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RBI report points to state’s poor debt management
‘Sidhu missing’ posters dot Amritsar
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Badal: Union Govt must issue white paper on sliding rupee
Floods displace 8,000 in Muktsar district
Will oppose Canada’s move to ban Sikh symbols: SGPC
Congress to hold rally to mark Beant Singh’s death anniversary
Centre should emulate atta-dal scheme: Harsimrat
MCs denied due VAT share: Ex-councillors
Direct benefit transfer in 5 more state cities from Sept 1
Govt moots law to check indebtedness
Admissions to 23 ITIs halted
Major projects hanging fire in Ferozepur
Repair village roads by May 2014, directs Patiala planning panel chief
NHAI to strengthen Jalandhar to Rewari national highway
UGC grant scam: 3-day police remand for main accused
Medical practitioners burn Punjab Govt's effigy
SGPC to send books to Canada on Sikhs' role in World Wars
Mining goes unchecked in Bathinda village
Insurance company penalised
HC refuses to interfere in Punjab’s ex-gratia policy
Farmer commits suicide
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RBI report points to state’s poor debt management
Chandigarh, August 26 Ways and Means Advances
(WMA) are sources of finance meant to provide support for purely temporary difficulties that arise on account of mismatch/shortfall in revenue for meeting government liabilities.These are repayable in three months. However, the report points out that some states, such as Punjab, are using these advances a bit too often as there is a perpetual mismatch between revenue receipts and revenue expenditure. The report shows that Punjab lived on this "borrowed" money for as many as 232 days during the last financial year. It also availed of a special WMA for 233 days during 2012-13. While normal ways and means advances are clean advances given to state governments, the special ways and means are secured advances against government of India securities that are time-bound. The state government is supposed to pay interest on both normal and special
WMA. The report shows that Punjab had taken an overdraft (OD) on 139 days during 2012-13. The situation has not improved. Only this month, the state reached an overdraft limit of Rs 300 crore after it had availed its ways and means limit of Rs 360
crore. It was only after the state received Rs 400 crore as revenue receipts for this month that the state managed to clear its overdraft, though it is still availaing the WMA of Rs 320
crore. The state has stopped all payments of bills, including medical reimbursements and payment of retirement benefits, to its imployees.The pending bills with the state government are believed to have crossed Rs 1,000
crore. Worrisome signals
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‘Sidhu missing’ posters dot Amritsar
Amritsar, August 26 Written in Hindi and titled “Aah! Sansad Sidhu, tum na jaane kis jahan kho gaye” (Parliamentarian Sidhu, where have you got lost?), these posters were pasted by former Congress councillor Raman Bakhshi, who also heads the Amritsar Sangharsh Samiti. The poster reads, “You had vowed in the Golden Temple that you will not leave Amritsar while promising employment to the youth, special status for the city and making the holy city beautiful. Have you forgotten all your promises?” Talking to The Tribune, Bakhshi said, “Sidhu has forgotten that he was chosen by the people of Amritsar to represent them in Parliament and not to betray them. The people have elected him thrice. If he has some issues with his own party, he should sort these out. Why is he making the people pay the price for it? Where is he today when the people of his constituency need him the most?” He said Sidhu made tall promises like transforming the city into Paris, “but today the people are feeling cheated as they are grappling to get basic amenities”. Bakhshi said they will also seek an appointment with Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar and urge her to initiate some action against the MP. Sidhu, on the other hand, continues to remain incommunicado. However, his wife and Chief Parliamentary Secretary Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu said he hadn’t ran away from Amritsar but the party had assigned him duties in New Delhi and he was performing “the same honestly”. “The people know he had issues with the party leaders and he isn’t getting any funds for his projects,” she said. Moreover, she said, the Congress should “better keep shut on the issue as the party scuttled almost all the major initiatives taken by him”. “He had taken up the issues of heritage status to Amritsar, more flights for the local airport and World Bank funds for the city, but the Congress didn’t allow any headway on any of these projects. He had sought Rs 500 crore for Amritsar from the Prime Minister and the Union Finance Minister but no funds were given,” she said, asking the Congress activists to tell her as to what Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had done for Amritsar. Punjab BJP chief Kamal Sharma said the Congress should first locate their former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, whose 'missing posters' too had been pasted in Patiala. Sidhu has been keeping away from his constituency for the last six months and has been focusing more on his cricket commentating assignments and career as a television celebrity. He was first busy with the IPL Season 6, followed by the Champions Trophy. He is being seen in a comedy show on a television channel these days. He was conspicuous by his absence during Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s rally at Madhopur in Pathankot on June 23 and later during the state BJP’s executive meeting here on July 7-8 despite BJP president Rajnath Singh attending it. After he was appointed the party co-in charge for the Delhi Assembly elections in July, he made it clear that he will be spending five days in Delhi to perform his duties while sparing the remaining two days for his TV assignments in Mumbai. Sidhu had last visited the holy city on May 9 and that too for a few hours. Earlier, his wife had sparked a row in April this year by hinting that he may even quit politics.
