Jalandhar, February 13
Principal adviser to the Confederation of Industries (CII) Dr Y.S. Rajan today told the passouts of Punjab Technical University (PTU) that they should not panic because of fewer job opportunities and lower pay packages.

“Even in times of an economic slowdown, you have a chance to make it big,” he addressed the students donning the role of a guide and a former vice-chancellor of PTU during PTU convocation at its new campus on Jalandhar-Kapurthala Road. “The economic meltdown has affected the developed countries but the situation is not as grim in India,” he tried to pep them up.

“Look around and there are ample opportunities in every emerging field. There is a growing need of technocrats in bio-processing industries for formulating new bio-products, functional food and value addition; management of waste water and solid waste management; creative industry like cinema, arts and music; delivering health care system at doorsteps through mobile hospitals; and protection against terrorism by devising better surveillance methods and financial tracking,” he discussed newer areas.

“Entrepreneurship and teaching options have always helped. The chances still are bright in education sector because of growing number of professional colleges and universities,” he told them.

Dr Rajan also called for imparting autonomy to educational institutes. “Give them the freedom to expand, adapt and excel. It is my appeal to the policy makers, social and legal community to empower the educational institutes with autonomy. I know this since I was with the ISRO, which is an autonomous body and has been doing so well,” he laid stress.

Nearly 275 students received their degrees, medals and merit certificates. The awardees included eight PhD passouts, 19 from M.Tech, five M.Pharma and the rest including B.Tech, BE, B.Pharmacy, BBA, BCA, BSc (hotel management), BSc (IT), MBA, MCA, MBA (IT), MSc and BSc (airhostess training). Gen S.F. Rodrigues (retd), Punjab governor, presided over the function

Jalandhar, February 13
PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry chairman S.C. Bargodia today called for reduction in the income tax for the common people so that they had enough money in hands for spending on consumer goods which, in turn, could benefit the industry currently undergoing a financial crunch.

Bargodia said the proposal had already been mooted by the chamber in the pre-Budget memorandum presented to the Union government.

“We hope that the government introduces policies that will bail the industrialists out of the grim situation and stabilise the economy.

Our fingers are crossed till Monday when the interim Budget gets introduced,” he said shortly after the convocation function of PTU on the Jalandhar-Kapurthala road.

“The Indian industry is getting badly hit. There have been sizable number of lay-offs. The gems and jewellery industry has seen a lay-off of 4 to 4.5 per cent. The textile industry, which I represent, has seen 1.4 per cent retrenchment. The figure may seem low but it implies that five lakh people of the total 3.5 crore people employed with the textile units have lost their jobs,” he revealed.

The chairman called upon the Punjab government to make provisions for better infrastructure in the state to encourage investment. The government should have a land bank to provide affordable land to the industry. “If an acre comes for Rs 4 crore, who will come here. Also if there are power cuts for two to three days a week, which industry would want to venture in the state,” he questioned.

Earlier, he delivered the convocation address telling the neo-technocrats that the national dream of touching the double-digit GDP growth could only be achieved by the entrepreneurship. “Advances in materials, computation power, software development and manufacturing processes are required to keep a pace in the highly competitive world,” he told them.

“Most economists predict that the economy will decline at least till the middle of 2009, while some think that it could even last longer. By any measure, the current downturn is steep, long and turbulent. Don’t be disheartened. Downturns give entrepreneurs a chance to innovate. Still infrastructure, retail, agro-based sector and manufacturing are the areas with maximum potential,” he suggested.

Hoshiarpur, February 13
With the efforts of minister for medical education and research, forest, parliamentary affairs and wildlife Tikshan Sud, a long-pending demand of the residents of the town for constructing a bridge on the Bhangi choe at local Gaushala Bazaar is going to be fulfilled soon.

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal laid the foundation stone of the bridge by replacing the existing single lane unsafe bridge during his visit here on February 11. He has provided Rs 5.70 crore from the Punjab Infrastructure Development Fund. The provincial division of the PWD (B&R) would execute the project.

The Gaushala Bazaar bridge on the Bhangi choe was damaged in the 1988 floods and was declared unsafe for heavy vehicles. Only two-wheelers were allowed on it.

Residents of the town approached their local MLAs and MPs for constructing a new bridge, but all their efforts were of no avail.

PWD (B&R) provincial division executive engineer Ramtesh Singh Bains told The Tribune that the construction of six-span, 10-metre wide and 90-metre long bridge would be started next month.

Jalandhar, February 13
Holding Nokia India Private Limited and its Jalandhar-based Nokia Care Centre and Mobile Clinic responsible for providing deficient service, the District Consumers Disputes Redressal Forum has not only ordered the company to replace the Nokia 6265 mobile phone set of Jalandhar resident Dr Gopal Sharma but has also slapped a compensation of Rs 1,000 along with refund of service charges of Rs 1,200 on the company and its service centre.

Dr Sharma, a resident of Defence Colony, had alleged in his complaint that his Nokia 6265 mobile phone set purchased on November 29, 2006, for Rs 15,999 developed some snags like screen going blank and not displaying the contact names properly. He deposited the phone set with Nokia Care Centre on November 27, 2007, along with service job sheet. He was shocked to know that Nokia Care Centre took Rs 1,200 from him as service charges despite the mobile set being within the warranty period. He alleged the act amounted to illegal trade practice and sought replacement of the phone set along with refund of Rs 1,200. After hearing the arguments, forum president A.K. Sharma and member Surinder Mittal directed Nokia India Private Limited and Nokia Care Centre to replace the phone set of the complainant and refund him Rs 1,200 along with Rs 1,000 as compensation. — TNS

Pathankot, February 13
All-India Anti-Terrorist Front (AIATF) chairman Maninderjit Singh Bitta has urged the Union government to snap all diplomatic relations with Pakistan and adhere to its stand that Pakistan should first smash the terrorist training camps and stop sponsoring terrorist activities in India.

Stating this here yesterday, Bitta said the government should not show any softness towards Pakistan. The government should also break all ties with Pakistan involving trade, cultural activities and sports, besides road and railway links, he added.

He said India had missed an opportunity to smash the terrorist training camps in Pakistan on the day Mumbai was attacked. Bitta suggested that the upcoming Lok Sabha elections should be delayed for one year so that the government could focus its consideration to end the terrorist outfits whether they were in Pakistan or Bangladesh.

Jalandhar, February 13
Allegedly facing harassment at the hands of companies and their managerial staff, members of the Jalandhar Electrical Merchants Association have been crying foul.

The electrical merchants alleged here today that the managerial staff of the companies were supplying them electrical goods without seeking their demand. Moreover, they had been getting the blank cheques encashed which had been kept with the companies since the time of contract deal, they alleged.

Association vice-presidents Varinder Kumar Midda and Tajinder Singh Bhatia demanded a CBI enquiry against the managerial staff of the companies who had not only been harassing the dealers but also cheating the companies of crores of rupees. The association said the companies had been evading taxes, causing huge losses to the state exchequer.