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After 3 yrs, Chintpurni college to admit
pupils
Block chiefs launch signature drive against PPCC president
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Dispute over power bills halts work at Ropar STPs
CM leaves Sangat Darshan in a hurry
Govt must cut needless expenses, say Left parties
Protest against property Bill
SAD, BJP both pursuing divisive agenda: Bajwa
Parliament must condemn 1984 riots: SAD
Alliance under strain despite CM’s claims: Manpreet
2,600 brick kilns in state shut, await green clearance
Nihang succumbs to injuries
Convicted Akali leader’s aide dies due to ‘drug overdose’
Modi to head appointing panel
Bittu, Bajwa back different candidates for DCC-rural chief’s post
Unemployed teachers burn govt’s effigy
Cong protests non-issuance of blue cards
Farmers resent tardy lifting in Patiala
Goods worth lakhs gutted in Sunam
Jaitley, Harsimrat’s assets have grown: Watchdog
Kartarpur complex lies neglected
Private insurance companies mint money under govt scheme
Jakhar slams state govt for revising atta, dal rates
Urdu poet awarded
Farmers flay govt for ‘framing’ leader
8 feared dead as bus falls into canal
Centre may stop grant for agriculture agency
Five booked for robbing petrol stations at gunpoint
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After 3 yrs, Chintpurni college to admit
pupils
Faridkot, October 26 The college has not been able to admit students to the MBBS course for the past three years. The permission was withheld due to lapses on infrastructure and faculty fronts. No fresh admissions were made to the MBBS course in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15. After some medical colleges approached the Supreme Court for grant or renewal of recognition for this academic year last month, the court allowed permission to these colleges, including the CMCH, to admit MBBS students this year. However, the permission came with too many strings attached to it. Instead of paying the hiked tuition fee for private medical colleges, the students had to pay the state-fixed fee of Rs 26,250 per annum. Despite that, enough students did not come forward to take admission in the college. The CMCH has filed an undertaking in the apex court declaring that it has set right the anomalies pointed out by MCI inspection teams. If the undertaking is found to be false or incorrect during the next MCI inspection, the college will lose its bank guarantee of Rs 10 crore, the Supreme Court order says. On October 20, the MCI conveyed to all medical colleges that there would be mandatory videography of the assessment by the MCI team. "All colleges have been asked to make prior arrangements accordingly," wrote Dr Reena Nayyar, Secretary I/C, MCI. Serious lapses were found on infrastructure and faculty front at the CMCH during earlier inspections by the MCI. After the MCI did not renew the recognition of the colleges for three year, the students of the first batch (admitted in 2011) launched a protest, demanding the state government to shift them to some other recognised medical college so that the degrees given to them were recognised by the MCI. Conditional nod
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Block chiefs launch signature drive against PPCC president
Ludhiana, October 26 Block and ward presidents Palwinder Singh Taggar, Satwinder Singh Jawaddi, Baljinder Singh Bunty, Rakesh Sharma and Vinod Bathla alleged that Bajwa had been misleading the high command. “He has been a complete failure with not a single achievement to his credit. He has divided the party,” claimed Taggar. He said Bajwa had appointed ‘working presidents’, creating fissures at the grassroots level. “Bajwa lost the byelections and then the parliamentary elections. He even lost his own seat (Gurdaspur),” said Bunty. Urging the party leadership to choose a PPCC chief who has acceptabe to all party members, the block presidents accused Bajwa of arbitrarily removing District Congress Committee (DCC) office-bearers from their posts. They did not attend the installation ceremony of the DCC Ludhiana (urban) chief, Gurpreet Bassi Gogi. They claimed that they were not invited. They expressed support for the former DCC Ludhiana (urban) chief, Pawan Dewan. Bajwa, addressing the workers at Gogi’s installation ceremony, said the party must stand united. “Twice we have had to bear the consequences of our mistakes. There’s no scope for further mistakes. We must unite,” he appealed to his party men. Reacting to the signature campaign against him, he said: “They (block presidents) are free to do whatever pleases them.” Among those present at the ceremony were Ravneet Bittu, MP, legislators Bharat Bhushan Ashu and Surinder Dawar. Rakesh Pandey, MLA, left the programme early. Congress workers jostled for space on the stage. They were seen arguing with one another. Taking a dig at the party workers’ keenness to pose for the media, the PPCC chief said: “Let’s focus on winning the 2017 Assembly poll. After that, I’ll buy a camera for each one of you.”
