J A L A N D H A R

Budget disappoints teachers, pensioners
Jalandhar, February 28
Even as the Union Budget for the new financial year is considered to be a no-frill budget without much burden for the “aam aadmi”, it has evoked sharp reactions from the city residents.

‘Powerless’ days for Punjab farmers
Phagwara, February 28
It seems that there is no end to power cuts in Punjab. Despite the claims of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) authorities that things would improve in the days ahead, the rural areas are still facing power cuts up to eight hours a day, while urban industrial units have power cuts for two hours.

Angry shopkeepers block road
Jalandhar, February 28
Agitated shopkeepers blocked the Jalandhar-Hoshiarpur Road today in protest against the removal of “encroachments” by the Municipal Corporation in the Rama Mandi area.

Decline in illegal human trafficking cases, says IG
Phagwara, February 28
The police would soon get hold of the “big fish of the land mafia”, IG (Jalandhar Zone), Mr H.S. Dhillon, said here yesterday.

Role of police cats needs to be probed: Kainth
Jalandhar, February 28
The Bahujan Samaj Morcha (BSM) President and a former MP, Mr Satnam Singh Kainth, has demanded an inquiry by sitting High Court Judge into the alleged misuse of police cats to settle political rivalries.

SGPC President demands Anand Karaj Marriages Act for Sikhs
Phagwara, February 28
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee President, Jathedar Avtar Singh, has demanded a separate Anand Karaj Marriages Act for Sikhs.

Budget disappoints teachers, pensioners
Deepkamal Kaur
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, February 28
Even as the Union Budget for the new financial year is considered to be a no-frill budget without much burden for the “aam aadmi”, it has evoked sharp reactions from the city residents.

Though there has been no change in personal income tax, the raise of service tax from 10 per cent to 12 per cent and its implementation on ATM operations and share transfers has not been appreciated.

Teachers, pensioners and drug manufacturers believe that there is nothing much to feel good about the budget.

However, footwear manufacturers and small car dealers here are a happier lot, for they are pinning high hopes on their sales, with excise duty cuts on the products.

Bankers have shown a mixed reaction, for they are happy with tax waiver on long-term bank deposits, but they want service tax on ATM operations to go.

Giving his reaction, Mr V.K. Tewari, national secretary, All India Federation of University and College Teachers’ Organisation, said, “Allocation of Rs 24,115 crore for education is insufficient. The amount has been raised by just Rs 6,000 crore as compared to the previous year’s allocation. We had been asking for at least Rs 10,000 crore more,” he tells us.

He further said, “The needs are too many, ranging from recruitment of 30 lakh school teachers to opening of new schools, higher education institutes and research institutions. The Central government is shrugging off its responsibility and rolling the ball to states that are facing huge fiscal deficits. Denial to allocate more for education is a clear signal of surrendering before imperialistic forces by paving way for MNC research centres.”

Drug manufacturers, too, are disappointed. Mr Sachin Saggar, owner of a pharmaceutical company, said, “We had been expecting excise duty on drugs to go down from 16 to 8 per cent, but surprisingly there has been no change at all. We were also expecting Rs 1 crore limit on tax exemption to go up to Rs 2 crore to Rs 3 crore, but no announcement to that effect has come up, which again is disappointing. So, it is not a feel-good budget for me.”

Mr P.V. Sathyanarayan, Branch Manager, Karnataka Bank, said tax free deposits in banks for five or more years was a welcome step, as it would help in encouraging people to invest in banks. He also seemed happy with the slashing of fringe benefit tax and reduction of small car prices.

“The most discouraging part is the imposition of service tax on ATM operations. The ATM facility is more of an expenditure than an income. Tax should only be imposed on income. ATM facility is meant for reducing the need for manpower with the use of technology,” he added.

Mr Ashok Mittal, a car dealer, too, was happy. Reduction of car prices, he said, could boost up his sales.

“But I am also a bit upset for I have a stock of 150 cars with me, which I had purchased at a higher price,” he added.

Mr Atamjit Singh Bawa, owner of Lotus Bawa group, said he had heard that 16 per cent excise duty on the MRP of leather footwear had been brought down. This was good news for him. 

‘Powerless’ days for Punjab farmers
Anil Jerath
Tribune News Service

Phagwara, February 28
It seems that there is no end to power cuts in Punjab. Despite the claims of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) authorities that things would improve in the days ahead, the rural areas are still facing power cuts up to eight hours a day, while urban industrial units have power cuts for two hours.

