Jalandhar, February 7
Reorganising the mid-day meals system for all government schools of the state, the director-general of school education has introduced a new nutritious menu and allocated funds to the tune of Rs 60,000 per school for the construction of kitchen sheds.

While earlier the students were getting biscuits, porridge, matthis or sweets in their daily diet in schools, they will now get a complete lunch from one of the three menus - chapattis with dal; soya nutri pulao or vegetable pulao.

The new menu aims at providing 480 calories to every child with 13 to 14 gm of protein per day. The menu has been prepared in such a way as at least 100 gm of grains, either in the form of rice or wheat flour, are consumed by a child in the school each day.

A circular that reached the DEO office two days back indicates clear segregation of the use of funds for the scheme that aims at increasing enrolment, regular attendance and improvement of nutrition of children at the growing age. “While Rs 1.95 per day per child is sent by the department, Rs 1.55 have to go for the diet and 40 paise per day per child have to be given to the cook appointed in each school,” said DEO (elementary) Joginder Dass.

Dinesh, in charge of the scheme in the district, said the department had even ensured that the amount for running the scheme would reach every school almost a month in advance so that ration could be purchased well in advance. He said villagers also often donated ghee packets or wheat sacks that helped meet any additional needs.

The DEO said Rs 1.37 crore had already reached the deputy commissioner’s office for constructing of kitchen sheds in 229 government schools of the district for preparation of these meals. He said this was only the first instalment as the remaining 751 schools managed by the education department, panchayati raj institutions and urban local bodies would also get funds for the purpose subsequently.

The DEO said any small room or one corner of a room on the school premises was currently being used to keep the burner for cooking purposes. But with a separate kitchen, the system would become more organised.

He, however, said he had raised a point with the DC that the amount allocated was a little less than what was being estimated for the purpose. “Let’s see how it works out. May be, we will need donations or some funds from MPLAD scheme,” he said.

Hoshiarpur, February 7
Centre will bring villages deprived of potable water under its special Swehjal Dhara scheme to fulfil the long pending demand of the residents. As many as 150 villages of the district will benefit from the scheme. As many as 10 to 15 villages will be identified from each block to be brought under the scheme in the first phase. Deputy speaker Lok Sabha Charanjit Singh Atwal stated this while presiding over a meeting of the district vigilance committee at mini secretariat here last evening.

Of the total cost 90 per cent share would be provided by the government while beneficiaries of the scheme would bear the remaining cost. Villages having 40 per cent Scheduled Caste population will be required to pay only five per cent of the total cost.

Villagers would also get other benefits like draining out sewage water and digging of ponds etc under this scheme, Atwal added. Atwal also advised officers to apprise villagers about the scheme.

Atwal also emphasised the need to use grants provided under the union government schemes and MPLAD funds in the shortest period and to send utilisation certificates to the concerned authorities within the stipulated time.

The district has been provided Rs 5, 19, 22, 930 under Sarv Sikhiya Abhiyan scheme in 2007-08, said Atwal. The fund will be spent for repair of school buildings, providing sanitation to students and other infrastructure.

Atwal also instructed the district education officer (E) to submit lists of elementary schools with shortage of staff.

Irrigation scheme will be set up in 30 villages belonging to the Mahilpur block covering 2,750 hectares of land at the cost of Rs 72 lakh, informed Atwal.

Similarly, 3,285 hectares land of eight villages in Hazipur block would be covered under the scheme.

Nawanshahr, February 7
Rural development and panchayat minister Ranjit Singh Brahmpura has defended the policy of indirect election of sarpanches. Stating that the policy would help in strengthening the social fabric, it will also accelerate the pace of development in villages, he added.

The indirect election of sarpanches would also help in curtailing poll expenses and consequently putting a check on corruption and ensure transparency in the functioning of panchayats, said the minister.

Making his point clear, the minister stated if the offices of the Prime Minister, chief ministers and chairmen of zila parishads and block samities could have indirectly elected representatives, then why not a sarpanch.

Brahmpura said cases had been registered against 275 sarpanches and more had been suspended for their alleged involvement in the alleged misappropriation of Punjab nirman funds during the previous Congress regime.

He alleged that the Congress government had released funds to the tune of Rs 1,200 crore for carrying out various development works in the fag end of its tenure, keeping an eye on the assembly elections.

The funds had allegedly been misused by the sarpanches, he added. Action against erring sarpanches followed an inquiry conducted by the present government, said Brahmpura.

Kartarpur, February 7
Bhupinder Singh, an ASI posted with the 4th IRB (Indian Reserve Batallion) PAP headquarters here has been arrested for allegedly lifting vehicles. The erring cop had earlier been suspended from duty for his involvement in case of issuing fake degrees and certificates.

Confirming this, Kartarpur SHO sub inspector Harjinder Singh said two stolen vehicles had been recovered from the possession of the accused which included a Honda City car and a motorcycle.

A police team led by ASI Ram Singh arrested Bhupinder Singh from Baba Bohar Shah area near Sarai Khas on the GT road falling under the Kartarpur police station on a tip off today, he added.

The SHO said the accused and his accomplices had been involved in lifting vehicles for past about three months.

The vehicles recovered from him had been stolen from PAU Ludhiana some time back, he said. The accused also prepared fake documents to sell the stolen vehicles. A case has been registered and efforts were on to nab his accomplice, he informed.

The accused was earlier also arrested along with his accomplice Sarabjeet Singh in 2005 by Model Town police allegedly for issuing fake certificates and degrees to students from their office situated in Defence Colony, he said. This led to his suspension. 

Jalandhar, February 7
Pankaj, a class VIII student of Saint Soldier Divine Public School, Faintanganj, falling under police division number three, was allegedly thrashed by a schoolteacher.

The student narrated the incident to his father Ashwani Dhawan.

Dhawan subsequently submitted a complaint against the teacher, Sardara Singh, along with the medico-legal report.

When contacted, Sardara Singh admitted that he had slapped the student as he was dancing in the school. Both the parties would reach a compromise, he claimed.

SHO Harvinder Singh Bhalla said no FIR was registered as he had called both the parties.

Jalandhar, February 7
Several activists of Mulayam Singh-led Samajwadi Party burnt the effigy of Maharashtra Nav Nirman Sena supremo Raj Thackeray at Focal Point for his alleged anti-north Indian stance, on Thursday afternoon.

Led by its district president Vijay Pal Yadav, the SP activists later submitted a memorandum addressed to the Prime Minister. — TNS

Kapurthala, February 7
The subjects of science, mathematics and some vocational courses will be introdused in 351 senior secondary schools across Punjab at a cost of Rs 141 crore.

This was stated by education minister Upinderjit Kaur while addressing a gathering after laying the foundation stone of a block in a school at Sultanpur Lodhi village.

Deputy commissioner J.M. Balamurgan was present on the occasion.

Hoshiarpur, February 7
Three members of a family (a woman, her husband and daughter) were killed and their eight-month-old child was injured near Bagol Khurd village on the Jalandhar-Pathankot national highway, 40 km from here, on Thursday afternoon.

According to police sources, the deceased were identified as Manjit Kaur (32), her husband Harmesh Singh (35) and daughter Jaswinder Kaur (5), all of Kurala village. Eight-month-old Simranjot was shifted to the civil hospital at Dasuya.

All the members of Harmesh’s family were returning to their village from Khuda. When they reached Bagol Khurd village, a husk-laden truck rammed into the Moped they were coming on. The truck overturned as the driver lost control over it. The truck driver fled after leaving his vehicle there.