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Dispute over power bills halts work at Ropar STPs
Ropar, October 26 While Soil Conservation Department officials demand that electricity be supplied free of cost for operating the pumps, the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) authorities refuse to oblige them on the plea that the free power scheme is meant for individual farmers alone. Under the circumstances, water from these plants is being released in open areas, creating a health hazard. Sources said the Soil Conservation Department had spent Rs 1.75 crore to install the machinery and lay pipes so that water from the three sewage treatment plants (STPs) in the town could be used for irrigation purposes. No charges were to be recovered from the farmers for the facility. The water was sufficient to irrigate 152 hectares of land in Haveli, Sadabrat and Rasoolpur villages. The Divisional Soil Conservation Officer, Bhajan Singh, said the machinery and pipes were installed at the three STPs in January, but the project had to be halted with the PSPCL refusing to supply electricity free of cost. “There is no provision in the scheme to pay for the power consumed to run the pumps installed at the STPs. The power is supplied free of cost to the agriculture sector in the state,” he said. With no outlet, the treated water is being released in the open. Hundreds of acres of land have been thus submerged at Haveli village on the outskirts of Ropar. Most of this land falls in the area acquired for setting up an Army service selection centre. Army officials have refused to start work at the site unless drains are laid. When contacted, XEN Paramjit Singh Bains said the matter was under consideration of the higher authorities and a decision in this regard was expected soon.
What’s the problem
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CM leaves Sangat Darshan in a hurry
Rattakhera (Muktsar), October 26 As the Chief Minister sought suggestions from village residents on tackling the problem of waterlogging, some aged persons got up to say: “The entire money will go waste as nothing can be done to check the menace”. Surprised at the response, the Chief Minister said the government was doing everything possible to remove water from the fields. Further, failing to get a job assurance, an unemployed youth tore his application before the CM. Salvinder Singh, who wished to be appointed a schoolteacher, said he was even willing to work as a peon. “I can’t appoint a peon directly,” said the Chief Minister. Challenging the CM’s claim, a furious Salvinder alleged that kin of several jathedars had been given jobs. He tore off his application and walked out. Later, the OSD to the Deputy Chief Minister, Avtar Singh Vanwala, sought CM’s intervention to stop the police from taking action in a case related to a dog fight in his village which made the CM angry. When contacted, Gurpreet Singh, SHO, Lambi, said: “As soon as a police party reached Vanwala village yesterday, those holding the dog fight vanished. Hence, no case was registered.”
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Govt must cut needless expenses, say Left parties
Chandigarh, October 26 “We have launched marches from four historical places such as Khatkar Kalan, Sunam, Hussainiwala and Jillianwala Bagh to mobilise people against drug, sand and land mafia,” said CPI leader Bant Brar and Dr Joginder Dayal. They said they would continue to hold protest marches till October 30 and then next month organise a rally in Ludhiana. Bant said the leaders of four Left parties - the CPI, the CPM, the CPM (Punjab) and the CPI (ML-Liberation) - were jointly taking part in the rallies. “We have planned to address 200 rallies,” he said. Among the demands being raised by Left parties are the implementation of the Swaminathan report as promised in the Lok Sabha elections by all major parties; fixing the minimum wage for industrial workers at Rs 15,000 per month; setting up Rs 3,000 per month pension for all persons above 60 years of age; and the abolition of “black law” that puts curbs on holding demonstration, rallies and protests in public. They said the SAD-BJP Government had failed to deliver on all fronts. Farmers were committing suicides, but the state government failed to act. The law and order situation was poor. Unemployment level had gone up and the youths were frustrated, they said. “The SAD-BJP government should pressure the Central Government into giving financial assistance to the state,” said Dr Joginder
Dayal.