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Drastic steps must to fix fiscal mess: Experts
Dr S.S. Johl, former Vice Chancellor on fiscal emergency
The present crisis As in other states, the fiscal imbalance in Punjab has been the result of the mounting debt burden and the huge expenditure on committed liabilities such as salaries and pensions to employees. While salaries have been raised, no effort has been made to reduce the number of employees. The pay commission has recommended cutting the staff strength to bring down the salary bill. It is unwise to pay salaries to employees by taking loans On remedial measures There is a need to check tax evasion. Tax collection has been poor despite Punjab’s high consumption index. Focus should be on only certain subsidies. Big farmers should not be given free power. The system of giving subsidies should be streamlined and these must reach the targeted beneficiaries. When there is no money, where is the need to give freebies? The post of Chief Parliamentary Secretary should be done away with.
Parminder Singh Dhindsa, Finance Minister on fiscal emergency
The present crisis The second quarter of the year is always a lean a period as far as collection of revenue is concerned. Moreover, there are a lot of pending payments to be cleared. The lean period will be over in a few months. With the beginning of the festival season, revenue collection is certain to go up. The Centre has not extended any help to the state which has been spending a lot to ensure food security in the country. Also, the expenditure on employees has gone up On remedial measuers It is wrong to say the government is indulging in wasteful expenditure. The focus is on development and releasing money for various projects. The government is clear on its priorities and money is being spent accordingly. We have met our social sector commitments and have released money for Shagun and other welfare schemes. We are very careful as far as spending is concerned.
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Badal: Union Govt must issue white paper on sliding rupee
Ludhiana, August 26 Tewari had yesterday demanded a white paper, asking the Punjab Government to explain whether or not the state was heading towards bankruptcy. He had said that as an MP from Punjab, he had the right to know about the fiscal condition of the state. Launching a counter-attack against the Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre, the Chief Minister asked the UPA ministers to introspect. "The country's economy is in tatters under the UPA Government’s misrule.The rupee has slided vis-ŕ-vis the dollar and the prices of essential commodities are skyrocketing," he said. The Chief Minister said that a "weak" Union Government had failed to provide internal and external security to its people. Admitting that the state industry had suffered a setback because of the long period of militancy and the concessions given by the Union Government to neighbouring hill states, he accused the Centre of step-motherly treatment to Punjab. "The Centre has deliberately extended financial incentives to several hill states.This has not only destroyed the backbone of the state's industry, but also resulted in its flight from Punjab to other states," Badal said. The Chief minister was in city to release a biography of OP Munjal, founder of Hero Cycles. State Finance Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa used the occasion to dispel rumours of industrialists fleeing the state. Addressing the gathering, he said: "Contrary to what is being said?, OP Munjal, in spite of his family achieving a stupendous success, has stayed put in Ludhiana. "Pankaj Munjal, Hero Cycles MD, has told me that they plan to set a high-tech cycling plant in Ludhiana. In fact, Pankaj has shifted base to Punjab. He now spends more time here."
