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6 held for trying to sell PDS wheat
Malout, February 16
The accused in police custody at the Sadar police station in Malout on Thursday. The police today arrested in-charge of the local Markfed godown and five others for their alleged involvement in an attempt to sell 200-quintal wheat in the open market.

The accused in police custody at the Sadar police station in Malout on Thursday. A Tribune photograph

File of construction work goes missing
Chandigarh, February 16
Gidderbaha judicial court complex construction file has been lost.

TDS inspection drive soon: Chief Commissioner
Bathinda, February 16
KS Pathania Educating the tax payers is now the mantra that the Income Tax Department has adopted for widening the tax base, said Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, Amritsar region, KS Pathania.

KS Pathania

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	6 held for trying to sell PDS wheat Archit Watts Tribune News Service Malout, February 16 The police today arrested in-charge of the local Markfed godown and five others for their alleged involvement in an attempt to sell 200-quintal wheat in the open market, which was actually meant to be distributed through the public distribution system (PDS). The police said that the accused were caught red-handed and Rs 1.20 lakh was recovered from their possession at Malwala village when they were on their way to transport the wheat to a private floor mill in Gidderbaha in two tractor-trailers. Sub-Inspector Paramjit Singh said that acting on a tip-off, the accused were intercepted and during the inspection, the wheat was found belonging to the Markfed godown, located in the old sugar mill here. He said local Markfed in-charge Sukhraj Singh and floor mill owner Lovely Kumar of Gidderbaha were arrested from the spot along with drivers Kala Singh and Bubby Singh, two labourers Babbar Singh and Surinder Singh. However, Jagtar Singh, field officer, Markfed, managed to flee from the spot, the police said. "Apart from arresting the accused, we have also seized a few empty wheat bags from the Markfed godown, as the accused had removed the bags before siphoning it off," said Paramjit Singh. A case under sections 420, 406 and 409 of the IPC has been registered against the accused at Sadar police station. It was the second incident of its kind in the last one week in Muktsar district when the alleged involvement of Markfed officials has come to light in siphoning off the PDS wheat. Earlier, on February 11, a Markfed official in Muktsar was booked for his alleged involvement in an attempt to sell 250 wheat bags to a private dealer.
	File of construction work goes missing Saurabh Malik/TNS Chandigarh, February 16 Gidderbaha judicial court complex construction file has been lost. This was informed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court's Registrar (Rules) Virender Aggarwal to the Division Bench of Justice MM Kumar and Justice Rajiv Narain Raina during the hearing of a petition on the construction of court complexes in Punjab. As a result of the missing file, the matter could not be taken up by the High Court's Building Committee. As the case came up for hearing, the Bench went through Aggarwal's reply to the petition stating: "The matter has not been listed before the Building Committee, Punjab, due to the loss of the concerned file. As such, no information regarding this is available at present". The Bench was also informed that the construction work in as many as nine court complexes was in progress; and in a substantial number of cases work would be over by next year. Out of the total, nothing less than four judicial complexes would be ready this year only. The reply made it clear that the complexes to be constructed completely this year were Malout (March 31), Kapurthala (September 30), Pathankot (June 30), and Batala (March 31). The construction would be complete next year in Tarn Taran (December), Gurdaspur (June 30) and Sardulgarh (June). The Bench was also informed that Faridkot court complex was under renovation as it was a heritage building and in Ferozepur the construction work had commenced. The Bench was also told that land was in the process of being acquired at as many as eight places for the construction of judicial court complexes. The areas are: Patti, Ajnala, Baba Bakala, Moga, Fazilka and Mohali. The Division Bench is currently looking at the issue of construction of judicial complexes in the State as it is hearing a petition filed in the matter by Sohan Singh Sanghera.
	TDS inspection drive soon: Chief Commissioner Sudhanshu Verma Tribune News Service Bathinda, February 16 Educating the tax payers is now the mantra that the Income Tax Department has adopted for widening the tax base, said Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, Amritsar region, KS Pathania. Pathania, while interacting with media persons here today, said changes in rules and regulations related to income tax would be effective only if the tax payers were made aware about the changes and taken into confidence. Pathania said 'catching them young' may also be fruitful. That is why the department had started holding camps in schools and started making students of class XI-XII aware about the benefits of paying tax for society as well as for the country. "It's an attempt to educate the potential tax payers," he added Pathania added, "Tax collection should be a two-way process and the purpose of making everyone aware actually aims to achieve that." The Chief Commissioner said the department had identified several types of transactions and the altogether 12 sources for collecting information about the transactions for effective monitoring. Pathania disclosed that 80 per cent of work related to tax return process had been completed in Bathinda HQ that includes six districts of Punjab, namely Bathinda, Faridkot, Ferozepur, Muktsar, Mansa and Fazilka. The income tax department had been encouraging people to file return and have a permanent account number (PAN), he claimed. He disclosed that the Bathinda HQ had seen 9 per cent growth in TDS collection which was Rs 249 crore so far. He said the department would soon launch a drive for TDS inspection in Bathinda HQ and the defaulters, people and organisations, had also been identified. He revealed that the department was closely monitoring the defaulters. Pathania also said that the I-T department would open 'Aaykar Seva Kendra' that would be a single window system for helping tax payers. "There would be at least four such centres in North India," he said. Assistant commissioner, Bathinda, JP Talania and other senior officials of the I-T department were also present during the press meet. Commissioner Appeal’s post The post of Commissioner, Appeal, which has been lying vacant in Bathinda for the last several months would be filled soon. Disclosing this, Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, Amritsar region, KS Pathania said the post may be filled by the end of this month. "With the appointment of commissioner, appeal, at Bathinda, the tax payers may not need to visit Amritsar for getting their grievance addressed," Pathania said. Unaccounted money Unaccounted money to the tune of around Rs 30 crore were seized during the election process, said Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, Amritsar region, KS Pathania. He said the persons in question would be given an opportunity to explain during assessment. "And if found to be bone fide, the money would be refunded, Pathania said, adding that the entire process may take nearly a year. Contestants may be under scanner Many contestants in the Punjab Assembly election may be under the scanner of the I-T department. Sources in the I-T department said the candidates may be asked to disclose their sources of income on the basis of assets declared by them while filing their nomination papers. Pathania also said they may be asked to explain their source of income, if needed. No. of taxpayers There are 2,01,755 tax payers in Bathinda HQ. — TNS
	Cops begin crackdown on anti-social elements Abohar, February 16 Holding the city police accountable for the recent spurt in incidents of snatching, thefts and eve teasing, the Fazilka SSP Ashok Bath has placed SHO Amarbir Singh under suspension. Getting the hint, the sub-divisional police today launched multi-faceted drive against the anti-social elements. DSP Vibhor Kumar revealed at the afternoon media meeting that the narcotics cell led by sub-inspector Rangdev Singh has arrested Satnam Singh and Ramandeep Singh of Kotkapura at the city bypass while their accomplices managed to escape. The police recovered three illicit revolvers of .32 bore along with live cartridges. The interrogation indicated that they were members of the gang headed by Kamaldeep of Kotkapura who allegedly guided them and arranged logistic support for committing robberies etc. Cases under Sections 399,401,148,149,120B of the IPC and 25-54-59 of the Arms Act have been registered. Interestingly, the seized illicit weapons were polished in such a way that they looked like genuine arms factory products. During a raid at the local Truck Operators Union office, the police led by Baldev Singh found that the complex was not only a big traffic hazard but also a gambling den. The raid resulted in the arrest of Gurwinder Singh, Shambhu, Harjinder Pal Singh, Ramu and Iqbal with Rs 28,000. The DSP said patrolling outside Nehru Park, bus stand and the road connecting the railway overbridge has been intensified to check snatching and other unlawful activities. — OC
	Vocational training centre opened Ferozepur, February 16 The Golden Arrow Division has started a vocational training centre (VTC) at the cantonment here aiming at offering job-oriented courses to the wives and children of the officers, ORs and jawans. The VTC was today inaugurated by Neeru Sharma, chairperson, AWWA. The elegantly designed beauty training centre of the VTC drew tremendous applause from the visitors. Speaking on the occasion, the AWWA chairperson said the VTC shall offer courses in English speaking, nursery teachers training besides certificate courses for beautician, bridal make-up, embroidery, sticking and cooking. She said that keeping in view the need of the hour, IT-related courses like computer programming shall also be offered to women. Maj Gen Rakesh Sharma, GOC, said the VTC has been affiliated to the department of technical education under the Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD). Women joining the courses here will be awarded certificates by the department which will make them eligible to apply for government jobs, the GOC added. Army officials said that 161 women have been enrolled in six courses at the centre. — OC