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Protest against property Bill
Fazilka, October 26 The rally was addressed by CPM state secretariat member Raghunath Singh, state committee members Kartar Singh and Gurnam Singh, Fazilka district unit office-bearers Bakhtawar Singh, Darshan Singh, Gurcharan Singh Arora, Abnash Chander Lalowali and Hans Raj Golden. The speakers termed the Prevention of Damage to Public and Private Property Bill, 2014, as "black law". "The law snatches away the right of trade unions and others to hold protests. Leaders of protesters can be booked on frivolous grounds of damaging private and public property," Raghunath Singh said. The leaders also demanded the strengthening of the public distribution system and abolition of urban property tax. Their other demands included withdrawal of the "black law", control on prices of sand and gravel, increase in old-age pension to Rs 3,000, checking the drug menace and crime against women. The leaders appealed to the activists to turn up in large numbers for the state-level rally to be held in Ludhiana on November 28.
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SAD, BJP both pursuing divisive agenda: Bajwa
Ludhiana, October 26 Bajwa is on a four-day visit to Ludhiana. He attended a party function at which Gurpreet Bassi Gogi took charge as president of the DCC, Ludhiana (urban). Alluding to the “strained” ties between the alliance partners, Bajwa said the state unit of the BJP wanted to dissociate itself from the SAD. He claimed that the SAD and BJP game plan could possibly be to part ways to fight the 2017 Assembly elections on communal lines and then join hands post-elections, on the BJP-Shiv Sena pattern in Maharashtra. Reacting to state BJP president Kamal Sharma’s statement on the Rajiv-Longowal accord, Bajwa said it was strange that the BJP had “remembered” the accord after 30 years. “With the BJP in power at the Centre, nothing stops it from implementing the Rajiv-Longowal accord in toto,” he remarked. Bajwa accused the BJP of being “an equal partner in crime against the people of Punjab”. He said the party had not kept its poll prosmises to the people. “Narendra Modi had promised that drug trafficking would be dealt with strictly and that the drug mafia in the state would be eliminated. Jagdish Bhola (key accused in the drug racket) has named minister Bikram Singh Majithia in the case. Why has the BJP not demanded a CBI inquiry into the case,” he asked. He said instead of demanding Chief Parliamentary Secretary Avinash Chander’s resignation, BJP leader Navjot Singh Sidhu should ask his wife, Dr Navjot Kaur, to quit the Badal government.
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Parliament must condemn 1984 riots: SAD
Chandigarh, October 26 He said no financial aid was announced for the riot-hit. “The Union Government has announced a package for the flood victims in Jammu and Kashmir. But for the riot victims, there has been no such package,” he said. The Akali leader said that even Opposition leaders in Parliament had not moved a resolution to condemn the killings. “This wrong should be rectified during the coming session of Parliament,” Ramoowalia said. Aam Aadmi Party leader HS Phoolka said his party would urge the Modi government to move a resolution in this regard. “ Sikhs were targeted and killed. Their houses and shops were burnt. All this deserves to be condemned by Parliament,” Phoolka said. The secretary of the state CPI, Bant Brar, said that such a resolution in Parliament would send the “right signals.”
