Bathinda, January 30
Deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today said that there was nothing anti-national in the Anandpur Sahib resolution. He was interacting with media persons here during his first visit after being inducted as deputy CM. He said the resolution was for benefit of the state and it did not even remotely seek to fan separatism.

Sukhbir said more leaders in other parts of the country have now joined Punjab in seeking more financial powers for the states and the issue would gradually take the shape of a movement.

The deputy CM accused the Congress-led UPA government of discriminating the opposition ruled states, as a result of which the demand for more financial powers to the states has started snowballing.

Punjab was contributing about 65 per cent grains to the country’s food basket, but the price fixed for procurement was a pittance and the peasantry was suffering losses. No steps have been taken by the Centre to revive industry and pull the farmers out of debt.

Sukhbir said a change of government at the Centre was necessary to remove the problems at the state-level.

He accused the UPA government of taking anti-people decisions on the eve of the Lok Sabha elections. The reduction of Rs 5 and Rs 2 per litre in the prices of petrol and diesel respectively was meagre in view of the steep decline in the international price of crude oil. The bonus of Rs 80 announced for farmers was also inadequate. The UPA government was trying to benefit a handful of business houses, he alleged.

The deputy CM said that by next month, the government would formulate a policy to provide uninterrupted power supply to the residents of the areas where thermal power stations were polluting the air with fly ash.

He said the state government would shortly announce its media policy and the public relations department would be overhauled to meet the modern day requirements.

Sukhbir said administrative reforms would be introduced and about 70 services outsourced or privatised by the end of this year to cut procedural wrangles.

Over a dozen Congress and expelled BJP leaders joined the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal during Sukhbir Singh’s visit here.

Bathinda, January 30
As many as 106 persons of the district belonging to the Congress, BJP and BSP joined Shiromani Akali Dal (B) today, in the presence of deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal. Sukhbir also included some expelled members of the BJP, who had contested the recently held BMC polls as independent candidates.

According to the details procured, BMC councillor Rachna Oberoi, who was expelled from the BJP for six years, also joined the SAD (B).

In the list, various office-bearers of the district Congress and the defeated Congress candidates of the BMC polls have been shown as new members of the SAD family.

Further, Congress workers of villages Harraipur, Kahan Singh Wala, Kothe Natha Singh Wala, Guru Ki Nagari and Goniana Kalan switched over to the SAD (B). Various residents of village Ganga (Ablu ki) also stepped in Sukhbir’s party.

Around 10 members of the BSP, including vice-chairman Punjab Budh Singh and vice-president Ashwani also joined the SAD (B).

Bathinda, January 30
Congress MLA Harminder Singh Jassi today accused Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal of misusing the official machinery for improving their SAD’s prospects in the coming Lok Sabha elections.

Jassi, who was talking to media persons here, alleged that certain government officers were pressurising activists of the Congress to join the SAD. He alleged that the SAD leadership was making false promises to the people and these would never be implemented once the elections were over.

The Congress-led UPA government at the centre was providing liberal funds to the Punjab government and even then Parkash Singh Badal was trying to malign the Centre by accusing it of choking grants.

Union minister Ambika Soni had sanctioned a grant of Rs 120 crore for development of the Anandpur Sahib complex and Rs 80 crore for Talwandi Sabo, but Badal was claiming credit for these works, Jassi said.

Funds provided by the Centre for constructing flyovers in Bathinda had been diverted, as a result of which these projects were lying incomplete, he alleged.

Jassi alleged that the law and order situation was grim as the police was always on security duty with one or the other member of the Badal family visiting here every other day.

He said the PSEB was selling electricity to other states, due to which people in Punjab were reeling under long power cuts.

Bathinda, January 30
People in Punjab and other neighbouring states set aside a huge part of their annual income for health expenses, but spend very little on health insurance, according to a survey report released recently.

The survey, jointly carried out by economic research institute the National Council of Applied Economic Research and the Max New York Life Insurance, found that “in Punjab, for an average annual household income of Rs 77,325, the health expenses are Rs 34,729, which is 44.9 per cent of the income”.

“Similarly, in Haryana and Chandigarh, the annual expenses on healthcare are 40.9 per cent and 59.4 per cent of their respective annual household incomes,” Rajender Sud, director and head of agency distribution, Max New York Life Insurance, informed TNS.

The survey covered 342 towns and 2,000 villages across 23 states. The total health insurance penetration in India is only 1.2 per cent whereas in the US, it is 84 per cent of the total population, the report said. Chandigarh ranks third among the 23 states. Punjab and Haryana stood at ninth and 19th places respectively in the health insurance penetration rankings.

“With the growing incidence of diseases due to changing lifestyle, health insurance is recognised as one of the primary protection needs of all the family members. It should be an essential aspect of financial planning of every household,” Sud said.

“According to the World Health Organisation findings, in India, seven persons in every 100 will be diabetic while 21 in every 100 will have blood pressure problems by 2025. By 2010, 60 per cent of the world’s cardiac patients will be Indians. Such facts make the health insurance of utmost importance for every Indian,” he added.

Muktsar/Bathinda, January 30
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today inaugurated three colonies for the homeless people built at a cost of Rs 4 crore in Panjawa, Sikhanwala and Tarnamala villages of his home constituency Lambi. Later, he handed over the keys of 390 houses to the beneficiaries.

Following inauguration, Badal said that though he had launched several big projects in his life but the happiness and satisfaction that he had after inaugurating these colonies was tremendous and much higher than before. The CM also announced small parks, community centres and schools to be established.

