Jalandhar, June 6
The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) seems to be developing cold feet over its demand for the post of deputy chief minister in the state. Taking a virtual U-turn on the demand by the Punjab BJP leaders, Sahib Singh Verma, former Delhi Chief Minister and in charge of the Punjab BJP, has asserted that the slot of deputy chief minister was not a bone of contention between the BJP and its alliance partner SAD.

Interestingly, a number of senior BJP leaders from Punjab have been very vocal on this issue and have been demanding that the vacant slot of deputy chief minister must go to the BJP for its ‘landslide’ victory in last assembly polls. He was talking to mediapersons at the residence of Anil Sachhar, general secretary, district unit of the BJP here this evening.

“There is no stand-off on this issue. Badal has not said no to us either. Post of deputy chief minister is no issue for us and we have not demanded the slot. Our prime motive is to keep our alliance government going and well oiled,” he said.

About the forthcoming civic body polls in Punjab, Sahib Singh Verma said the SAD-BJP combine was preparing for the polls with full enthusiasm. “The SAD-BJP combine will wrest the mayorship of all major cities of Punjab. In Jalandhar we will win more than 45 of a total of 60 seats,” said Verma.

Referring to the criteria for distribution of party tickets in Punjab, Verma said winnability would be the first condition for allocation of party tickets. “ I will come again to hold meetings on this issue with our workers and leaders,” said Verma.

Nawanshahr, June 6
The poor response to Centre-sponsored employment schemes has left the district authorities here a worried lot. Interestingly, more than 35 per cent of the district population has registered itself as beneficiary under the “atta-dal” scheme to be launched soon for families living below the poverty line.

However, the officials so far have just received 7,617 applications under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA).

Expressing her concern, deputy commissioner Bhawana Garg said despite repeated awareness workshops, involving village leaders and sarpanches, the response was not very good. “The scheme can prove a boon for the unskilled labour force and accelerate development process in the district,” said Garg. Giving details, she said the NREGA is an open-ended demand-based scheme under which funds for development projects would be allocated on the basis of the number of labourers registered.

“In other words, if less number of people get themselves registered under the scheme, less funds would be released, which in turn, would hit the development pace. So it’s imperative that the people come forward to avail the benefit,” said Garg.

The DC further said the projects under the NREGA had been identified. The first phase would focus on forestry and horticulture, she added.

Notably, around 86 per cent of the population in the district is rural and nearly 50 per cent belongs to the Scheduled Caste and Backward Class categories.

Phagwara, June 6
To ensure better facilities for people, the Punjab police has now decided to open community police resource centres at sub-division level. The first such centre has been set up at Phagwara.

“With the opening of the centre, residents now need not travel to district headquarters,” informed Phagwara DSP HPS Khakh. Apart from facilities like civil, passport and military verification, issuance of clearance certificates, free legal aid and NRI helpline, the centre will also house a women and child protection cell and economic offences wing. Notably, such centres are already operational at district level.

Meanwhile, DSP claimed that police has successfully tackled the traffic problem in the town. Three separate zones, each headed by an ASI, have been formed to remove bottlenecks on main roads. Arrangements have been made to ensure quick reaction time in wake of accidents. PCR teams will reach within two minutes after receiving information of any mishap, said Khakh.

He further said encroachments are being removed from main markets. Regarding the anonymous letter threatening to blow up Phagwara railway station, bus stand and other sensitive places, DSP said the security has been beefed up in the area.

“All units are on a high alert. In total, we have received three letters. They have been sent to forensic labs for a handwriting match,” said the DSP. 

Jalandhar, June 6
All-India Anti-Terrorist Front chairman Maninderjit Singh Bitta has demanded that Dera Sacha Saudha chief Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh should apologise before Akal Takht for his alleged attempt to copy the holy ceremonies once performed by Guru Gobind Singh at Salabatpura village in Bathinda a few weeks ago. He said this while talking to media persons here today.

He blamed former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh for the dera row and the dishonour of late Chief Minister Beant Singh’s statue. He accused Amarinder Singh of disturbing law and order in the state allegedly to divert the attention of the public and the government from corruption cases faced by him in the Ludhiana City Centre scam. — TNS

Hoshiarpur, June 6
The district consumer forum has ordered the ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company Limited to pay Rs 1,59, 690 along with 9 per cent interest rate and litigation expenses of Rs 1,000 to a complainant against his insurance claim.

In his complaint, Parvinder Singh of Bham had stated that he had got his Tata Qualis (HR-26M-9437) insured from the company after paying a premium of Rs 13,505. “The vehicle got damaged in an accident on April 14, 2006. I applied for the claim but insurance company did not oblige me,” said Parvinder. The insurance firm took the plea that the vehicle was being used for commercial purposes, thus, the complainant was not entitled for any damages.

The forum held that Parvinder was entitled to get the claim as the firm had failed to produce sufficient evidence on record that the vehicle was being used for commercial purposes. — OC