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Alliance under strain despite CM’s claims: Manpreet
Chandigarh, October 26 In a statement, he said although Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior BJP leaders shook hands with the Chief Minister, the warmth seemed to be missing. He said the BJP had felt cheated by Badal’s decision to support the INLD because of family ties with Om Prakash Chautala. Manpreet said earlier the SAD’s demand for a special financial package for the state was rejected by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. This showed that all was not well between the alliance partners and that the SAD had been misleading the people on the issue. Manpreet warned that the state’s economy would be in a mess if Punjab was not given any package. Manpreet questioned the logic given by the Chief Minister on not asking Chief Parliamentary Secretary (CPS) Avinash Chander to quit despite his name cropping up during investigations into a case related to drug smuggling and money-laundering. He said the CPS must not be allowed to continue in office. He said earlier Sarwan Singh Phillaur had to resign from the Cabinet for similar reasons. Sack Avinash: Khaira
Chandigarh: Former Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira has criticised Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for not sacking Chief Parliamentary Secretary (CPS) Avinash Chander, who has been allegedly linked to the drug trade. "If the name of any person crops up in a case then that does not make him a culprit," Badal said yesterday. — TNS
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2,600 brick kilns in state shut, await green clearance
Chandigarh, October 26 The Punjab Brick Kiln Owners' Association (PBKOA), representing around 2,600 kilns in the state, has urged the state government to take up the case with the Union Environment Ministry for relaxing norms for digging earth up to one metre. The association has alleged that owners of over 100 brick kilns had been running their operations "illegally" under "political and official patronage". They should either be stopped from doing so or a "level playing field" be ensured for everyone, the association has said. Most of these brick kilns are situated in Moga, Amritsar, Patiala, Ferozepur and Tarn Taran districts. "To run our business illegally, either we have to pay a hefty 'fee' to the general managers of the Department of Industries concerned or we have to find some political link. We don't want to opt for any illegal way out. Why should we operate like thieves? We won't run our kilns till government comes out with a viable solution. We want to do fair business. We want the state government to take up our 'genuine' case with the Union Environment Ministry," said association general secretary Inder Pal Singh Walia and other office-bearers, including Sarbjit Singh Dhillon, Surinder Lekhi and Dewan Goyal. None of the over 2,600 brick kiln owners was able to start brick-making operations after the rainy season this year. "How can we do so when there is so much ambiguity over environment clearance certificates and the definition of mining under the new guidelines? Earlier, brick kilns were brought under B-1 category, which meant that kiln owners had to get clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forests. It was a tedious and time-consuming process taking six to nine months," rued Inder Pal Singh Walia, Sarbjit Dhillon, Surinder Lekhi and Dewan Goyal. "Later, the ministry issued a notification that kiln owners can get environmental clearance under B-2 category from state-level committees. Now, it has been once again made it mandatory for us to get environmental clearance under B-1 category from the Union Environment Ministry. As of now, over 90 per cent of a total of 1.4 lakh brick kilns across the country are not functioning," they said. Minister for Industries Madan Mohan Mittal was not available for comments. Owners of over 900 kilns had earlier applied to the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) for environment clearance certificates under B-2 category and 315 of them got these certificates earlier this year. But now, most of these certificates stood expired, said Inder Pal Walia. Kiln owners said they would not resume production of bricks till they got clear-cut instructions and valid permits for the purpose. The non-functioning of brick kilns was, however, unlikely to create any scarcity of bricks or result in price hike. "The construction activity has already dipped in the state. Moreover, we have huge stocks lying with us which are sufficient to meet the needs of consumers for about a year," kiln owners said. 'Take up the issue' We don't want to opt for any illegal way out (to run kilns). Why should we operate like thieves? We want the state government to take up our genuine case with the Union Environment Ministry (over environment
clearances). 'No scarcity of bricks' The non-functioning of brick kilns is unlikely to create scarcity of bricks. The construction activity has already dipped in the state. Moreover, we have huge stocks lying with us that are sufficient to meet needs of consumers for about a
year.
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Nihang succumbs to injuries
Amritsar, October 26 He was cremated at Nihangs' dera in the Mustafabad area. The Islamabad police have added Section 302 of the IPC to the earlier case registered against the opposite group headed by Baba Sher Singh. Islamabad SHO Amrik Singh said Beer Singh sustained a gunshot injury just below the ribs. His vital organs were damaged which led to his death. Six persons were injured in the clash between two groups of Nihangs headed by Baba Major Singh and Baba Sher Singh. The incident took place after a horse-riding competition was organised at the Railway B-Block ground. The dispute over the headship of Dera Jivan Singh was said to be the reason behind the clash.
