ADMINISTRATION

Poll panel recognises Rashtriya Raksha Dal
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, March 8 — The Election Commission of India has recognised the Rashtriya Raksha Dal, a political party of ex - servicemen, as an All-India party.

This was disclosed by Col H S Sandhu, president of the party, while addressing mediapersons here today. He said his party has already registered 10, 000 primary and 3, 000 active members in Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.

Announcing the launch of the party’ s recruitment drive from April, he said the response from several ex-servicemen organisations has been warm and many such unions are approaching them each passing day.

Commenting on the morale of the forces, he said the younger generation did not find life in olive green very appealing. There is a shortfall of 13, 000 officers in the Army and the only way the Army can rope in youngsters is restore the izzat and prestige to the uniform.

Pay, promotion and prestige were to be given a boost and it was shameful that a retired soldier received a pension as low as Rs 1, 275 per month while his counterpart in the civil recieved an amount many times over. This was sad that this was the case after the implementation of the recomendations of the Fifth Pay Commission, he lamented.

PPOs given to pensioners
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, March 8 — Mr C. Bheemmanna, Additional Central Provident Fund Commissioner, New Delhi head office, distributed PPOs to pensioners and widows and account slips for the year 1998-99 to the employers and their representatives at a seminar here today.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Bheemmanna informed the members about the enhanced benefits under the EPS, 95, and further measures being taken by the organisation, including computerisation, to provide speedy service to the PF members while observing economy measures. He requested the officers of the Punjab region to release enhanced pensionary benefits provided by the government besides the 5.5 per cent relief.

Mr M.L. Meena, Regional Provident Fund Commissioner(I), informed that the minimum widow pension had been increased from Rs 250 per month to Rs 450 and the children’s pension from Rs 115 to Rs 150 per month. Similarly, the orphan pension had been hiked to Rs 250 per month from Rs 170.

Besides, an increase at the rate of 5.5 per cent had also been allowed with effect from April 1,1998, he added.

10 structures demolished
Tribune News Service

SAS NAGAR, March 8 — The enforcement staff of the local Estate Office yesterday demolished at least 10 unauthorised structures raised by shopkeepers at the back of their premises in the Phase XI market here. The enforcement staff was accompanied by the police force. The drive is expected to continue in other markets of the town.

Typing-test results declared
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, March 8 — The Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh (MCC) today declared the results of the typing and shorthand tests held for the posts of 30 clerks and three steno-typists.

According to a press note, out of 4,176 applications received for the posts of clerk, 1,977 candidates had appeared, out of which, 237 have cleared the typing test. Eight candidates have cleared the shorthand test out of 97 who appeared for the test. In all, 208 applications were received for the three posts.

Separate notices, bearing the roll numbers of the of the eligible candidates, had been displayed on notice boards of the corporation, the press note said. It added that the interviews would be conducted in the last week of March. Interview letters were being sent to the eligible candidates by post, it added.

Encroachments removed: The Enforcement Staff of the corporation, today, removed encroachments from Sectors 20 and 37 here.

According to sources, over 100 encroachments comprising hedges, angle irons and fences, besides rubble, were removed from Sector 20. Over 40 encroachments were also removed from Sector 37. The operation which began at around 10 a.m. continued for over nine hours.