The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Farmers keen on alternative crops
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, February 3
With a view to providing alternative cash crops in place of wheat-paddy crop pattern, under the diversification programme of Punjab Government 6,000 acres of land in the district would be shifted to sunflower, spring maize and hyola (mustard) cultivation. These crops were being introduced under the Contract Farming Programme.

To review the progress and to persuade the progressive farmers, a meeting of over 200 farmers and agriculture officers was held here today that was addressed by Mr Anurag Agarwal, Deputy Commissioner.

Giving crop wise details, Mr Agarwal said out of the 6,000 acres, 3,000 acres would be brought under sunflower cultivation, 2,000 acres under spring maize and 100 acres under the cultivation of hyola. Mr Agarwal claimed that progressive farmers of the district were very enthusiastic and giving encouraging response to shift to these cash crops, as they saw no future in wheat-paddy crop pattern.

The Deputy Commissioner said Punjab Agro and Agriculture Department under the supervision of SDMs concerned have stared organising subdivision and block-level meetings to mobilise them to adopt the new pattern. He said Punjab Agro had arranged sufficient quality of good seeds for the crops and it would also purchase the sunflower at the rate of Rs 1,250 per quintal and spring maize at Rs 500 per quintal from the farmers.

Mr Agarwal further said the Punjab Government was taking effective steps for the diversification programmes and the Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, himself had conducted a meeting of all deputy commissioners of the state and emphasised on the urgent need for crop diversification to save the debt-ridden farmers. He said a sub-division-level meeting was held on January 31 at Jagraon, where a large number of farmers came forward to adopt the pattern.

He assured the participants of taking keen interest in agro-marketing, be it from Punjab Agro or from private entrepreneurs.

Mr R.N. Sharma, Regional Manager, Punjab Agro, ensured the provision of good quality seeds and ensured marketing of mustard and winter maize. Among others who addressed the meeting were Mr Sumer Singh Gurjjar, ADC (D), Ms Bhawna Garg, SDM (West) and Mr Rajinder Singh Pandher, Chief Agriculture Officer.

Ramoowalia to visit colleges
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, February 3
Mr Balwant Singh Ramoowalia, National President of the Lok Bhalai Party and former Central Minister will visit DAV College at 9.30 a.m., Sanmati Science and Research College at 11 a.m. and Sidhwan Colleges at 12.30 p.m. on February 5 to highlight the problems of unemployment.

Mr Jagjit Singh Lopo, Vice-President of party said film star Harbhajan Maan, will also come.

CULTURE

PNB meet concludes
Our Correspondent

Mr U.S. Bhargava, General Manager, Punjab National Bank, with the winning team at the 20th inter-region cultural meet of the bank in Ludhiana on Monday. — A Tribune photo

Ludhiana, February 3
The 20th PNB inter-region cultural competition concluded here today. Mr U.S. Bhargava, General Manager, Punjab zone, was the chief guest on the concluding function of the two-day meet in which more than 120 delegates took part.

Mr Bhargava gave away the prizes to the winners. Addressing the participants, he said PNB was founded by patriots like Lala Lajpat Rai, Sardar Dayal Singh Majithia and Kali Prasanna Roy. The bank was nationalised in July, 1969, along with 13 other banks.

He said the cultural events were organised to break the monotony of routine work and to refresh the employees for a better performance.

The Ludhiana region won the overall trophy while the Amritsar region got the second position. Mr Jaspal of the Bathinda region was declared the best actor of the zone and Ms Devinder Kaur of the Ludhiana region was declared the best actress.

Mr H.L. Arora, Deputy General Manager, Mr A.K. Loomba and Mr S.S. Arora, Senior Regional Managers, Mr K. Vijay Kumar and Mr Ajit Jaitely, Chief Managers, and other senior officers of the bank were also present.

The results are as following:

Light vocal-solo: Ramesh Bhagat (Amritsar) 1 and Randhir Kamal (Ludhiana) 2; classical instrument: D.K. Patti(Amritsar) - flute: 1 and Shashi Sharma(Jalandhar)-sitar: 2; classical vocal: Ramesh Bhagat (Amritsar) 1 and P.P. Singh (Kapurthala) 2; rare and innovative music-instrumental: D.K. Patti (Amritsar) 1 and Vijay Firaq (Jalandhar) 2; western classical music: D.K. Patti(Amritsar)- mouth organ: 1; group song: Chandigarh 1 and Kapurthala 2; mono-acting: Prem Sochi (Bathinda) 1 and Jaswinder Bains (Jalandhar) 2; one-act play: “Chhavian Di Rut” (Bathinda) 1 and “Jadon Mein Sirf Aurat Hundi Hain” (Ludhiana) 2; skit: Ludhiana region 1 and Chandigarh 2; group dance: Ludhiana 1 and Jalandhar 2.

Cultural bonanza at GNIMT
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana February 3
Over 250 students of undergraduate and postgraduate classes are participating in "Expressions-2003", a three day cultural bonanza that is being held from today at the Guru Nanak Institute of Management and Technology (GNIMT). Various inter-class competitions were organised on the occasion.

In the art category, the events held today were mehndi, rangoli, flower arrangement, sketching, painting and cartooning. In the cultural category, Indian solo and group dances were performed while in the literary category, debate, extempore, case presentation, story and poetry writing competitions were held.

‘Kavi darbar’ for budding poets
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, February 3
A young Punjabi writers’ organisation, Pankti, along with the Punjabi Sahitya Akademi held a monthly “Kavi Darbar” at Punjabi Bhavan last night to encourage young writers. Budding writers including Deepak, Avtar Alif, Harjit Rattan, Karam Jit Grewal, Pukraj, Simmi, Kamal Saini, Jasjit Bhatti, Gurdeep Pandher, Saroj Badhan, Sanjeev, and Rajwinder Kaur Sahi participated. They read out their new compositions.