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Convicted Akali leader’s aide dies due to ‘drug overdose’
Amritsar/Tarn Taran, Oct 26 He was found dead on the outskirts of Sursingh village in Tarn Taran. According to the police, there were no injury marks on his body. The police suspect he might have died due to drug overdose as an empty syringe was found from the spot. Prabhjit had been missing for the past couple of days. Bhikhiwind DSP Dilbagh Singh said the deceased was a drug addict. He was taking drugs when he died. He was holding a syringe in his hand that clearly pointed that he died of drug overdose. The body was handed over to the family after a post-mortem examination at Patti Civil Hospital, he said. ASI Ravinderpal Singh was shot dead in broad daylight by Rana and his accomplices in the Chheharta area while protecting the honour of his daughter in December 2012. Rana and his associates had taken shelter in the house of Prabhjit Singh of Sohal village. He was allegedly part of the group that fired at a police party chasing them. He was out on bail these days. Tarn Taran SSP Manmohan Sharma said preliminary probe clearly indicated that Prabhjit died of drug overdose. Further action in the case would be subject to the post-mortem examination report, he added.
Booked for killing pet Hoshiarpur: A woman has got an FIR registered against her husband, an Army man, for allegedly poisoning her pet dog. Sukhbir Kaur of Kandhala Jattan village complained to the police against her husband at the Tanda police station. The couple, married for 12 years, had strained relations.
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Chief commissioner for gurdwara poll
New Delhi, October 26 The involvement of the office of the Prime Minister in appointing the chief commissioner for gurdwara elections is a new initiative considered to be in line the signature tune with regard of governance of the Modi-led dispensation. The Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) headed by the Prime Minister will make a final selection for the post from a list of names forwarded to it by a three-member search-cum-selection committee. Home Minister Rajnath Singh is the only other member of the panel. The Home Ministry has notified new rules that stipulate procedural norms for appointment of the next chief commissioner to conduct elections under the Sikh Gurdwara Act, 1925. The Central Government will approach the Punjab and Haryana High Court and seek a panel of at least three retired judges. The caveat is that the judges should not have exceeded the age of 70 years. The search-cum-selection committee headed by the Union Home Secretary will recommend suitable names for the post to the ACC from the list recommended by the high court. The Union Secretaries of Law and Expenditures are the other two members on the committee. As per new norms, the chief commissioner will have a two-year tenure that may be extended by a year with the approval of the ACC. According to Sikh leaders, the Union government has amended only the procedure with regard to the selection of the chief commissioner for gurdwara elections; the substantive issue remains the same. Commenting on the development, president of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) and spokesperson of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) Manjit Singh (GK) said: "Narendra Modi is known for administrative skills and bold initiatives. He thinks out of the box. The SAD hopes his involvement in the appointment of the chief commissioner for gurdwara elections will be beneficial." A three-time Secretary-General of the SGPC and former Punjab Minister Manjit Singh (Calcutta) said the Home Ministry had been appointing the chief commissioner. "This is for the first time that the office of the Prime Minister will get involved in the process of appointment to the post," he added.
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Bittu, Bajwa back different candidates for DCC-rural chief’s post
Ludhiana, October 26 Gurdev Singh Lapran and Major Singh Bhaini are among those being considered for the post, it is learnt. Lapran was close to the late Beant Singh. He has been DCC Ludhiana (rural) president twice, from 1993 to 1998 and from 1999 to 2004. Barring a brief period when he joined the SAD, he has been with the Congress for more than two decades. Sources say that Lapran has the support of Ravneet Singh Bittu, Member of Parliament from Ludhiana. Bhaini wields influence in the Sidhwan Bet area. Both Lapran and Bhaini are in their early 50s. While Lapran’s association with the Congress has been for more than 27 years, Bhaini joined the Congress 16 years ago after quitting the SAD. He is senior Congress leader Gurdip Singh Bhaini’s son. A senior party leader claimed: “Bhaini has had uneasy ties with several Congress leaders, including a former MLA. But Lapran has few detractors.” But Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) chief Partap Singh Bajwa is learnt to be keen on appointing Bhaini as DCC (rural) chief. Lapran, when contacted, said: “I believe in connecting with the people at the grassroots level.” Lapran has been a Zila Parishad member and sarpanch of Lapran village. He started his political innings as leader of the students’ union at Government College, Karamsar, Ludhiana. Bhaini, talking to The Tribune over the phone, said: “I believe in cooperation. My endeavour is to take along all leaders and party members.” Bhaini was elected sarpanch of Bhaini Aryian village in 1983. He was later elected chairman of the Sidhwan Bet Block Samiti. Asked about the likely changes in the DCC, Ludhiana (rural), the PPCC president said: “There will be none in the near future.”
