Bathinda, March 14
As many as 38 government senior secondary schools in this district will be covered under the Neighborhood Development Programme wherein engineering colleges near these schools would provide them with all kind of support to run science streams of classes XI and XII.

An initiative of the Punjab government under the Sarv Shiksha Abhiyaan (SSA), five engineering colleges in the district have been entrusted the task of improving admissions in science streams at senior secondary schools as well as pitching in to plug all the lacunae that could jeopardize the science education in government schools.

“For the past couple of years, we have been noticing that while number of private engineering colleges in the state has increased, a high number of seats is lying vacant at most of these colleges. This is broadly due to the fact that science students coming from private schools are absorbed in premier institutes or opt to study out of the state. These colleges then end-up bargaining with students and leave no stone unturned to attract them,” admitted an official in the department of technical education, Government of Punjab.

He added that the plan was to solve this problem as well as strengthen the science education in government schools.

Engineering institutes that come under the programme in Bathinda include the Aklia Engineering College, the Baba Farid Engineering College, the PTU Giani Zail Singh campus, the Guru Gobind Singh College of Engineering, Talwandi Sabo, and the Guru Ram Das Institute of Engineering and Technology.

Academic session 2012-13 onwards, these institutes have been entrusted a set of government senior secondary schools. The institutes would be mainly responsible for improving the quality of science education at these schools.

Faced with the challenge of dearth of science teachers, the government has also decided that the engineering institutes would provide the requisite number of teachers to these schools either as guest faculty or through their own faculty so as to ensure that science classes in school receive full attention.

The teachers and students of government schools would also be allowed to access the science laboratories of these institutes, whenever required.

“These colleges have got huge infrastructure, which would go waste if they do not receive an adequate number of admissions. A two-year alliance with the institute would also help students consider this institute as a priority while taking admission for graduate courses,” added management members of Guru Gobind Singh College of Engineering and Technology, Talwandi Sabo.

Besides allowing students to use infrastructure, creating new infrastructure and providing teachers, the institutes would also impart career guidance as well as prepare students for various engineering entrance examinations.

Bathinda, March 14
The ‘worst nightmare’ of people of Bathinda came true as the Railways Minister Dinesh Trivedi while presenting the Rail Budget for “aam adami” today failed to make any room for Bathinda and its nearby places in his “nation-building and pro-development plans.”

Accusing the rail ministry of continuing its ‘step-motherly’ treatment towards the people living around the Asia’s second biggest railway junction – Bathinda, the city residents said the rail budget was on the expected line as the region does not figure in the poll plans of the Ministry of Railways and its minister.

The Railways Minister failed to propose any new train for Bathinda, besides ‘ignoring’ the region also in terms of electrification of section, new rail line etc.

Besides the demand for Shatabadi Express, a rail line to Takht Damdama Sahib (Talwandi Sabo), special allocation for amenities like ramp and escalator at Bathinda station, have also been ignored by the minister.

However, Dinesh Trivedi conceded the demand for increasing the frequency of the Shri Ganganagar-Hazur Sahib Nanded Express (12485/12486) from weekly to thrice in a week.

Further, Bathinda gets a train to Ajmer following the extension train no. 19781/19782/19771/19772 Jaipur-Amritsar Express to Ajmer, as announced by the Railways Minister.

Due to the indifferent attitude of the Ministry of Railways, the wish of Bathinda to get the development process hastened had once again been thwarted, said president of Bathinda Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), Raman Watts.

Watts said that the business community had been demanding a Shatadi Express.

On increase in the fare hike, the BCCI chief said that they had never been in opposition of increase in fare but Bathinda should also be given facilities accordingly.

“It was a simple case of step-motherly treatment,” Raman Watts said.

General secretary of Bathinda Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mohanjit Singh Puri, said that the budget was on the expected line as Bathinda as well as Punjab did not find place in the plans of the Centre.

General secretary of Railway Passengers’ Welfare Association, Bathinda, Hanuman Dass Goyal though expressed happiness over the increase in frequency of Shri Ganganagar-Hazur Sahib Nanded Express said that Bathinda should have been given Shatabadi train besides new trains.

Expressing disappointment, convenor of the Joint Action Committee, MM Behal, said that Bathinda has once again be neglected by the railways as no new train touching the station was proposed.

Echoing similar sentiments, president of Passengers’ Welfare Association, Jasvir Singh, termed the rail budget as sheer dampener for the people of the area. “We have no issue with the rise in train tariff, the apathy towards the area has been hurting us,” said Jasvir.

Retd Prof YL Chopra termed the rail budget as anti-poor. He said that the minister should not have increased the fare.

Due to the indifferent attitude of the railway ministry, the wish of the Bathinda to get the development process hastened has once again been thwarted. It is a simple case of step-motherly treatment.

Raman watts, president, Bcci

The budget was on the expected line as Bathinda as well as Punjab did not find a place in the plans of the Centre.

Mohanjit singh puri, general secretary, bcci

The rail budget is a sheer dampener for the people of Bathinda and neighbouring towns. We have no issue with the rise in the railway fare but the apathy towards the area is hurting us.