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Floods displace 8,000 in Muktsar district
Muktsar, August 26 These people have been provided shelter in government buildings, gurdwaras and dharamshalas. Most of them are daily wagers, who have no source of income these days and will not be able to get work for some more days as agricultural fields are still flooded. Resham Singh, a daily wager who has taken shelter along with 10 members of his family at the indoor stadium here, said: “We are left with no money. No one from the family has got work in the past 10 days.” Similarly, Maghi Ram, a farm labourer, said: “The situation is worst for people like us. The landlords have enough money with them, but we are left to fend for ourselves.” He said the pace of drainage work was slow and it seemed that it would take nearly a month for them to get work. Parmjit Singh, Deputy Commissioner, Muktsar, said: “So far, 15,053 persons have been medically examined and 2,315 families given ration. Besides, 5,841 bags of cattle feed have also been distributed among flood-hit people.” Dr Swaran Singh, Deputy Director, Animal Husbandry, Muktsar, said: “We have enough stock of medicines for livestock. Our teams are distributing these among people in flood-hit villages.” Meanwhile, an official said certain villages like Lundewala, Khokhar, Haraj and Rattakhera were still flooded. “In some villages, people are not co-operating with the administration and delaying the drainage work,” he added. Officials of various departments are searching for accommodation to shift their offices located in low-lying areas. Staff members of Government Industrial Training Institute (ITI), Sarainaga, were found looking for a suitable place to shift their official records as the building is submerged in rainwater. The floods have caused losses to the business community. Bhagwan Bansal, president, Punjab Cotton Factories and Ginners’ Association, said: “The cotton crop has been damaged in most parts of the district. We are unable to run our factories. The government must waive off minimum power charges in the district and charge bills on actual consumption”.
6 injured in clash over drainage Six persons were injured after a clash broke out between residents of Aulakh and Badian villages over the drainage of rainwater. The residents of Aulakh opposed the release of water from Badian village in their fields, which led to a clash in which three persons were injured. A police team dispersed the crowd. Later, the residents blocked the Malout-Muktsar highway. The police had to resort to lathicharge in which another three persons were injured.
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Will oppose Canada’s move to ban Sikh symbols: SGPC
Amritsar, August 26 Talking to The Tribune, SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar said: “Quebec’s 80 per cent population is French. They are following the same policies as have been adopted by France where turban is not allowed in schools.” The SGPC would take up the issue with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and urge him to utilise diplomatic channels to resolve it, he said, adding they had also asked the Sikh community in Canada to raise the issue at every level. He said they would also send literature to sensitise the people in Canada about the Sikh religion. DSGMC president Manjeet Singh GK said they were making efforts to counter the move, legally as well as politically. “We have already got an appointment with the embassies of Canada and France. We will also meet ambassadors of Britain and Italy”. Former SGPC secretary Manjeet Singh Calcutta said it was a serious issue and there were reports that some European countries were also planning a similar move. He said the Union Government must take initiate measures to resolve the issue.
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Congress to hold rally to mark Beant Singh’s death anniversary
Jalandhar, August 26 Pradesh Congress Committee president Partap Singh Bajwa said besides some senior leaders from the Centre, the Congress rank and file would attend the rally to pay homage to the late CM. The last state-level programme was organised at the Beant Singh Memorial in 1996 when rallies were also held at Beant Singh’s native place in Payal (Ludhiana). However, for the past few years, only a prayer meeting was being held on the occasion. Bajwa said: “People from various sections will attend the rally. We have sent the intimation to all the party MLAs, MPs and senior leaders. We expect a gathering of about 10,000”.
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Centre should emulate atta-dal scheme: Harsimrat
Chandigarh/Delhi, August 26 “The Centre should follow the Punjab’s Atta Dal Scheme,” she said. The SAD MP said the food security Bill was a desperate attempt by a beleaguered government to woo voters. She claimed that in the coming days, the country’s foreign ratings could be downgraded to “junk status”. Questioning the logic that the food Bill would make prices affordable, she pointed out that onions were being sold for Rs 80 per/kg and pulses at Rs 100/kg.
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MCs denied due VAT share: Ex-councillors
Sangrur, August 26 At the time of abolition of the octroi from September 2006, it was proposed that the state government would provide money from the VAT collections (in the form of municipal fund) to the councils in lieu of the octroi. However, some former councillors alleged that the government had been issuing a lesser share from the VAT collections to the councils, due to which they had been facing problems in meeting their expenditures. Giving an example of the Sangrur municipal council, they said the state government had not increased the amount of the VAT share for the Sangrur council in proportion to the increase in the total VAT collections of the state. Sources said the state government had provided Rs 1.89 crore in 2006-07 and Rs 3.80 crore in 2007-08 to the Sangrur municipal council from the state’s VAT collections. The state’s total VAT collections were about Rs 4,825 crore in 2006-07 and over Rs 5,300 crore in 2007-08. However, when the total VAT collections of the state in the financial year 2012-13 were Rs 14,900 crore, the Sangrur municipal council was given only Rs 7.15 crore for this financial year. BJP state secretary Jatinder Kalra, who was also a former local municipal councillor, said the figures of VAT collections from 2006-07 to 2012-13 show a three-fold increase in the VAT income but the Sangrur municipal council’s income from the VAT share had increased only two-fold. This meant that the requisite share from the state’s VAT income was not given to the council, he added. Kalra said they would apprise Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal of the situation so that councils could get their requisite share for the development of their respective cities and towns and for meeting other expenses such as salaries, pensions and electricity bills.