Reason? The demand for power has increased up to 18 per cent as compared to the usual annual increase of eight per cent. All this is thanks to the government’s policies under which 80,000 power connections have been released in the farming sector without adding any power generation capacity. Also, the farmers have been permitted to increase the power load of their submersible pumps.

Last year, the availability of power was 660 lakh units and now the availability is 803 lakh units, but there has hardly been any relief to consumers. Last year, the demand during these days was 760 lakh units, but now it has gone up to 950 lakh units.

Interestingly, the Punjab government, keeping in view the Vidhan Sabha elections next year, has already announced that 40,000 new connections would be given during the next financial year. It seems that the consumers in the state would have no option but to face more power cuts during the coming months, especially during the paddy season.

Two units of Bathinda thermal plant are out of order due to technical problem, while one unit of Ropar thermal plant has been closed down for annual maintenance. From all these three units, the electricity board is facing a loss of 94 lakh units. Besides, the Shanan Power Project is giving merely 27 lakh units out of its full capacity of 56 lakh units and the Uppar Bari Board Canal project is providing around half of its generation capacity — 7.5 lakh units.

The PSEB authorities say that system losses are also adding to the problems. So, the board is laying special emphasis on strengthening the distribution system. A senior official of the PSEB said one hundred grid works had been completed till January this year. He further said at least ten more new sub-stations would be commissioned during the months of February and March.

Angry shopkeepers block road
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, February 28
Agitated shopkeepers blocked the Jalandhar-Hoshiarpur Road today in protest against the removal of “encroachments” by the Municipal Corporation in the Rama Mandi area. The shopkeepers put up barricades and burnt rubber tyres and tubes in protest. After an hour, they lifted the blockade after the district administration gave an assurance that the municipal corporation would ensure that the shopkeepers would henceforth be forewarned about the removal of encroachments.

The shopkeepers, however, alleged that the corporation had carried out the removal process without issuing notices to the shopkeepers concerned and that the removals had been undertaken a “on pick and choose basis”. Mr Jagbir Singh Brar, a local Shiromani Akali Dal leader, alleged that the shops of influential businessmen had not been touched by the authorities.

Decline in illegal human trafficking cases, says IG
Our Correspondent

Phagwara, February 28
The police would soon get hold of the “big fish of the land mafia”, IG (Jalandhar Zone), Mr H.S. Dhillon, said here yesterday. He said the police had tightened its noose around the drug mafia, liquor smugglers and they would soon fall in its dragnet. The IG claimed that there was an increase in the registration of cases, but the crime rate had registered a decline in the area. He said cases of “kabootarbazi”(illegal human trafficking) had also recorded a decline, as the public was becoming aware of its repercussions. The IG added that a special team had been constituted to solve the Rs 33 lakh Phagwara robbery case. 

Role of police cats needs to be probed: Kainth

Jalandhar, February 28
The Bahujan Samaj Morcha (BSM) President and a former MP, Mr Satnam Singh Kainth, has demanded an inquiry by sitting High Court Judge into the alleged misuse of police cats to settle political rivalries.

Talking to media persons here yesterday, Mr Kainth alleged that nine BSM workers were killed during the 1992 elections in Nurmahal while seven were injured. The eyewitness of the incident and also one of the injured, Chaman Lal, had identified one of the police cats of the time, as one of the accused, Mr Kainth said. However, he further alleged, the police did not arrest the person.

The matter was also raised in the state Assembly, he said. “The names of two police cats, Kuldeep Singh and Hardeep Deepa, had figured after an inquiry into the incident.”

Mr Kainth alleged that the political leadership of the time along with the police authorities used the police cats to their interests.

The BSM leader said that the rehabilitation of former terrorists was “not a bad step”, but the cats could not be used to harm the lives of innocent civilians or for settling political scores. — TNS

SGPC President demands
Anand Karaj Marriages Act for Sikhs
Tribune News Service

Phagwara, February 28
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee President, Jathedar Avtar Singh, has demanded a separate Anand Karaj Marriages Act for Sikhs.

Addressing media persons here this morning, the SGPC President supported 19 resolutions passed by the Virsa Sambhal World Sikh Sammelan held at Fatehgarh Sahib on February 26, but strongly opposed two resolutions — allowing the DSGPC to hold a religious march to Lahore and also allowing the formation of a two-member committee, comprising Ravi Inder Singh and Paramjit Singh Sarna, to hold talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on several Sikh issues.