Cane growers to get dues in a week
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, November 18
The state government will pay the dues of the sugarcane growers in the state within a week’s time. It has already released funds amounting to Rs 12 crore and directed the officers to disburse the money among the farmers.

This was stated today by Dr Ramesh Dutt Sharma, State Minister for Cooperation, Pension and Transport, while addressing a well-attended function organised by Sugarfed as part of the 50th All-India Cooperative Week at Budhewal Sugar Mill, about 15 km from here, today.

Dr Sharma stated that last year, a one-time settlement and conversion of Rs 190 crore of loan and interest thereon granted by the state government had improved the financial health of the cooperative sugar mills. He said 15 cooperative sugar milss would crush 270 lakh quintals of sugarcane with recovery of 9.70% during the current season.

He said that the capacity utilisation during the last season was 103 per cent and was likely to be 105 per cent during this season.

Dr Sharma said the government had accorded top priority to enhancing the area of operation of the village-level cooperative societies and 500 such societies had been converted into multipurpose cooperative societies . The rate of interest on loan advanced by these societies have been reduced by 2% to 3% per annum.

He said that to provide relief to the debt-ridden farmers, the state government had launched a lok adalat scheme to clear the pending court cases regarding loans through a one-time settlement.

Mr J. S. Kesar, Financial Commissioner Cooperation, Punjab, said the functioning of the cooperative institutions would be revamped.

Mr. Kulbir Singh Sidhu, MD, Sugarfed assured that funds of Rs 12 crore released by the state government would be disbursed among the farmers. 

Bonds of fraternity bind youth
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, November 18
A week-long National Integration Camp for the students of various state agricultural universities of India concluded at Punjab Agricultural University here yesterday. Students from Coimbatore, Dharwad, Ranga, Hyderabad, Udaipur, Kanpur, Hisar, Solan, Palampur and PAU, Ludhiana, attended the camp.

The chief guest, Minister of Animal Husbandry, Fisheries, Sport and Youth Activities, Punjab, Mr Jagmohan Singh Kang, appreciated the university for providing a platform for the youth from different parts of the country to come together for the promotion of national integration which was the need of the hour.

He advocated the volunteers to play a constructive role in implementation of various programmes related to the community development and promotion of national integration and communal harmony.

Presiding over the concluding function, the Vice-Chancellor of PAU, Dr K.S. Aulakh, congratulated the organisers of the camp and praised the volunteers for the meaningful interaction, discipline and dedication during the camp and advised them to go ahead whole-heartedly in the service of the masses.

Dr Gopal Ji, Deputy Programme Adviser, NSS, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, also addressed the volunteers and highlighted the necessity and objectives of such camps aimed at transfer of technology from laboratories to the farmer's fields.

The University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, was adjudged as the best participating university on overall performance besides numerous individual prizes won by the volunteers. All the participants were awarded certificates.

Folk songs, dances mark inter-school contests
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, November 18
Contests for elementary class students marked the second day of inter-school state-level cultural contests organised at four local schools here today. The gidha, folk song, one-act play and poetry recitation contests were held at Ramgarhia Girls Senior Secondary School, Millerganj, while Smt Satyawati Oswal Vidya Mandir hosted declamation and bhangra competitions. At Guru Harkrishan Public School, Dugri, contests for shabad singing were held while Guru Nanak Khalsa High School, Gujarkhan, hosted the contests for “kavishri” and singing.

Results of the contests are :

Shabad singing: Khalsa Senior Secondary School, Ropar (1), Shining Star Senior Secondary School, Jalandhar (2) and Government Model Senior Secondary School, Hoshiarpur (3).

Bhangra : Ajaypal Singh and team from Guru Nanak Public Senior Secondary School, Dhawankot (1), Gurpreet Singh and group from JSFH Khalsa High School, Nawanshahr (2), Pardeep Singh and team from Major Ajaib Singh Senior Secondary School, Faridkot (3), Yadwinder Singh and team from S.S. Jain Model School, Malerkotla, and Paramjit and his team from Khalsa Senior Secondary School, Ropar (consolation).

Declamation contest: Navjot Singh from Major Ajaib Singh Senior Secodnary School, Faridkot (1), Amitoj Dhaliwal from Baba Farid Public School, Bathinda, (2), and Gursimran Kaur from Central Public School, Ghuman (3).

Poetry recitation: Onkardeep Kaur from Central Public High School, Ghuman (1), Arashdeep Kaur from Robin Model High School, Dhuri (2), Satwinder Singh from Government Senior Secondary School, Behmad Diwana, Bathinda (3), and Isha Narang from Saraswati Modern School, Ludhiana, and Navneet Kaur from Guru Hargobind Sahib Public Senior Secondary School, Hansla Khera (consolation).

Gidha: Ramgarhia Girls Senior Secondary School, Ludhiana, (1) Government senior Secondary School, Amritsar (2), Major Ajaib Singh Senior Secondary School, Faridkot (3), and Sunflower Model High School, Preet Nagar, Patiala (consolation).

Basic Sciences students win youth fest trophy
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, November 18
The College of Basic Sciences and Humanities won the inter-college overall running trophy during a youth festival that concluded at Punjab Agricultural University here on Sunday evening.