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Direct benefit transfer in 5 more state cities from Sept 1
Bathinda, August 26 The subsidy is transferred directly to the bank accounts linked to the consumers’ aadhar cards. Sources said from December, only those consumers in these cities could book a subsidised LPG refill who furnished details of their aadhar-linked bank accounts to their LPG distributors. The subsidy amount would be credited to the customers’ account before their booking was cleared and the cylinder delivered to them, the sources added. To ensure its smooth implementation, the government has asked the residents to get their bank accounts linked or opened before September 30. The sources said as many as 70 per cent of the people in these cities had their aadhar cards. So far nearly Rs 2 crore had been credited to the accounts of 50,000 LPG customers in SBS Nagar.
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Govt moots law to check indebtedness
Chandigarh, August 26 The Financial Commissioner, Revenue, has been told to put up a comprehensive proposal in the next Cabinet meeting on the composition of the Cabinet sub-committee along with the draft Bill for consideration. Referring to direct payment to farmers, the Chief Minister directed the Financial Commissioner, Development, to widely publicise it through the media so that the farmers could exercise the option of direct payment for their produce. Conceding to another demand of the union, Badal said he wanted the Punjab Securities of Land Act, 1953, be amended so that the prevalent market land lease rates were reflected while working out the cost of cultivation of crops for determining the minimum support price commission of agriculture costs and prices (CACP). The Chief Minister told the delegation that he would take up the matter with the Centre for allowing Punjabi farmers to buy agricultural land in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. These states have banned such property transactions by outsiders. He asked the Financial Commissioner, Development, to prepare a detailed proposal in this regard for sending the same to the Inter-State Council. To popularise rainwater harvesting, the Chief Minister said it should be made mandatory in government buildings, especially in educational and technical institutions. The Chief Engineer, Canals, said the state Irrigation Department had already submitted a detailed project report to the Centre for recharging ground water. The CM has already taken up this matter with the Planning Commission for a one-time grant to the state to check the depleting ground water. The Chief Minister asked the PSPCL chief to ensure the release of AP connections to farmers within 90 days of submission of test reports. Similarly, the connections under the OYT scheme and the general category should be released expeditiously, he said. Badal directed that the date for depositing money for the release of tubewell connections be extended from August 31, 2013, to November 15, 2013. This would enable the farmers to pay after the sale of their kharif crops.
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Admissions to 23 ITIs halted
Chandigarh, August 26 The institutes have also been served notices after deficiencies pointed out by the principals/inspecting officers regarding poor training standards, shortage of machinery, equipment and staff etc. These included: Guru Gobind Singh ITI (Ubhewal village, Sangrur); Mata Gujri ITC (Patran); Malwa ITC (Mandi Harji Ram, Malout); Sri Muktsar Sahib Kalgidhar ITC (Malout); Bibi Bhani ITC (Moga), Guru Nanak Dev ITC (Bathinda); Maharishi Vishwamitar ITC (Bathinda) and Sahibzada Ajit Singh ITC (Bhagta Bhai Ka, Bathinda). The list also included Dabwali ITI (Talwandi Sabo); DPD ITC (Zira); Sri Guru Nanak Dev ITI (Sangat Kenchiya, Bathinda), Guru Kanshi Institute of Vocational Training (Talwandi Sabo, Bathinda); Kartar ITC (Bohra Kalan, Patiala); Guru Gobind Singh ITC (Bhaini Bagha, Mansa); New Angel ITC (Zirakpur); New Era ITC (Kharar); Sant Farid ITC (Mohali); GTB Private ITI (Tapa, Barnala); GTB Institute of Industrial Training (Bhadaur, Barnala); SD Private ITI (Moga); Gurukul Private ITI (Sherpur Katron, Sangrur); Techno Private ITI (Chhappian Wali, Muktsar); and Guru Teg Bahadur Private ITI (Bathinda).