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Unemployed teachers burn govt’s effigy
Sangrur, October 26 The protesters demanded appointment letters for about 3,800 unemployed teachers (2011 Teacher Eligibility Test-pass batch) who had appeared for counselling for 5,078 posts of rural associate teachers in October 2013. They also demanded that the posts of 15,000 posts of master cadre be advertised. He said applications be invited from unemployed B.Ed teachers, who had passed TET in 2012, 2013 and 2014. Before burning the effigy, the protesters held a march from Banasar Garden to Traffic Light Chowk, raising slogans against the state government and in favour of their demands. Addressing the protesters, Raghbir Singh said the state government had collected Rs 40 crore from unemployed teachers for conducting the TET in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014. In 2011, about 8,000 B.Ed teachers had passed the test but the government had given jobs to less than 2,000 candidates so far.
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Cong protests non-issuance of blue cards
Sangrur, October 26 Led by state Punjab Youth Congress general secretary Poonam Kangra, they raised slogans against the Badal government and demanded the cards be issued at the earliest so that the poor could get wheat and pulses at subsidised rates. Kangra lashed out at the SAD-BJP government saying that party workers had submitted memorandums several times, but the authorities, under the “pressure” of SAD-BJP leaders, had not issued the cards so far.
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Farmers resent tardy lifting in Patiala
Patiala, October 26
Earlier, procurement was delayed because of high moisture content in their produce. But farmers now have to wait in the markets due to labour shortage and various holidays since Diwali. “I came to Rajpura market three days before Diwali, but I got paid today for only half of my produce. The rest of the crop still has high moisture content,” said Randhir Singh, a farmer. Perturbed over the delay in paddy lifting, Hardit Singh of Raungla village said he brought 150 quintals of paddy. “The government is not taking any steps to speed up lifting and in the process our crops are getting ruined. I came to the mandi a few days ago. The officials and rice mill owners come, measure the moisture content that is now around 18 to 19 per cent, but do not lift the paddy. We can’t wait forever, we need money for the festive season,” he said. Farmers said, “We stay in the market, while commission agents wait for the government to clear the payments.” Patiala Deputy Commissioner Varun Roojam said the release of payment in 48 hours and the procurement of the crop in 72 hours had been made compulsory.
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Goods worth lakhs gutted in Sunam
Sangrur, October 26 Five fire tenders from Sangrur, Malerkotla, Barnala and Mansa doused the fire by midnight. A JCB machine was also pressed into service. The officials are yet to ascertain the reason behind the fire. Amar Nath, Sub Fire Officer, Municipal Fire Station, Sangrur, said they had trouble extinguishing the fire as the officials at the water works of Cheema nagar panchayat had not made any arrangements for them. He said they got water from Sunam and a gudwara in Cheema. The godown owner, Rajinder Kumar, said he had suffered a loss of several lakh rupees.
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Jaitley, Harsimrat’s assets have grown: Watchdog
New Delhi, October 26 It said Railway Minister DV Sadananda Gowda’’s assets had shown an increase of Rs.10.46 crore, from Rs 9.88 crore, as declared during the Lok Sabha elections, to The assets of Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises has increased by Rs 2.98 crore and that of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley by Rs 1.01 crore. The watchdog said 41 (91 per cent) Union Ministers were crorepati as per their declaration to the Prime Minister’’s Office. Jaitley was the richest (Rs 114.03 crore) followed by Harsimrat Kaur Badal (Rs 108.31 crore) and Piyush Goyal (Rs 94.66 crore). The watchdog claimed 16 ministers had shown a decrease in assets. Among them were External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj (Rs 3.89 crore from Rs17.55 crore), Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region VK.Singh (Rs 3.13 crore from Rs 4.11 crore) and Health Minister Harshvardhan. The primary reason for the changes in assets was the lack of a standardised format for ministers'' declaration.— IANS
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Kartarpur complex lies neglected
Jalandhar, October 26 The authorities have neglected the complex ever since two kanals in the front of the building was acquired by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI). The NHAI is widening the Panipat-Amritsar road. For nearly three months, the boundary wall of the complex and its toilets are lying broken. In November last year, the Tourism Promotion Board had signed a 30-year-lease with the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC). The corporation had even invited tenders in November and December last from private firms to refurbish, operate and maintain the IRCTC Magnolia Highway Tourist Resort. But since there were no takers, the agreement was scrapped. The staff managing the complex said barring Pakistani nationals, no one else visited the complex. The damaged building, the ongoing road work and the police deployment had resulted in the profitable complex making losses, they said. Since the government had barred the management from operating the beer bar and renting out rooms nearly four years ago, the number of visitors has drastically fallen. Till a few years back, several families on their way to Amritsar would stop at the complex. At present, the rooms are in a pitiable condition. Navjot Pal Singh Randhawa, Director, Tourism, said, “Our agreement with the IRCTC stands cancelled. They invited tenders twice, but there was no response. We had even thought of changing the halts of the Indo-Pak buses. The Tourism Board has again retained the project. We have been asked by the Finance Department to submit our estimates for the repair work.”