Jasvir Singh, chief, passengers’ welfare assn

Bathinda, March 14
Since the inception of ‘Mukh Mantri Punjab Cancer Raahat Kosh Scheme’ in July last year as many as 223 cancer patients in Bathinda district have applied to get financial assistance for their treatment so far.

Under the scheme, an amount up to `1.50 lakh is provided for the cancer patient’s treatment.

According to information available, out of the 223 applications received by the district health authorities here so far, 20 have been rejected on the account of non-filling of forms by the hospitals concerned showing the break-up of the treatment charges to be incurred on the treatment of the disease.

Out of the remaining 203 cancer patients, as many as 156 have succeeded in getting the financial assistance to the tune of `1,63,93,765, under the scheme so far.

The amount has been released by the Cancer Control Cell, Punjab, to various hospitals and cancer institutes wherein patients have been undergoing treatment.

Out of the remaining 47 cases, seven are pending with the district health authorities here for sending the same to the Cancer Control Cell, Punjab. Besides, 40 cases are also pending with the Cancer Control Cell, Chandigarh, for final approval and release of the amounts to the cancer institutes or hospitals concerned.

The cancer patients, who have applied for getting the financial assistance under the scheme are from villages and urban areas of the district, including Bathinda, Bangi Rupa, Raiyan Patti, Deon, Kotfatta, Jhanduke, Bhagta Bhai Ka, Maluka, Raman Mandi, Nahianwala, Jethuke, Khemuana, Sangat Kalan, Maur Khurd, Dayalpura, Mehma Bhagwana and Krarwala.

In the district, most of the female patients have been suffering from breast cancer and cervix cancer. Besides, some cases of brain cancer, blood cancer and food pipe cancer have also come to light in the district as such patients have also applied for financial help under the scheme.

When contacted, a doctor said the curing rate of cancer could be increased in case the patient approached the doctors when the disease was in the initial stage. He also appealed to the patients to immediately visit the specialised hospitals as soon as the disease came to their notice.

The doctor said sometimes, cancer patients started visiting some ‘tantrik’for treatment, fearing threat to their lives. He said the patients should not go to a ‘tantrik’ as delay in the treatment worsened their health conditions.

Bathinda, March 14
A large number of farmers who visited the Kisan Mela held at the PAU Regional Research Station here today also got attracted to luxury vehicles, SUVs and modernised tractors put on display by automobile dealers.

The mela was organised ahead of the Kharif season by the Punjab Agriculture University (PAU), Ludhiana.

More than a dozen dealers of cars and tractors from Bathinda and surrounding areas thronged the mela venue to sensitise visitors to the advantages of their products.

Besides purchasing seeds and other agricultural tools and equipment, farmers queued up outside the automobile stalls and posed their queries related to luxury vehicles.

"We have got 50 queries from different farmers and 10 of them sought a test drive of our recently-launched SUV. At least 15 of these queries are likely to fructify in the coming few days or so," believed a marketing executive of a local automobile dealer.

Pleading anonymity, he said taking advantage of a large number of people at the mela, the automobile dealers turned up to demonstrate their vehicles. They erected stalls and also distributed brochures and pamphlets containing details of their products to the visitors to the fair.

Manvinder Singh, a marketing executive of a tractor selling agency of Bathinda, said he also got more than 40 queries at the mela.

"We are likely to deliver three tractors in the next fortnight or so. The mela gave us a platform to increase our customer base," said Jaswinder Brar, a tractor dealer. He pointed out that farmers have enquired about the price, engine power, fuel efficiency and other features of their vehicles.

Bathinda, March 14
Seeds worth more than Rs 20 lakhs were sold at the Kisan Mela organised by Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) at its Regional Research Station on the Dabwali Road. The mela is organised twice a year ahead of Rabi and Kharif crops. It was organised today before the Kharif crop, which includes cotton, rice, maize, bajra and moong.

More than 20,000 farmers from Bathinda and surrounding areas visited the research station where government and private stalls of seeds, agriculture tools, vehicles, appliances, medicines and agriculture related literature had been put up.

Farmers were seen standing in serpentine queues outside the counters where seeds were being sold as they purchased paddy seeds for the coming paddy season.

Many of the farmers thronged the venue even before seven in the morning and stood in queues to purchase seeds from the extension counters.

Apart from PR-114, PR-111, Pusa-1121 and 601 varieties, maximum sale of PR-118 was reported today. The authorities had sold 1550 bags (24 kg each) before evening and farmers were seen nagging the PAU authorities, seeking more seed.

Dr Jaspal Singh Gill, director, Regional Station, said they were trying to arrange more paddy seeds from the nearby centres to distribute it among the farmers.

Apart from the paddy seeds, cotton, bajra, fodder maize and vegetable kits were also sold at the mela.

Four varieties of paddy, one of basmati, three of cotton, one of bajra and one variety of fodder maize were sold during the mela.

Former PAU vice-chancellor and chairman of Punjab State Farmers commission (PSFC), Dr Gurcharan Singh Kalkat was the chief guest on the occasion. Kalkat said there were many economic and environmental constraints on Punjab agriculture that needs to be addressed.