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Major projects hanging fire in Ferozepur
Ferozepur, August 26 While no new projects have been announced for the district in recent past, even those sanctioned long time back are yet to see light of the day. Key among these are setting up of a government college, shifting of the Central Jail to the outskirts of Ferozepur, construction of a bridge over the Sutlej near Kot Budha, abolition of octroi in cantonment area, four-laning of the stretch from Ferozepur to Hussainiwala and opening of the Hussainiwala-Lahore border for trade and transit. Ironically, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal himself had announced most of these projects. However, not much headway has been achieved. In his address during the Shaheedi Divas here this year, the Chief Minister had announced that a college would be set up in the name of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev to facilitate higher education for the needy students of the border areas. Though there are some well-established private colleges in the town, students of economically weaker sections cannot afford to pay their fee structure. The panchayat of Mohkhan Khan Wala village had even donated 12 acres of land for the college. The relocation of the central jail to the outskirts of the town too had been approved by Badal. The aim was to commercially exploit 60 acres of the prime jail land located in the heart of the town. A plot measuring 44 acres had even been identified near Khai Pheme Ke village on the Ferozepur-Fazilka road for the project. The work on the construction of a high-level bridge over the Sutlej connecting Ferozepur and Tarn Taran districts too has been stuck due to lack of funds. Its foundation stone too was laid by Badal. The proposal regarding abolition of octroi in the cantonment area has also not materialized, due to which the local traders are facing heavy losses. Residents say the border district was allegedly being meted out a stepmotherly treatment, especially after Fazilka was carved out of it.
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Repair village roads by May 2014, directs Patiala planning panel chief
Patiala, August 26 This is the first set of time-bound instructions aimed at elections coming from Dhillon, who is also eyeing the parliamentary ticket from Patiala. Dhillon, however, said the focus on the road repair work in certain villages should not be seen as an election gimmick. "I will abide by party high command's decision on the choice of candidate from Patiala but as the chairman of the planning committee, it is my duty to see time-bound completion of work." During a meeting with officials concerned, Dhillon said work on the 451-km link road network was a priority and a sum of Rs 67 core had been earmarked for the same. Interestingly, emphasis has been laid on the repair of link roads falling under the Samana, Dakala, Patiala and Dudhan Sadha market committees. These areas are alien to Dhillon, who enjoys a good backing in Dera Bassi, where he rose as a Congress leader before joining the SAD. The repair work has been divided into two phases to ensure that it is completed as per the schedule. Dhillon said Sanaur would get Rs 27 crore and Samana Rs 15 crore for the purpose. The race for the Patiala parliamentary seat is getting more and more competitive with Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal not giving any hint on the probable candidate.
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NHAI to strengthen Jalandhar to Rewari national highway
Moga, August 26 Due to the poor condition of this road, most of the traffic from Amritsar, Jalandhar, Moga, Ferozepur, Kapurthala and many other parts of Punjab has to take the Ludhiana-Ambala-New Delhi route. Under the proposed project, the highway, covering a distance of about 310 km from Jalandhar to Rewari, would be widened and strengthened by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI).
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UGC grant scam: 3-day police remand for main accused
Rajpura, August 26 The police today got a three-day remand of former principal Sanjeev Kalia. He will be questioned for his role in the misuse of grants released by the University Grants Commission (UGC). Sources said Kalia had named two key persons, one related to a former Rajpura MLA and the other closely associated with the college management. “Both the accused are said to have accepted money in lakhs from the former principal,” a source said. In June, the police had arrested two UGC officials, assistant section officer Talu Ram Bharti and section officer Balwinder Singh, who had allegedly received a portion of the UGC grants which were illegally released to Patel Memorial College. Gaurav Trivedi, son of a former IPS officer, in whose account the money was transferred by Kalia, is already under arrest. The development comes seven months after the Rajpura city police registered a case against Kalia and his associate Gaurav for misusing UGC grants after opening a private bank account. As per the preliminary police investigations (data available with The Tribune), the former college principal first sought a grant of Rs 45 lakh in November 2010 and then another grant of Rs 54 lakh was sought in January 2012. However, the college could not have even applied for the grants as it does not have a 'Colleges with Potential for Excellence' (CPE) status, which is mandatory for such UGC grants. In total, the accused allegedly usurped about Rs 1.05 crore. “Investigations are still on in the matter,” said Rajpura SP Bhupinder Khatra, claiming that no clean chit had been given to anyone.
