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‘5000 posts of teachers vacant in rural areas’
Striving for success
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Political parties come to teacher’s aid
Arun Govil (left) interacts with media persons in Jalandhar on Friday.
— A Tribune photo
Govt to repair link roads, highways
Two held with stolen cars
Court to hear canegrowers’ case on Jan 30
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‘5000 posts of teachers vacant in rural areas’
Phagwara, January 20 Dr Sidhu told The Tribune that the last census had shown a decline in the number of students admitted to schools in the state. “Education is not only a means of development but also its index. All the former Prime Ministers had promised at least 6 per cent GDP allotment for education, but so far no one has implemented it,” he said. He added that all this showed how ‘serious’ the nation was towards education. Even a prosperous state like Punjab was spending less than 3.5 per cent of its GDP on education, he said. He said that preference for urban postings among teachers was creating a shortage of teachers in villages of the state. “There is a shortage of 5,000 teachers in rural areas due to the preference for urban postings,” he added. According to the board Chairperson about 30,000 posts of teachers were lying vacant. He said the 2001 census had shown that only 66 per cent children in the 6-10 years age group were going to school in the country. The figure was 73 per cent in the age group of 11-14 years. “This shows either a slowdown in the implementation of education-related policies or a major error in the figures,” he added. Calling for universalisation of education, Dr Sidhu said he was not against spending on higher education, but a country could grow only if the masses were provided the basic education. “There is a notion that multinationals alone can develop our country. But I think that India will develop only when education and health sectors are given a priority,” he added. |
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Striving for success
Jalandhar, January 20 Right from the first day of the preparatory coaching camp for the Indian badminton players, it was all sweat and toil as the players set about their practice sessions in all earnestness. The coaching camp for the players, who would participate in the World Team Badminton Championships to be held at Jaipur from February 14 to 19, is being organised at the Raizada Hans Raj Stadium here. During this camp, intensive training would be imparted by Hadi Sugianto, a coach from Indonesia, and other senior coaches, including Vimal Kumar. The Jalandhar District Badminton Association has made arrangements for the stay and training of the players. Various committees have been constituted to supervise the arrangements. Sports enthusiasts have much to look forward to. A special coaching clinic is being organised for badminton players and coaches from the state. Already many national-level badminton players, who are here, are praising the hospitality of the Punjabi people. Gutta Jwala, a winner in doubles, says, “The hospitality of the Punjabis is quite appreciable.” She adds that she’s looking forward to the tournament in Jaipur. “The camp has just started. Mentally, I am all ready for the championships. But otherwise, it has not been so easy for me. I have had to nurse my ankle that was sprained,” she said. For coach Vimal Kumar, the visit is a pleasant reminder of the days way back in 1989 when he had come here to play the “Nationals”. He says he’s hopeful that the Indian team would do reasonably well in the preliminaries for the Thomas/Uber Cup. “There would be five finalists among the Asian zone teams. Though Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia are likely to offer a stiff competition, we have a fair chance of being among the five Asian finalists,” he says, adding that the Indian team has been traditionally good at the singles, but the doubles are their Achilles’ heel. |
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Political parties come to teacher’s aid
Jalandhar, January 20 While the district police had registered a case under Section 309 against the teacher, the political parties, which got together under the banner of “Jalandhar Public Front,” today gave a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Ashok Gupta, urging him to intervene in the matter and get the charges levelled by the teacher against the education department employees investigated. Meanwhile, the SC, ST wing of the BJP has also approached the National SC, ST Commission on the issue. A delegation of the wing met Mr Suraj Bhan, the President of the commission, at his New Delhi office today. The Commission had ordered a probe into the matter, the delegation claimed. |
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From reel life to real life
Jalandhar, January 20 He was in the city today to promote a two-day religious programme being held by a Delhi-based organisation at Burlton Park from tomorrow. At the Jalandhar Press Club to address a press conference, he talked about the powers of the Veda mantra, the importance of
bhakti, and the attainment of salvation. Almost like a brand ambassador of the programme, Arun Govil said he had first attended the congregation as a guest almost a year back. “But I found the programme to be very effective.” When asked whether he had turned more religious ever since he had played the pivotal role in the serial, he retorted that he had always been very religious. About his plans to start a religious serial production company, he said, “I had such plans a few years back, but by then many companies had already started working on religious serials. I was left with almost no epic to work on. There were so many players and it seemed that creativity and religious fervour had taken a back seat as money-making gained priority for everyone in the line.” He admitted that his “image as Lord Rama” was so much set in the minds of the public that he could not ever play a negative, comic or romantic role. “The impact of the serial has been so intense that even today there are people who try to touch my feet. Even the kind of roles that I have been offered since then have been very positive,” he explained. Talking about his current engagements as an actor, he said he was working for two serials being telecast on Doordarshan. “The serial titled ‘Sapne saajan ke’ is currently being telecast, while the other serial ‘Voh huye na hamare’ will be telecast from February 3.” Arun Govil denied any inclination towards any political party. “I have had many offers from major political parties, but neither do I favour any one of them nor do I plan to join any party.” |
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Govt to repair link roads, highways
Phagwara, January 20 This was disclosed by the Punjab PWD Minister, Mr Partap Singh Bajwa, while talking to media persons here last evening. He said, “The state government will cover 100 per cent roads and will spend Rs 3500 cr, including a loan of Rs 1000 crore taken from the World Bank on this.” He said 12 “toll tax roads” would be “introduced” in the state on which a vehicle driver would have to pay a toll tax at the rate of 35 paise per km. He claimed that the Congress-led state government was committed to provide the best infrastructure to the people of the state. |
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Two held with stolen cars
Kapurthala, January 20 According to the police, the accused, Hoshiar Singh, from Johal village in Kangra district, and Gagandeep, a resident of Jabbarhilol village, had allegedly stolen these vehicles bearing registration number PB11AB 5872 and PB41B 7976, respectively, while working as drivers in a private company at Delhi. They were allegedly plying these vehicles as taxis in Jammu. The police arrested the accused when they came to Sultanpur Lodhi to sell these vehicles. |
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Court to hear canegrowers’ case on Jan 30
Phagwara, January 20 The canegrowers’ society and the mill management have approached the court for getting their issue resolved legally.
— OC |
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