Bathinda, March 26
The centrally sponsored schemes targeting uplift of poor, downtrodden, unemployed youth and small farmers are halfheartedly being implemented by various agencies of the Punjab government and commercial banks here.

The commercial banks have failed to meet the annual targets depriving the targeted groups of the benefits that have been tailored for them by the Parliament.

According to an official report, there was no progress in implementation of the Swarn Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY) that aims to provide gainful employment to the urban unemployed youth as the municipal committees failed to sponsor any case to the banks last year. The SJSRY was launched in 1997 by amalgamating three different schemes.

The target of 720 cases under the Prime Minister’s Rozgar Yojana (PMRY) was not achieved during the current year, as only 450 cases were disbursed loans. The scheme aims to provide self-employment to educated youth in the age group of 18-35 in general with 10 years relaxation to scheduled castes and scheduled tribe, women, handicapped and ex-servicemen.

Against the target of sponsoring 289 cases, the Punjab Scheduled Caste Land Development and Finance Corporation forwarded 275 applications to various banks that sanctioned 174 cases till last month, but loans were disbursed to 78. Similar was the position last year when against the target of 586, only 253 cases were sanctioned by banks.

The Swarn Jayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY) has also met similar fate as out of the target of 123, only 95 persons have been benefited.

As the dairy development department during the current year targeted as many as 80 dairy units, but loans were disbursed only to 25 units till last month.

The performance in the horticulture sector was far below satisfactory as against the target of Rs.14 lakhs, a paltry amount of Rs.3 lakhs was disbursed till last month. Regeneration of old orchards under the National Horticulture Mission touched only 620 hectares against the target of 1050. Only 300 honey boxes were supplied to the farmers against the target of 600 boxes.

Bathinda, March 26
Apprehending shortage of power, the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB), in order to bridge the gap between demand and supply, has filed a petition before the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC) to grant permission for imposition of power cuts in 2008-09.

Before giving a go-ahead, the PSERC has asked for objections from the public through a public notice. In its notification, the PSERC has clearly mentioned that any consumer could take the copy of the petition filed by the PSEB for Rs 20 from the PSERC office in Chandigarh. Consumers can also procure copies from the office of the chief engineer (Commercial), Patiala, and offices of chief engineers and SE (distribution).

The Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission, being the authorised body, had granted permission to PSEB to impose cuts in the past too. The last authorisation of the PSEB to impose power cuts will expire on March 31, so it has asked for an extension from April 2008 to March 2009.

Interestingly, the PSEB has also submitted details of power cuts imposed in 2005-06, 2006-07 and 2007-08 in order to brief the Regulatory Commission of the prevailing power shortage in the state.

The PSEB, while authenticating its move to impose power cuts, has mentioned in its petition that cuts have been proposed keeping in mind the availability of power, increase in demand in summer and other system constraints.

When asked, the PSEB officials maintained ambiguity about power purchase agreements, which were discontinued by the present Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) – Bharatiya Janta Party led state government in 2007.

The irony of the situation is that none of the 10 people approached by The Tribune had seen any public notice of PSERC pertaining to objections on power cuts.

Bathinda, March 26
After snazzy cars, illegal taxi stands have mushroomed along the Bathinda roads. These illegal structures have come up at a dozen points across the city.

While the owners of these taxi stands say that allotting separate lands to the taxi owners has become the need of the hour but the authorities are not ready.

There are around 18 taxi stands in the city. As many as 500 cars are being used as taxis. The illegal stands can be seen at all the major crossroads like the Mall Road, Hanuman Chowk, Model Town and Mansa Road. The taxi owners encroach upon any vacant corner or parking space for the purpose.

Jaspreet Singh, a taxi owner, rues that the authorities had given land for parking to hotels but not for taxi stands. The owners are ready to pay reasonable rent for taxi stands, which could be set up inside the bigger parking spaces, he adds.

However, the authorities say that modalities have to be worked out, as a majority of taxi owners do not approach them for permission for taxi stands. On the other hand, taxi stand owners say that the talks with the MC authorities over the demand for land allotment have been going on since 1995, but no headway has been achieved so far.

