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CM promises proprietary rights to landless farmers 
Zira (Ferozepur), January 24
The Punjab government will grant proprietary rights of over 40,000 acres of government land to the landless farmers who have been tilling the same since long on Republic Day, revealed Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal while addressing a public gathering at Mastewala village under Zira subdivision here today.

CM Parkash Singh Badal at the inauguration of the 220 KVA grid sub-station in Zira on Thursday. Also seen in the picture are Irrigation Minister Janmeja Singh Sekhon, ex-MLA Hari Singh and MP Zora Singh Mann. A Tribune photograph

Resentment among dam staff
Deduction of special increments, refixation of salary
Chandigarh, January 24
There is resentment among employees, serving and retired, of the Ranjit Sagar dam project as the Punjab government has ordered refixation of their salary and pension, deducting special increments given to them in reward . The government has decided this on instructions from the accountant general, Punjab.

Patna Sahib Jathedar suspended

Amritsar, January 24 The Takht Patna Sahib management today suspended Giani Iqbal Singh, Jathedar of the Takht, for the second time for rejecting the Nanakshahi calendar and Maryada (Sikh tradition) approved by the SGPC and Akal Takht. Earlier, Giani Iqbal Singh was suspended in September last year by Raje Singh, officiating secretary, Patna Sahib management, Takht Patna Sahib, on the charge of misappropriating Rs 95 lakh collected during his visit abroad.

Giani Iqbal Singh

 

COMMUNITY

Round-up
Free entry for rural students to science city 
Chandigarh, January 24
The Punjab government has decided to make a budgetary provision of Rs 1.25 crore to enable free entry to the students of the rural government schools in the state to the prestigious Pushpa Gujral Science City (PGSC). A decision to this effect was taken by Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal while presiding over a high-level meeting. Badal directed the science and technology department to formulate an action plan for advertising this venture in a manner to elicit maximum participation of the youth.

A Helping Hand Policemen help each other before the final rehearsal for the Republic Day parade at Gandhi Ground in Amritsar on Thursday. Photo: Vishal Kumar

Misuse of Funds in MCs
Govt introduces spot verification
Nangal, January 24
To check the misuse of public money in municipal councils and corporations, the government has made spot verification necessary before the agenda for a development work is passed.

Arts Council to hold heritage fests; Intach sidelined
Chandigarh, January 24
A high- level meeting, the Punjab government today decided to hold heritage festivals at Patiala, Kapurthala and Amritsar under the supervision of the Punjab Arts Council which would be assisted by respective district heritage societies. The Indian National Trust for Art and Culture Heritage (Intach), which used to play a major role in organising these festivals earlier in Punjab, has been sidelined this time, it is learnt.

He donates Rs 2.16 cr per year to 3,600 students

Dhilwan (Kapurthala), January 24 His mother Pushpawati’s life of stuggle during 38 years of her widowhood made NRI Raj Loomba repay India generously in the shape of donations of Rs 2.16 crore per annum to as many as 3,600 fatherless students across the country. Hailing from Dhilwan, Loomba (65) was not only donating Rs 500 per month to each of the 3,600 students, but also repaying his country by making other donations from time to time. He recently gave Rs 50 lakh for improving infrastructure and providing clean water and sanitation facilities to Dhilwan-based Government Senior Secondary School, where he had studied till class VIII in the ’50s.

Raj Loomba

Conviction rate in Punjab at 60 pc
Chandigarh, January 24
There has been barely 1.56 per cent increase in conviction rate from 2004 in the different courts all over Punjab.

High alert at rly stns
Jalandhar, January 24
The General Railway Police (GRP) has sounded a high alert on all railway stations falling under Punjab after getting a threatening letter from the Lashkar-e-Toiba.

Women bus conductors soon
Patiala, January 24
Punjab is likely to have women bus conductors soon. Punjab transport minister Master Mohan Lal gave an indication to it here yesterday. Master Mohan Lal said he was not averse to recruitment of women as bus conductors. The job was not a male preserve., he said.