Chandigarh, October 30
The Punjab Government has authorised the principals of government colleges and polytechnics to issue the learner’s driving licence to students falling in the district in which the institution is located.

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal cleared a file in this regard today. Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal also supported the proposal, which was mooted by the Reforms Commission to facilitate students.

Secretary, Transport, D. S. Jaspal said that colleges opting for the scheme would need to have Internet connectivity-enabled infrastructure for which software application over the State Wide Area Network (SWAN) would be provided by the NIC. He said this was necessary to ensure that the documents submitted by students and the licences issued by the principals were sent in a specific format to the District Transport Officers (DTOs) concerned so that the information could be used while issuing permanent licences.

Jaspal said Punjab would become the first state in the country to conduct this exercise and said the scheme would be initiated from Government College, Ropar , soon. He said the colleges opting for the scheme would also be involved in road safety activities besides imparting driving lessons to students.

The Transport Secretary said various steps were being taken to make the Transport Department more customer friendly, including allowing dealers to issue registration cards and computerising the DTOs’ offices. He said Punjab would be the second state after Delhi to allow dealers to issue registration certificates (RCs).

He said dealers could purchase lots of numbers from the Transport Department and offer these to clients. VIP numbers would, however, be retained by the department and auctioned as earlier. The second stage of the scheme, which was likely to get the Chief Minister’s nod soon, envisaged putting all numbers on the Internet so that customers could choose the numbers themselves and make payments online. “This is being done as dealers are wary of paying in advance to purchase numbers from the department”, he added.

Jaspal said the DTOs’ offices would be computerised under a central scheme to create a State Data Register. “The DTOs’ offices will then be connected statewide so that the state as well as the National Register are available at the click of a button”. The officer said the move would make the transfer of registrations a lot easier besides bringing about transparency in the working of these offices.

Jalandhar, October 30
Has Punjab lost its case for the nuclear power plant? It appears to be so. Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) has reportedly approved the setting up of a nuclear power plant (NPP) of 1400 MW ( 2X700) at Kumharia village in Haryana’s Fatehabad district, but it is not very far from the Daruli village, near Patran in Patiala district, which was selected earlier by Punjab for setting up the NPP.

Setting up of the two NPPs at a short distance from one another may not be encouraged by the Union government, especially, in this border region. Obviously, the NPP in Haryana would be set up with most modern technology available because of its high capacity. Normally NPPs with a capacity of 220 MW( each unit) or 500 MW( each unit) are installed. Last week, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had urged the Centre to set up one boiling water reactor-based NPP in the state. In Parliament, Badal’s party had opposed the nuclear deal with the US.

Dr HS Virk, a nuclear physicist and director, research in the local DAV Institute of Engineering and Technology, who was a member of the NPP site selection committee set up by the state government in June, 2000, said, “I am doubtful that now the Centre would allocate NPP to the state when it has already given one to Haryana”.

It was because of the political dithering on the part of the SAD-BJP government in the recent past and even earlier, the state may never get a NPP, which is desperately required to cope with the growing demand for power. Dr Virk said the site selection committee had selected Daruli village, which was otherwise named as Patran site, for setting up the NPP in 2000.

The committee held several meetings from June to December, 2000, to screen the Patran site and to find out that whether it qualifies on the basis of conditions laid down by the NPCIL. The site was found perfectly in order. On October 23, 2000, Badal, wrote a demi official letter to the then Prime Minister AB Vajpayee to give top priority to set up NPP at the Patran site.

Pathankot, October 30
Taking a U-turn from his earlier stance, Air Chief Marshal P.V. Naik today categorically stated that the armed forces should not be used for internal security matters of the country.

Naik was one of the chiefs of the armed forces who had reportedly sought permission from the government to strike against the Maoists a few weeks ago, which was denied to him.

“I am of the firm opinion that armed forces should not be involved in the internal security matters,” said Air Chief Marshal Naik while interacting with mediapersons here today after concluding his two-day visit to this forward military air base.