Interestingly, this reporter found that most of the taxis were allegedly plying without paying the mandatory tax, thus causing huge losses to the state exchequer. Sources say vehicles at such stands neither had the number plates painted yellow nor was the word ‘taxi’ inscribed on these commercial vehicles.

Denying the charges, the owners say it is a matter of survival for them as they have taken loans to run the business. Pritam Singh, a taxi owner, says that they were asked to park taxis at spots outside the city rather at major spots in the city.

Bathinda, March 26
Ever since the Dera Sacha Sauda-Sikh controversy took place, the district police carry out flag march after every other incident where law is breached. Following an incident in Rodi village, situated on the border of Punjab and Haryana, in which some Sikh followers reportedly attacked the house of a Dera-follower and burnt a vehicle, the Bathinda police today, held a preventive march.

The march that started from the city covered the sub-divisions and the rural areas of Sangat, Ramman, Talwandi Sabo, Rampura Phul, Bhai Rupa, Salabat Pura, Bhagta, Nathana and Goniana. The cavalcade that comprised of 30 four-wheelers and 17-18 motorcycles was led by deputy superintendent of Police (detective) Surinder Pal Singh.

Instead of leaving a positive impact on people, the march was reportedly, criticised in many villages and towns of the district.

Nachatar Singh of Goniana said on phone that the police had only wasted the petrol bought out of the public expense. “On the one hand, the police officials grumble about the shortage of staff while on the other it organises flag march where a number of policemen including some senior police officers waste time on such a futile exercise,” he added.

“If one observes those in cavalcade, one only understands that they are going for some picnic. Their display of strength has apparently lost its prominence,” rued Tejinder Singh, a city resident.

“The Bathinda police has recently issued statements over the shortage of petrol in the police lines petrol pump. Where was the need to waste so much petrol on the flag march,” asked Parmil Goyal, a senior citizen.

When contacted, SSP Bathinda Naunihal Singh said, “It was a preventive measure and just to ensure peace in the district.”

About the expenses incurred on petrol, he said, “No estimate has been prepared yet.”

Moga, March 26
Students of the S.K College of Education for Girls, Ghal Kalan - a privately-run institution - under the banner of DIET Students Welfare Association today staged demonstration against the institute for allegedly giving less marks than deserved in internal assessment.

Protest that began at 10 in the morning concluded at 4.30 in the evening but not without their leaders threatening of intensifying protest next morning.

Moga: Students under the banner of ITI Bachao Manch (Save ITI) to register their anguish over the government for privatization of ITIs would ghearo technical minister Swarna Ram at Phagwara at Phagwara on March 29. They carried out protest march here today. — TNS

Bathinda, March 26
The annual meeting of The Retail Chemists Association, Bathinda, was held at civil lines club here where the chief guest, drug inspector Vinay Jindal, instructed all those present to follow the rules and regulations passed by the Drug Department.

The president of the association, Jasveer Singh Mehraj assured the chief guest that if anyone was found guilty of drug selling or peddling, the association would not support him.

At the meeting, the issue of installing air conditioners and opening the fair price shops in the civil hospitals were also discussed at length.

The members present at the meeting alleged that the health department had been issuing orders that could be avoided in the larger interest of the chemists. The meeting was attended by over 100 members.

Bathinda, March 26
In a hit-and-run case, a 12-year-old boy Ramesh got crushed to death under a Punjab roadways bus, bearing number PB11F-9778, outside the Tribune office at Bathinda-Goniana road, here this morning.

The father of the deceased Lala Ram, a scrap picker said that his son had come to market to get food but while crossing the road, he was hit by the bus. Receiving information the civil lines police reached the spot and the activists of the Sahara Jan Seva rushed the body to Civil hospital for postmortem.

The driver of the bus left the bus in the middle of the road and fled. After conducting the postmortem the body was handed over to the bereaved family.

The in charge, civil lines police post said that a case under section 304-A, 279 of the IPC had been registered against the accused driver Harmeet Singh of Faridkot.