Army team eyes world record in hang-gliding
SP Sharma/TNS

Sriganganagar (Rajasthan), February 16
In a bid to break the 33 years old British world record in hang-gliding, a team of 10 soldiers of the Indian Army today set out on a 700 kms trans-Rajasthan expedition from here to Udaipur.

The expedition organized by the Devlali-based army adventure nodal centre (AANC) of the school of artillery would fly through Bikaner and Jodhpur. The distance would be covered in four days.

Colonel Sanjeev Jarial, leader of the team, was hopeful of breaking the current invalidated record of 325 kms of hang-gliding by a British pilot Gerry Breen, who glided between London and Paris in 1979.

According to Colonel SD Goswami, spokesman of the ministry of defence, the aim of this expedition is publicizing the adventurous lifestyle in the Army, connecting with youth and children to inspire them to join the armed forces and giving a wide exposure to the distinctive sport of hang-gliding.

A total of 10 pilots will fly their Hang Gliders with special harness that have 120 CC, 15 HP motor and a carbon-graphite propeller attached to it. These harnesses give the glider pilot the ability to take off from any small clear patch of ground and cruise at a speed of up to 70 kms per hour for several hours depending on the wind direction.

The team consists of Major Raman Mishra, Naib Subedar Paramjit Singh, Havildar Mangal Debbarma, Naik Gurmeet Singh, Naik AK Singh, Naik Ravinder Lance Naik A Selvam, Lance Naik Sanjeev Kumar and Gunner PK Pradhan.

Naib subedar Paramjit Singh is credited with flying experience of 836 hours during the past 21 years, while Naik Gurmeet Singh and Lance Naik Sanjeev Kumar have flight experience of 250 and 235 hours respectively during their career of 9 years.

The AANC entered the Limca Book of Records last year by undertaking a 700 kms cross-country flight in three days with powered harness hang gliders. The Node also successfully completed the longest flight (5 hours 30 minutes) and longest distance covered in single flight (240 km), thereby setting a national record.