He said in view of declining profitability from farming, farmers ought to take up subsidiary occupations like bee keeping, mushroom growing, nursery production and seed production.

PAU vice-chancellor, Dr Baldev Singh Dhillon said at present, agriculture had become innovative and suggested farmers to make a habit of reading the farm literature brought out by PAU to gain knowledge of the latest technologies.

He emphasised the use of farm and yard manure and growing green manure crops for enriching soil health.

Dr SS Gosal, director of research, PAU said the kisan melas provided useful forum for getting farmers’ feedback and dissemination of the knowledge regarding various technologies.

Bathinda, March 14
The Department of Architecture of Punjab Technical University Giani Zail Singh Campus, Bathinda, organised a cultural night during its annual fest, Arcadia.

The cultural night was based on the theme of International Women’s Day, which was exhibited by the welcome sequence by Namrata and group.

The chief guest of the evening was Gurinder Kaur Hundal and the guest of honour was Dr Sarabjit Kaur Bath. The head of department, Ranjeet Kaur and cultural coordinator Bhupinder Pal Singh Dhot, welcomed the guests.

The spirit of womanhood was displayed in the dances performed in various folk styles. Inter-house competitions like India haat, dancing jodi, footloose and enthralled everyone.

Divya (2010 batch) from Greeks and Mandeep (2009 batch) from the Aryans won the first and second positions in footloose. Romans, with their energetic and rooted performance of Jaago, stole the show and secured the first position in India Haat.

Other groups presented Haryanvi dance besides Rajasthani dance and Bhangra.

Tripti (2011 batch) and rhythm (2011 batch) from Greeks won the first prize. For dancing jodi, Namrita (2008 batch) and Bhawna (2009 batch) stood first and second, respectively.

Principal Dr JS Hundal congratulated the students. He focussed on the all-round development of students through co-curricular events and interaction with experts from industry and profession to enhance creativity and profession skills.

He also congratulated Mandeep Singh Dhillon of third year who has been placed in the merit list of PTU, Kapurthala for the year 2011-12. The evening concluded with a vote of thanks by faculty convenors Dr Prabhjot Kaur and Prof Jatinder Kaur.

Bathinda, March 14
Farmers visiting the Kisan Mela held here today were made aware of the advantages of various trees which could help them increase their income.

Nardev Makha, the chairman of Agroforestry and Natural Resources Development Organisation, said he came all the way from Mansa to sensitise people to the advantages of growing trees in farm lands.

He said saplings of Indian rosewood, Burma neem and poplar were put on display and farmers were made aware of its uses. He said farmers taking to growing trees could make handsome income within 10 to 20 years.

"At present, we are purchasing wood from outside Punjab, which could be produced here. Burma neem could be grown in 10 years and a fully-grown tree may fetch more than `25,000," he said. He added that similarly, farmers could earn `50,000 from a fully-grown clone Indian rosewood.

He added that a poplar tree may produce two quintal wood in six years.

Bathinda, march 14
The district centre of Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration (MGSIPA) Punjab, Chandigarh, today organised a seminar on ‘Punjab Civil Services (Punishment and Appeal Rules 1970 and Conduct Rules 1966)’ at the Circuit House here.

The district project coordinator of the MGSIPA, Mandeep Singh, explained the topics that were discussed in the seminar. He also said the district unit of MGSIPA always made efforts to enlighten the employees and officers about various matters by inviting experts of different subjects.

An advocate of Punjab and Haryana High Court, Banke Bihari, told the participants about the Punjab Civil Services (Punishment and Appeal Rules 1970 and Conduct Rules 1966)’ in detail, including misconduct chargesheet.

After the lectures, the employees posed several questions, seeking clarifications, to the speakers. In the end, Mandeep Singh proposed vote of thanks for participating in the seminar. He also said that such seminars would be organised in future also.

Bathinda, March 14
Guru Kashi University (GKU, Talwandi Sabo) organized Job Fest 2012 on Tuesday and more than 500 students from the as many as 15 colleges of Punjab and adjoining states came to explore their potential.

The joint requirement activity was conducted by Bikramjit Singh, Manoj Kumar (HDFC) and Satvinder Singh (HCL).

The activity comprised procedures like pre-placement talk, technical test, aptitude test, group discussion and personal interview. Selections were based on the short-listing and securitising of candidates.

It was also announced that GKU will, in future as well, keep organising such events and activities to bridge the gap between students and corporate sector and to ensure placement of students of all branches in the coming days.

Bathinda, march 14
Baba Farid College of Management & Technology is organising a two-day national conference on the issue which has been much debated over in field of economy and is considered the need of the hour.

The conference on ‘Retailing in India: Challenges and Opportunities’ will be held on March 15 and 16.

The Indian retail industry is one of the largest of all the industries of the country, accounting for over 15 per cent of the country’s GDP and around 8 per cent of the employment.

The Indian retail industry is gradually inching its way towards a big boom.

To discuss and debate on the matter, eminent academic research scholars and industry representatives will be making their presence felt at the seminar.