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Private insurance companies mint money under govt scheme
Ropar, October 26 The insurance companies, most of which are private, have received Rs 42 crore as premium against the Rs 18 crore disbursals to policy holders. Chadha said that this could either mean that most policy holders were unaware of the benefits of the scheme or the premium paid to insurance companies was not rationalised. Chadha has written to the Prime Minister and Ministry of Labour and Employment, demanding that the scheme covered more needy persons. Under the scheme launched on April 1, 2008, a family is entitled to get cashless health insurance of Rs 30,000. Nearly 75 per cent amount for the premium of the policy is provided by the Centre, while the remainder is paid by the respective state governments. The Union Government’s contribution is 90 per cent in northeastern states and Jammu and Kashmir. The state governments engage a public or private insurance company for the scheme. In Punjab, seven insurance companies, including five from private sector, have been engaged under the scheme. These have enrolled 2.32 lakh policy holders. Till August 2014, the government paid a premium of about Rs 42 crore to various companies for health insurance of BPL families, but 38,007 BPL families claimed only about 18 crore. Since the scheme has been launched, claims amounting to just Rs 43 crore have been filed in the state. The situation in other parts of the country is no different. In Uttar Pradesh, Rs 82 crore and Rs 55 crore have been paid in 2012-13 and 2013-14 respectively. While 71.6 lakh of 3.72 crore policy holders benefited in the country, the government paid premium of about Rs 2,000 crore in the last two years. Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojna
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Jakhar slams state govt for revising atta, dal rates
Abohar, October 26 Reacting over the hike in the rate of wheat by 100 per cent and dal by 50 per cent effective from December, Jakhar said vegetables had already become unaffordable for economically weak families. “Instead of revising prices of wheat and dal, the state government should check wasteful expenses on political gimmicks. One fails to understand why the government can’t arrange Rs 85 crore to maintain the existing prices of subsidised wheat and dal, he said. Jakhar said thousands of listed beneficiaries had not been provided wheat and dal for the past six months. The government was not ready to order a high-level probe into allegations of bungling by officials in the preparation of fake blue cards in connivance of its staff, he rued.
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Hoshiarpur, October 26
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Farmers flay govt for ‘framing’ leader
Tarn Taran, October 26 Members of the organisation warned that if Pannu was not released soon, they would take to the streets. KSC leaders Mehar Singh Sakhira and Budh Singh Rooriwala, while addressing members at the meeting, said the police had lodged Pannu in jail for more than four months. They alleged that Pannu had been implicated in as many as 12 criminal cases for “no fault” of his as he had been raising voice in favour of farmers’ demands, which the government had been opposing. The Kisan Sangarash Committee activists also organised a protest march in the area.
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8 feared dead as bus falls into canal Tarn Taran , October 26 The bus was crossing a narrow bridge around 8.30 pm when the driver lost control over the vehicle, said Gurjit Kaur, who was travelling in the ill-fated bus. She has suffered a head injury in the accident. A police team from the Sarai Amant Khan police station, led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Jaswant Singh, and residents of nearby villages rushed to the accident site to assist the victims.
