Ludhiana, October 27
The members of the Baba Lodhiana Academy, who were runners up in the Punjab State School Games in Patiala and the Ludhiana girls' team who won the Punjab Annual Basketball League Tournament held at Phagwara on Monday were given a warm reception here yesterday.

The office-bearers of the Ludhiana District Basketball Association (LDBA) and coaches were present at the local Guru Nanak Stadium here this evening to receive the cagers who have brought laurels to the city.

The Baba Lodhiana Academy, making their maiden entry as a separate entity into this tournament came out with flying colours to secure the second position. Gurdaspur boys with equal points had bagged the title on the basis of better average.

The players of academy, all students of the Everest Public School, Moti Nagar proved their supremacy to wrap up all super-league matches except for the tie against Gurdaspur.

Mr Teja Singh, Dhaliwal, general secretary, LDBA along with Mr Vijay Chopra, vice president of the association, Sajjan Singh Cheema, Arjuna awardee, Dr S Subramanian, former Director, NIS, Patiala, Mr Devinder Singh Dhindsa and Mr Brij Behari, both senior coaches were among others who were present there to encourage the cagers.

Ludhiana, October 27
The paddy procurement in the district has almost been completed. Till date, 17,157,15 metric tonnes of paddy has been purchased from 100 mandis against 15,07628 metric tonnes last year. This was stated here today by Mr Anurag Verma, Deputy Commissioner, while addressing a daily review meeting of the district heads of procurement agencies and officers concerned.

Mr Verma said during this paddy procurement season, millers/traders had made encouraging procurements and in all, the millers had purchased 3,98,682 metric. tonnes which counted for 23 per cent of the total purchase.

He said during this year, the government agencies had purchased 1,31,7033 metric. tonnes of paddy, out of which the maximum purchase of was made by Punsup followed by Pungrain, and Markfed.

He said only little paddy remained in the mandis and 58 procurement centres had already been closed due to the non-arrival of paddy.

He claimed that during this year due to the efficient management for the shifting of paddy to godowns, 99 per cent of the purchased paddy had been lifted from the mandis and more than 90 per cent of the payments for the paddy had been made to the farmers.

He said in spite of rain and bad weather for a few days during the procurement, no distress sale had been reported from any part of the district and the whole paddy had been procured at the MSP or higher rates.