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Medical practitioners burn Punjab Govt's effigy
Fatehgarh Sahib, August 26 Addressing the protesters, association state president Dr Ramesh Bali said Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had promised to fulfil their demands in 2007. He said more than six years had passed but nothing had been done. He said medical practitioners in association with the health department were playing an important role in providing better health care in rural and urban areas of the state. Bali said if the state government had doubts about their ability to provide health care to people, it should issue certificates to members after giving them proper training. He said the government should acknowledge the services of doctors of other states, who were practising in the state, rahter than harassing them on one pretext or the other.
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SGPC to send books to Canada on Sikhs' role in World Wars
Fatehgarh Sahib, August 26 He said the SGPC was also proposing to send another book titled 'Role of Sikhs in Europe during World War-II 1939-1945' to educate the people in Quebec about sacrifices made by 83,000 Sikhs in saving the honour of men and women living in Europe during the war. He said the Canadian province, which predominantly had a French-speaking population, was trying to follow French rules ignoring the basic human rights of the minority communities there. While taking a dig at the poor results of students in government schools of Punjab, Makkar said they would "consider" the advice of the state government for not opening any new institution in the state. He said this after inaugurating Mata Tripta Girls Hostel, constructed at a cost of Rs 2.23 crore, at Mata Gujri College. The University Grants Commission had also issued a grant of Rs 55 lakh for the project. The SGPC presdent also laid the foundation stone of Baba Jorawar Singh Boys hostel in the college. Makkar said students now preferred public schools over government schools. He said, "Students, not only in Punjab but across the country, are now opting for SGPC institutions due to quality education being provided here. How can we be a mute spectator to fleecing of poor students by private institutions?" The SGPC chief was commenting on the recent statement of Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal in which he advised the committee to focus on spreading Sikhism instead of opening new educational institutions.
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Mining goes unchecked in Bathinda village
Bathinda, August 26 They had installed iron bars (gaddars) in such a way that it facilitated excavating good earth and loading it onto tractor-trailers. “The illegal activity has been going on for the past more than four months. We have raised an alarm but to no avail,” said Amar Singh. People alleged that the good earth excavated from the site was being spread on the site where the garbage treatment plant is proposed. As per directions of the National Green Tribunal, the Municipal Corporation, Bathinda (MCB), is supposed to take scientific measures to handle the garbage dumped at the site and it reqires good earth. The MCB had awarded contract for spreading good earth on the garbage dump. District Industries Officer Chaman Lal confirmed that the aforesaid site was not auctioned for mining purpose. He also deputed a mining officer, Jaspal Singh Sodhi, to visit the spot on August 22. Accompanied by the complainant, Amar Singh, Sodhi visited the spot and found two tractor-trailers operating in the area. However, he let off the accused after issuing a warning against digging earth without permission. As per law, a case has to be registered against the offender and if found guilty of excavating minerals, its price thereof etc has to be recovered from him in accordance with Section 21(5) of the Mines and Minerals (Regulation and Development) Act 1957. Municipal Commissioner Uma Shankar Gupta said the MCB had contracted out the work of covering the garbage dump with good earth. “We are not concerned from where the contractor brings good earth. The onus is on him to ensure that soil is being dug only from permitted sites,” he added.
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Insurance company penalised
Bathinda, August 26 The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum directed the New India Assurance Company Limited, a general insurance company, to pay the money along with interest at the rate of 9 per cent since March last year to Palwinder Singh, a farmer of Lehra Khana village. Palwinder had moved an application in the forum against the insurance company and the branch manager of State Bank of Patiala, Lehra Mohabbat. After listening to the arguments of both the parties, the forum dismissed the petition against the bank but held the insurance company liable for delay in payment of the insurance claim to the complainant. The complainant's counsel, Inderjit Singh Mann, said the farmer had purchased five heads of cattle, including a Holstein Friesian (H/F) black and a white dairy cow, after securing a loan from State Bank of Patiala, Lehra Mohabbat. The bank got all the cattle insured by the New India Assurance Company Limited. The H/F black and the white cattle, however, died on December 21, 2011, one month after they were insured. The farmer, however, failed to get the claim despite making repeated rounds of the bank and the insurance company.
