The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

AGRICULTURE

Schedule for paddy payments
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, June 25
To ensure timely and transparent disbursement of compensation to farmers and to avoid distress sale of their paddy as was done during the last procurement season, Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner, S.K. Sandhu has announced a mandi wise time-schedule for the distribution of payments and deputed Block Development Officers to distribute the compensation in different mandis. The time-schedule was finalised at a meeting of the officials of the departments concerned held here today under the chairmanship of the Deputy Commissioner. The meeting was attended by Mr S.R. Kaler, ADC (G), Mr Parveen Vij DFSC, Mr Vipin Kapoor DMO — all SDMs, BDPOs and Agriculture Development Officers of the district.

Mr Sandhu said that as per the fixed time-schedule, BDPO Ludhiana-I would disburse the compensation at market committee Sahnewal to the farmers, who had sold their produce at Sahnewal, Tibba and Khanpur mandis on June 29 and 30 and at market committee office Koom Kalan on July 1 to the farmers relating to Koom Kalan mandi. BDPO Ludhiana-2 would disburse compensation in the office of market committee Salem Tabri on June 29 and 30 to the farmers who had sold paddy in Ayali, Gill road, Saleem Tabri and Lalton Mandis. BDPO Sidhwan Bet would hand over the cheques of compensation on June 29 and 30 to the farmers in Mullanpur Market Committee Office, who had sold produce in Mullanpur Mandi. BDPO Jagraon would distribute the compensation to the farmers relating to Hathur and Jagraon Mandis on June 29 and 30 in the office of market committee Jagraon. BDPO Doraha would disburse the compensation in the office of market committee Doraha on June 29 to farmers of Doraha Mandi. If any farmer does not get his cheque on the 29th, he can get it from BDPO Doraha on June 30 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Machhiwra and BDPO Dehlon would distribute compensation cheques at Machhiwra market committee office on June 29 and 30 and July 1 to 3 to farmers of Machhiwara mandi area. BDPO Delhon would hand over cheques of compensation to the farmers who sold paddy in Malaud Mandi on June 29 in the office of Market Committee Malaud. BDPO Samrala would be available at MC Office Samrala to disburse compensation to farmers relating to Samrala mandi from June 29 to July 1.

In Khanna Mandi, keeping in view the large number of beneficiaries, three BDPOs i.e. BDPO Khanna , BDPO Pakhowal and BDPO Doraha have been deputed to disburse compensation from June 29 to July 8 except July 2 and 5 to the farmers who had sold produce in Khanna mandi.

The Deputy Commissioner directed the officials to remain present at the counters from 8 am onwards for this purpose and not to carry out any other routine work till the distribution of compensation was completed. He said that to ensure the transparency and proper distribution the still photography be carried out of each farmer at the time of handing over cheques. The Deputy Commissioner said that the SDM concerned would be present at the place of distribution in his subdivision to supervise the whole process and would solve the problems on the spot, if any. Mr S.R. Kaler ADC(G) and Mr A.K. Sinha ADC(D) would make daily visits to ensure the proper functioning of counters in all market committees. The Deputy Commissioner asked all BDPOs to send daily progress report to him.

Mr Sandhu told the SDMs to hold meetings of ahrtiyas and officials concerned to distribute the work among the different BDPOs and to fix the specific dates for the farmers of different villages. The Deputy Commissioner told the SDMs to direct the officials concerned, including AFSO, secretary, market committee, chairman market committee to be present on the time of disbursement. Mr Sandhu said that the affected farmers would be got identified by the sarpanches/ lambardars of the villages concerned, besides from the photo identity card, driving license and passport etc. He appealed to the farmers to bring their J-forms along with them to get the compensation and inquire about the specific dates assigned to their village for handing over compensation cheques from their ahrtiyas, who would accordingly be informed by SDM. He said that the district had received Rs. 6.60 crore for the distribution among 14490 affected farmers in the district.

The Deputy Commissioner warned that in case of any irregularity or lapse on part of BDPO or other staff in the distribution of compensation, strict action would be initiated against him.

Mr Parveen Vij, DFSC, said all disbursement rolls have been prepared and the cheques of the payment would be handed over to the BDPOs concerned for further depositing amount into their account from which they would issue the cheques to the farmers.

EDUCATION

Course in interior design technologies a big draw
Asha Ahuja

Ludhiana, June 25
A 10-day course in advanced trends in interior design technologies has been organised by the Department of Family Resource Management, Home Science College, Punjab Agricultural University. The course started on June 21 and will continue till June 30. Teacher participants from agriculture colleges all over India have come to attend the course. The course has been sponsored by ICAR.

Talking to Ludhiana Tribune, Dr M.K. Dhillon, Prof & Head of the Department of Family Resources and course director said, “Actually, there was a strong need for specialisation of interior decoration courses as we have brought a change in the syllabus of home science course of four years. It was felt that the students were not getting any specialisation. So it was decided that during the last year of the four-year course, the students will be taught elective subjects like family resource management, interior design, creative arts, applied crafts, flower arrangement in advanced stage and computer-aided interior designing. The basic idea of these courses is to enable girls to become entrepreneurs. During this course we have invited architects, experts on building material and other professional of high calibre.Various things like functional designing of interiors, space planning and aesthetics in interiors, creative compositions and many other useful courses will be taught.”

Various experts, besides using the lecture method, are using overhead projectors, multimedia projectors, exhibits, showing of things in their physical form to make the course real and interesting. Later the teachers will be asked to plan and execute the designs.

Dr Mrinalini, a professor of Acharaya N.G.Ranga Agricultural University, is pleased with the contents of the course. She said: “I have received new ideas and concepts which we are going to pass to our students. We want our students to become creative entrepreneurs and start their own ventures. The students should become ‘interior decorators’ and work for commercial projects, homes. Specialisation will help them to feel the pulse of the people. It is a better career option, for, people always dream of homes. These elective courses will impart skills, proficiency, presentability in management. The ‘resource persons’ are excellent and we have really learnt ‘advanced trends in interior design technologies.”

Ms Jitender Kishtwaria, an associate Professor in the Department of Family Resource Department, Agriculture University, Palampur, said: “The course has given us more knowledge than we expected. These courses will provide careers of personal choice to the students. The skills can be used by the girls to market their talents. ICAR has devised this new curriculum to make the home science course more job oriented and to suit the present need of society. A home scientist can make interior decoration a profession and can operate from home. She can improve her personality and earn money at the same time.”

Shivani Sharma, a student of the same department, said: “Definitely this course has given us new insights into construction of houses, I have received help from this course for my Phd. studies too. I received practical knowledge in different floor concepts, different building materials and other latest trends in interior decoration. Such courses will help encourage women to become entrepreneurs.”

Mrs P. Parimalam, who has come all the way from Madurai and is a professor in T.N. Agriculture University, says. “I have had lessons in architectural drawing, creative compositions and found them quite useful. I had studied about the building materials, but during the course I got practical knowledge in building material, glasswork and learnt recent trends which I was not aware of. When I go back, I am going to motivate my students to start their own enterprise and become financially independent. Practical knowledge has definitely made me more clear about the concepts and we are happy that ICAR introduced elective courses during the fourth year of home science students.”

The course co-ordinator, Dr Savita Baatish, said that they had arranged excellent teachers . The students were taught metal embossing and creative composition.