BSF sleuths saw three intruders approaching the cobra-fencing wire, they were challenged and asked to halt. Instead, the intruders threw packets containing heroin towards the India side and subsequently, started firing. At this movement, the BSF jawans opened the fire. He said during the firing, one intruder was shot dead while his accomplice managed to escape. He said a flag meeting with the senior functionaries of Pakistan Rangers would be held in connection with this development. The body of the intruder would be handed over to the local police.
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Inside Babudom
Chandigarh, March 18 Paramjit Singh Aujla, who is Secretary, Youth Services and Sports, will be the new Secretary, Information and Public Relations. He will relieve Darbara Singh Guru, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister. Darbara Singh Guru, who belongs to the 1980 batch of the IAS, had replaced Damanbir Singh Jaspal as the Secretary of the department. Paramjit Singh Aujla is the fourth Secretary of the department after the present government took over. Daljit Singh Mangat, who is Officer on Special Duty in the Chief Minister’s office, will be the new Director, Information and Public Relations. He will relieve the present incumbent, Gagandip Singh Brar, Additional Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, of the additional charge. He will also be the fourth Director in the past three years. Incidentally, both Gagandip Singh Brar and Daljit Singh Mangat belong to the 1991 batch of the PCS. Paramjit Singh Aujla, who belongs to the 1994 batch, is considered close to Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal. Aujla also holds the charge of Secretary, Water Supply and Sewerage. Changes in the Information and Public Relations Department are also linked to the interest Sukhbir Badal has been taking in organising the World Cup Kabaddi Tournament at eight different venues in Punjab in a fortnight’s time. Both Aujla and Daljit Mangat had long stints in the Chandigarh Administration also.
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Bathinda rly station goes hi-tech
Bathinda, March 18 It has been undergoing biggest-ever upgradation exercise since February 20 and the work was expected to be completed on March 20. The commissioning of RRI would ensure fast reception and dispatch of many trains at a time. The Railways will keep the newly installed system under observation for 48 hours and the normalcy is likely to be restored on schedule date on March 20, Bathinda ATM Sher Singh said. A small function was organised at the power cabin to mark the occasion.
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Planning board vice-chief quits
Jalandhar, March 18 Source said the CM had accepted the resignation, but it would become operative on the day Dr Bajaj relinquished the charge. He is the only doctor from Punjab who has been awarded Padma Shri, Padma Bhusan and Padma Vibhushan by the Union Government. The name of Dr Bajaj, former member of the Planning Commission of India and an eminent doctor, who served in the AIIMS for several years, had figured in media reports as one of the
aspirant for a berth in the Rajya Sabha from Punjab.
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BPL youth to be trained as guards
Sangrur, March 18 This was stated by Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal at a passing-out parade function of the first batch of 400 security guards trained at Ladda Kothi here today. Sukhbir said the state police had also chalked out a programme to train youth who were fluent in English as security guards to make them employable in western countries. He said most of the youth trained at Jahan Khelan ( Hoshiarpur) had got placements in Dubai and other countries. He said at present 5.5 million people were working as security guards in the country with 25 per cent growth per annum witnessed by this sector. The Punjab Government was starting short-term courses for the youth and would offer a pool of talented and well-trained youth to security agencies throughout the country, he added. He said to meet the increasing demand for trained security personnel in the private sector, especially after the 26/11 attacks, the state police was opening two more private security training centres at Budhlada (Mansa ) and Kalanaur (Gurdaspur ), respectively.
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Drama at PSEB headquarters
Patiala, March 18 The protestors were agitating against the PSEB decision of not giving job on compassionate grounds to family members of those staffers who died on duty. Notably, in wake of the directions issued by the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission to the PSEB in 2002 to decrease manpower, the board announced that instead of giving job to family members of PSEB staffers on compassionate grounds, they would pay the full salary of the deceased until the retirement age and pension, as well. Opposing the move, many family members of deceased PSEB staffers constituted the Mritak Aashrit Union and initiated a protest agitation in 2004. After staging protest demonstrations outside the PSEB headquarters for five years, today at around 12.30 pm, some of the protesting union members, under the headship of union president Bhim Sen, got agitated and went to the top floor of the PSEB main office and threatened to commit suicide by jumping from the building. Immediately, the PSEB management came into activity and heavy police force was called. The PSEB officials tried their best to convince the protestors to come down but they were adamant on their stand. After a few hours, PSEB officials convened a closed door meeting with Bhim Sen and assured that their demands would be looked into. Subsequently, Bhim Sen urged the members to come down but to no avail. By the time of filing this report, the union members were atop the building demanding acceptance of their demand in writing.
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18,000 posts vacant in PSEB
Patiala, March 18 Expressing deep anguish at the failure of the board management to fill the vacant posts, most of the board officials are of the opinion that the existing manpower is totally inadequate to manage the working of the board. “Unless immediate steps are initiated to fill the vacancies, the working of the organisation would come to a standstill in the next few months, and it will almost be impossible to provide satisfactory service to consumers during the paddy season,” they asserted. Speaking to The Tribune, PSEB Engineers’ Association president HS Bedi said, “Presently 18,000 posts are lying vacant in the PSEB. In the engineering cadre, 650 posts of SDOs are lying vacant, thereby forcing the officers to look after the working of more than two sub-divisions.” He said important technical posts sanctioned to man the thermal and hydro-generating stations were also lying vacant, jeopardising the smooth running of these plants. They pointed out that while the board was spending crores of rupees to build grid sub-stations, after commissioning, these grids were being manned by untrained junior-level officials, instead of trained sub-station operators. “The PSEB management has failed to complete the recruitment process started 14 months back to fill a fraction of posts of assistant engineers, junior engineers and sub-station attendants”, the association said.
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No more liquor vends in Amritsar
Chandigarh, March 18 An assurance to this effect was given to the Punjab and Haryana High Court during the hearing of a public interest litigation filed by Amarjit Singh, a “religious minded person” from Amritsar. He had expressed feeling of hurt at the failure of the state government to keep the walled city of Amritsar free from liquor vends. Excise and taxation officer Gurinder Singh Bajwa submitted “due care will be taken that vends are opened only outside the municipal limits of the walled city from the next financial year”.
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Teenager kidnapped, gangraped
Naushehra Pannuan, March 18 After dumping Kiran Kaur in the tubewell room, Sona and his friend called up seven others and allegedly raped the girl repeatedly. When village elders came to know about it, they allegedly tried to hush up the case and tried to strike a compromise between the family of the aggrieved and the alleged rapists. The girl’s family members informed the police. A case has been registered against the accused - eight of whom were identified as Sona, Jadu, Nikku, Nimbu, Maini, Arash, Soni and Laada . The medical examination has established that the girl was gangraped. The police is yet to make any arrest.
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Labourer facing murder charge shot dead
Moga, March 18 The incident took place when Banwari, along with his wife Rani and son Lalu, had come to the town to appear in the sessions court in a murder case pending against him. After the hearing, they were going to the main market for some work when two persons allegedly opened fire on him. His wife also received serious injuries while his son had a narrow escape. According to information, Banwari and his two accomplices- Arvind and Hans Ram, had allegedly murdered one Raghubir Singh Babbi of Daroli Bhai village on June 29, 2008, in Rattian village. Banwari was recently granted bail by the court while the other two persons are still in the judicial custody. It was learnt that the child had identified the accused and disclosed their names to the police. The police has registered a criminal case under Section 302 of the IPC and under the Arms Act against the alleged accused. Moga SSP Ashok Bath said they would be arrested soon.
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