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Centre may stop grant for agriculture agency Bathinda, October 26 The grant lies unutilised for the past five months as the state government has failed to contribute its 9 per cent share (around Rs 53 lakh) under the scheme. Around 500 employees working under the scheme are yet to get their salaries for the past five months. Sources said the state government has "misutilised" the grant for some other purpose. Balram Singh, Joint Director of the Extension Reforms Cell of the Department of Agriculture and Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture, New Delhi, said he was fed up of writing letters to the Financial Commissioner, Development, (FCD), Punjab, and other senior government functionaries in that regard. "We are now planning to discontinue giving grant to Punjab in view of the non-utilisation of Rs 5.87 crore," said the joint director. States such as Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan etc., which are considered economically weaker than Punjab, are doing quite better on this front. "Gujarat utilised the grant the same day the ministry transferred the money for the purpose. Even Madhya Pradesh utilised the funds the same day this year. Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand have also utilised their grants, but Punjab is lagging behind," Balram said. "Madhya Pradesh has already utilised two instalments this year," he said.
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Five booked for robbing petrol stations at gunpoint
Mansa, October 26 A group of robbers reportedly robbed three filling stations in Sangha village and one in Karandi village in Sardulgarh sub-division of Mansa district on the intervening night of October 24 and October 25. The accused robbed a total amount of Rs 34,000 from all the petrol stations at gunpoint. The police have registered a case under Sections 382 and 342 of the IPC and Sections 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act against the unidentified robbers. On September 25, robbers had struck a house in Mansa, leaving six members of the family injured and one dead. In this case, the police have arrested three persons, including two from Mansa. Robbers kill man, decamp with
Rs 30,000, gold
Muktsar: Some armed robbers last night killed a man at his house at Khane Ki Dhabh village near Malout and fled with Rs 30,000 cash, 13 tola of gold and other valuables. The deceased has been identified as 65-year-old Karam Singh. The robbers threatened Karam's wife Naseeb Kaur to stay quiet. A team of senior policemen today visited the spot to investigate the matter. A case has been registered at Sadar Malout police station. Illicit liquor worth Rs
55 lakh seized
Abohar: The Rajasthan police yesterday intercepted a truck with oil container on the Sriganganagar-Bikaner highway and were "surprised" to find 1,105 cartons of illicit country-made foreign liquor valued about Rs 55 lakh. Driver Mohammad Izhar of Uttar Pradesh reportedly told the police that the truck was handed over to him at a hotel in Ludhiana yesterday. He was to be paid after delivering the consignment at Ahmedabad. Investigating officer Narinder Poonia said sealed truck containers were usually not checked, as they were believed to carry oil. Arms smuggler escapes, 4 weapons seized
Abohar: An arms smuggler succeeded in giving police the slip, leaving behind four illegal weapons near Tatarsar village on the Sriganganagar-Padampur road in Rajasthan last evening. Sources said earlier, the Border Security Force (BSF) had sounded an alert and informed the police about the expected visit of Joginder Singh of Chak 85RB village, Raisinghnagar, to Sikligar Mohalla, known for the manufacturing of illicit weapons and drug trafficking in Sriganganagar. Two police teams tried to intercept Joginder, who was on a Pulsar motorcycle with Punjab registration number PB 59A 1169, but he reportedly left weapons in shrubs and dodged the police. The weapons have been seized. Joginder had been booked earlier too. Neighbours foil kidnapping attempt
Abohar: Some neighbours rescued a boy who was being kidnapped in Abohar last night. The residents chased the accused who were riding motorcycles. Witnesses reportedly told the city police that two motorcyclists tried to kidnap nine-year-old Asmat, son of Bharat Sehgal, when he was bursting crackers at Nai Abadi here around 9.30 pm on Saturday. As the boy and his friends raised an alarm, some residents chased the bikers, whose faces were partially covered. The miscreants dropped Asmat and fled.
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Several block presidents have started a signature campaign against Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) chief Partap Singh Bajwa.
Rattakhera (Muktsar), October 26
Fazilka, October 26
Ludhiana, October 26
Chandigarh, October 26
Jalandhar, October 26