Mr Malkiat Singh Birmi, Minister for Jails and Urban Development, Punjab, presided over the concluding function in which teams from all five colleges of the university participated in various cultural, fine-arts and literary events. The College of Agricultural Engineering got the first position in cultural procession, College of Basic Sciences and Humanities in fine-arts, creative writing and music and College of Agriculture in theatre and folk dance.

Mr Birmi announced a grant of Rs 2 lakh for proper lighting of the Open Air Theatre and Rs 25,000 each to gidha and bhangra winning teams. The minister said the university had not only produced well-known scientists, but had also contributed a lot in producing world-famous artistes.

Satwinderbir Singh of College of Agriculture and Gagandip Kaur of College of Home Science were declared best actor and actress, respectively. Sanjit Kaur of College of Basic Sciences and Humanities were declared the best artist, Harjit Singh the best poet and Kushal Bhalla and Rana Preet Gill were adjudged the best singers.

Overall results are: Jyotsna Attri of College of Basic Sciences stood first in elocution, while Ruchika and Jyotsana Attri of the same college were first in extempore and on-the-spot painting, respectively. Rohit Sharma of the College of Agricultural Engineering was first in poster making and Balbir Kaur of College of Basic Sciences first in cartooning. Praneet Kaur, Nidhi Arora and Shreya Bhardwaj from the same college stood first in collage making and debate respectively.

Gagandip Sohal of the College of Home Science was adjudged the best debater for the motion. Harjit Singh of the College of Agriculture stood first in poetry while Kanan Kapil of the College of Basic Sciences was declared first in “haas ras”. Jyotsna Attri stood first in creative writing and the team of the College of Veterinary Sciences bagged top honours in quiz contest. Sathya from the College of Veterinary Science stood first in rangoli while Karanbit Singh and Gurbinder Kaur of the College of Agriculture stood first in folk songs and creative dance, respectively.

In light vocal, Kushal Bhalla of the College of Basic Sciences was declared first. The college of Agricultural Engineering stood first in Indian group song while Kushal Bhalla stood first in western solo. The college of Basic Sciences and Humanities grabbed the first position in western group song and the College of Agriculture was first in one-act play.

The college of Veterinary Science was declared first in mime while Gurrajnish was first in mimicry. Mohit Chawla stood first in “shabad gayan” (individual) and the college of Basic Sciences got the first position in “shabad gayan” (group). In skits, the college of Basic Sciences was first while the college of Agriculture got the first position in folk dances. Hardip Singh Sabbiki was declared the best dancer, while Sandip Kaur and Gagandeep Sohal were adjudged the best speakers.

GPS celebrates annual day
Our Correspondent

Mandi Gobindgarh, November 18
Gobindgarh Public School (GPS) celebrated its annual day yesterday. Mr Chander Shekharan, Inspector-General of Police (PAP), who was the chief guest, inaugurated the function. Students presented bharat natyam, English play “ The Blindmen and the Jester”, and Punjabi play “Kangiari”.

Principal Bahadar Singh read out the annual report of the school.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Chander Shekhran praised the students for their skills and dexterity. The chief guest gave away certificates and trophies to the toppers in academics in the school.

Mr Rattan Pal Bhatia, Chairman of the school committee, thanked the chief guest and the audience.

Khanna student wins paper-reading contest
Our Correspondent

Khanna, November 18
Aman Preet Kaur, a student of Lala Sarkaru Mal Sarv Hitkari Vidya Mandir, Khanna, has won the first position in the paper reading competition in Zonal Science Fair organised by the Sarv Hitkari Education Society Chandigarh (Punjab) at Sadhu Ashram Ucch Vidya Mandir, Sangrur from November 14 to 16.

Eleven schools participated in the competition. Aman Preet Kaur, a student of class VIII got the first position in paper reading on the topic “Science in Ancient India.” Sandeep Gupta of class IV bagged the second position. He spoke on the topic, Indian and Western View of Science.

In the project making competition, Sumya Loomba of Class V got the first position on the topic “Means of Transport” and Apaksha Kapoor got the third prize in the project “Depletion of the Ozone Layer”.

Show depicts Bhagatji’s life
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, November 18
Commemorating the birth centenary of Bhagat Puran Singh, prominent social worker and philanthropist, a light and sound show was organised at Guru Nanak Khalsa College for Women, Model Town, last evening.

More than 5,000 viewers were present in the college hall. The programme highlighted the life and philosophy of Bhagatji who established Pingalwara at Amritsar. The show depicted how he spent most of his life in the service of the destitute. It also showed how his personality was influenced by his mother who inspired him to serve humanity.

The show also showed the foundation stone of Pingalwara being laid at Amritsar in 1934 when he found Piara Singh, a spastic child lying in front of Gurdwara Dera Sahib, now in Pakistan. After the incident, he found many destitute children and started taking care of them. He begged for them and even cooked food for them.

On the occasion, the children of pingalwara presented a choreography on environmental pollution.

Dr Inderjit Kaur, president of the Pingalwara Society, talked about the programmes being organised to mark the birth centenary of Bhagatji. She thanked the viewers for their contribution for the cause.