Later, he distributed cheques worth Rs 1.36 crore among 381 beneficiaries for construction of their houses and 375 beneficiaries for repairs of their houses.

The CM also handed over the house allotment certificates to 311 beneficiaries from Baazigar community of Mahuana village.

Bathinda, January 30
In the village Behman Jassa Singh case, where five members of Gurjant Singh's family committed suicide by setting themselves ablaze in full view of the police, the National Human Right Commission (NHRC) has issued a fresh notice to the deputy inspector general (DIG), Patiala range, seeking a detailed report by February 13.

The NHRC mentioned in its notice that complainant Ved Parkash Gupta, general secretary of local NGO Punjab Human Right Committee, had alleged that five members had set themselves ablaze in a suicide bid on September 29, 2007, following harassment by the police. Out of them, three members had succumbed to the burns while two others were struggling for life at the PGI, Chandigarh. The two died later.

Gupta had further alleged that higher authorities also tried to distort the case and protect the police officials responsible for violation of human rights. Therefore, the complainant sought NHRC's intervention.

In this regard, the assistant registrar (Law) of the NHRC now sought a reply from the police within the stipulated time frame. Otherwise, the commission may proceed to take such action as it deemed necessary.

Gupta said, "Though the process took long, there is a hope that with the intervention of the NHRC a number of police officials, who allegedly remained callous towards taking action against the guilty cops, would get exposed."

It may be mentioned that in the incident, cops had raided Gurjant's house, when his family members set themselves ablaze in the presence of police. Later, Gurjant, his wife and three of his five daughters succumbed to the injuries. To seek justice for the family, various protests were lodged in the district and a compromise was also reached between the administration and the family.

Moga, January 30
Private bus operators today morning blocked the national highway at the main square here disrupting traffic between Ludhiana and Ferozepur for about three hours. They were protesting against the alleged incident of thrashing of the driver and conductor of a bus here.

As per sources, when a bus bearing registration number PB-10-CE6413 of the Jujhar Bus Service coming from Mohali stopped at the bus stoppage outside the local ITI, few students argued with the conductor and driver for not taking tickets.

The students were of the view that in a recent agreement between the private bus operators and the students unions on the mediation of the district administration it was decided to provide free travel facility to the students in the private buses. Despite this, the driver and conductor of this bus wanted them to take tickets, alleged the students.

The arguments led to heated exchange of words between both the parties and soon it took ugly turn when some students beat-up the driver Sukhjit Singh and conductor Jaggi of the bus.

The situation became tense when the private bus operators started gathering at the main square of the town and they blocked road. The SHO (city) Ram Singh attempted to pacify the bus operators proved futile.

The commuters suffered as traffic was completely paralysed for about three hours.

Later, the DSP (city) Gurmeet Singh succeeded in pacifying them by promising to take action against the students who were involved in the incident.

The bus operators also alleged that policemen deployed outside the ITI failed to protect the driver and conductor. "I have recommended to the SSP to suspend three policemen on duty at the venue of the incident for negligence in duty", said the DSP.

Moga, January 30
Functions were organised by the local administration and educational institutes across the district to spread the message of the father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi, on his 61st death anniversary.

The district magistrate Satwant Singh Johal and his subordinate officials and staff members paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi by observing two-minute silence at his office.

The general secretary of the state unit of Congress Dr Malti Thapar held a function at Dr Shyam Lal Thapar Nursing College in which the local Congress workers, staff members and students of the college participated. — TNS

Abohar: The city Congress president B.L. Nagpal was joined by others in offering floral tributes to the father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi on his Balidan Diwas. Punjab Pradesh Congress Sewa Dal chief organiser, Rajinder Rasrania, was the chief guest at the rally held in the village Patrewala near the Indo-Pak border. — OC

Mansa: Tributes were paid to Mahatma Gandhi. A function was held in the district administrative complex. ADC Ajmer Singh said the principals of Mahatma Gandhi are relevant even today. — OC

Ferozepur, January 30
On the occasion of Leprosy Day, a function was held here at the Anand Dham Ashram. The DC, Megh Raj and other district officials participated.

The DC announced a contribution of Rs one Lakh from the Red Cross Society for the maintenance and development of the ashram.

Hanumangarh/Abohar: A leprosy awareness rally was organised by the students of Gautam Budh Shiksha Sadan in Hanumangarh. The students carrying placards and banners with slogans were aimed at clearing misconceptions on leprosy.

The DC Naveen Jain paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi during a meeting where the officials observed two-minute silence .— OC

Bathinda, January 30
The Northern Railway has decided to divert some trains passing thorough Bathinda for two days – on January 31 and February 1, 2009.

The decision was taken today in view of the construction of the Road Over Bridge at Rohtak yard.

Sources in the railway said that rail traffic on both up and down line will remain blocked for about six hours from 9 am to 3.00 p.m. on January 31 and February 1.

The trains to be affected include the 2481/2482 Sriganganagar-Delhi Intercity Links, the 9023/9024, Ferozepur - Mumbai Central Janta Express and the 4520 Kissan Express, which runs between Bathinda and Delhi.

The 9024 and the 2482 trains have been diverted to run via Jind, Panipat, Sonipat, New Delhi/Delhi during the period. The 4520 will be diverted to run via Bhiwani, Rewari, Delhi Kishanganj and Delhi. The 2481 Delhi-Sriganganagar Intercity Link and the 9023 Mumbai Central-Firozepur Janta Express will be regulated at Rohtak and Abohar stations for 25 minutes and 15 minutes respectively.