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HC refuses to interfere in Punjab’s
ex-gratia policy
Chandigarh, August 26 Justice K Kannan said the state went through a painful phase, but it was “impossible for a court to decide as to how the government will organise its charity”. The ruling came on a petition filed by Dr Om Parkash Bairagi against the State of Punjab and another respondent, alleging “discriminatory treatment in matters of compensation for death and injury suffered by victims of terrorist attacks”. Referring to a statement issued on May 7, 1990, the petitioner claimed the policy was to be effective retrospectively from August 1, 1982, in death cases. But in injury cases, the policy was to apply “only to persons sustaining injuries subsequent to May 1, 1990”. He had claimed that the date, May 1, 1990, fixed by the government was arbitrary and there was no justification in giving two cutoff dates for applicability of benefits to the families of the deceased and the injured. The petitioner said he was also aggrieved by the quantum of compensation fixed under the policy as it provided discriminatory treatment to government employees and “non-government civilians”. Taking up the matter, Justice Kannan asserted: “In matters of policy decisions, there is limited scope for judicial intervention. Arbitrariness must be founded on discriminatory treatment of the persons of the same class. “If the government in its wisdom has decided to grant ex-gratia compensation to the family of the deceased persons, making it effective from a particular date, and provide for a different date for payment to persons injured, it is best left to the state government as to how it seeks to address the issue of compensation”. Dismissing the petition filed in 1991, Justice Kannan added: “Punjab has gone through a painful phase and several measures were attempted to heal the affected persons and families of slain victims in terrorists attack. Only time can heal. I find no scope for judicial intervention.”
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Farmer commits suicide
Sangrur, August 26 The Dirba police said about 4 am, Bhura Singh went to his field,
where he "consumed some poisonous substance" and died. The police said it was learnt that Bhura used
to remain upset as he was unable to meet family expenses from his over one-and-a-half acre land. The police said the
post-mortem examination of the body had been conducted at Civil Hospital,
Sunam.
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The Punjab Government is living beyond its means.This fact has been corroborated by the annual report of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released in April this year.
The report of the apex regulatory bank that also delves into the finances of states, says the Punjab Government used ways and means advances for more than seven months last year.
Taking a jibe at the continuous absence of MP Navjot Singh Sidhu from Amritsar Lok Sabha constituency, the Opposition Congress today pasted “missing posters” of the cricketer-turned-politician in key commercial areas of the city.
In a rebuff to Union Minister Manish Tewari for demanding a white paper on the state's dipping economy, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal said here today that it was the Union Government that needed to issue a white paper on the sliding rupee.
Illegal mining has been going on unabated in the Industrial Growth Centre here for the past some time.
Captain Mal Singh and Amar Singh, residents of Mati Dass Nagar, complained that the illegal mining was being carried out on the land belonging to Jassi Pau Wali village. The miners acted in a clandestine manner.
The people know he had issues with the party leaders and he isn't getting any funds for his projects… The Congress should better keep shut on the issue as the party scuttled almost all the major initiatives taken by him
-There is no need for such a measure as financial emergency. The Centre itself is in a major fiscal crisis. The value of the rupee vis a vis the dollar is sliding, the current account deficit is rising and the economy has faced several jolts in recent months. The growth indicators are poor
Whether or not fiscal emergency is declared, the fact is that the state is heading towards bankruptcy. The bankruptcy of public finances is destroying economy and its adverse effects has started hitting the common man as well as trade and industry. If fiscal emergency is declared, it could providean escape route to the SAD-BJP Government. Hence, invoking fiscal emergency is no answer to the fiscal mess
The Congress leadership is deliberately creating misgivings in the minds of the people on the state's fiscal health. Punjab's fiscal health is far better than that of the Union Government. The rupee fall has affected various sectors of the Indian economy in a big way. The Centre has failed to control inflation. in fact, Punjab Congress leaders should tell the Centre to declare a fiscal emergency in the country instead of needlessly targeting the state government