“Services, including Army, Air Force and Navy, are trained for lethal damage to cause maximum damage, and hence should not be involved in internal security matters. We should be allowed to play a supportive role for the paramilitary forces and should not be used for direct attacks,” pointed out the chief of the IAF.

Naik said China was not a cause of worry for India. While refusing to draw a comparison between the worthiness and capabilities of the IAF and the Chinese air force, especially when news in connection with border activities of China armed forces has been pouring in, he said, “ chinta ki koi baat nahi hai”.

He, however, said that there was a strong and immediate need for expanding and upgrading the air force gadgets, weaponry and other related things so it was able to meet the aspirations of the country.

The induction of Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) and Russian air-to-air refueller IL-78s and plan to acquire c-103 and c-17 aircraft would add edge to the already well-equipped air force, he claimed. On his comments over the acquisition of fighter aircraft of latest versions from the US by Pakistan, Naik said Pakistan was a sovereign country and, hence, India was not supposed to interfere in its matter.

“We are going to develop the fifth-generation fighter aircraft and multi-role transport aircraft with Russia and acquire helicopters, including VVIP helicopters, medium lift and light helicopters,” he said.

Jalandhar, October 30
The issue of giving drought package to Punjab figured informally at the Union Cabinet meeting last evening.

Official sources said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh himself raised the issue, asking his cabinet colleagues that the states which spent money to save their crops from the onslaught of drought and contributed foodgrains in substantial quantity in the national pool should be compensated and helped financially.

The Punjab Government wanted that the Union Government should give it Rs 1440 crore as drought package. Backing its case with facts and figures, the government has told the Union Government that it diverted 3,552 million units of electricity to agriculture sector during the peak summer months to save paddy crop from drought-like conditions.

At Rs 4 per unit, the cost of diverted power had been calculated to be Rs 1,440 crore.

During a recent visit, Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar had indicated that Punjab and Haryana might be given some drought package. Sources said at the Cabinet meeting yesterday Pawar also supported the package for Punjab.

Punjab has assured to give 88 lakh tonnes of rice to the central pool at a time when the country is faced with negative growth in the agriculture sector.

Sources said the PM had directed Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia to find how states like Punjab could be compensated financially for the money spent by these to save crops and for making huge contribution to the national pool.

Sources said Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal would contact Ahluwalia in this regard either tonight or tomorrow.

Amritsar, October 30
Amidst confusion over fate of PAU-201 rice variety in the state markets, the Punjab Food and Civil Supplies Department has lodged its protest with the Union Agriculture Ministry over the way the ministry’s teams of experts went on to collect samples from paddy fields alone and not from mandis.

In order to get the allegations that the variety was coming out with much more than the stipulated 5 per cent damage and discolouration of the grains, Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar had directed for formation of the teams of experts, comprising of experts from the Union Agriculture Ministry, the Punjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana and Krishi Vigyan Kendra.

According to proceedings of a meeting chaired by Pawar in New Delhi on October 27, the teams were required to collect samples both from the fields and mandis of the state with an objective to assess the real picture pertaining to quantum of damage and discolouration.

“The proceedings of the New Delhi meeting clearly say that the samples should be taken both from fields and the mandis, but things went otherwise,” said a Punjab Food and Civil Supplies Department official.

The Punjab Agriculture Department, it was learnt, had pitched in favour of the PAU-201 rice variety citing its advantages like its cooking quality, less water intake and lesser maturity period. The two of the deputy directors of the department posted at Patiala and Ferozepur have even gone to the extent of lodging their protest in black and white against the way the samples have been collected by the expert teams just from fields and not from the mandis. “The selective collection of the samples might not give fair results,” said a department official.

Jagraon, October 30
To take on the rampant drug menace, religious leaders, politicians, police, panchayats of several villages, writers and singers came up together and gave a clarion call to youths to get over drugs. They appealed to masses not to get their future eclipsed by narcotics.

Religious heads of Nanaksar Kaleran sect, including Baba Ghala Singh and Baba Lakha Singh, authors like Gurbhajan Gill, singer Harbhajan Mann were among the guest’s present at the sect’s gurdwara here today.

Launched at the instance of HS Chahal, SSP, rural police, the campaign took off to a start with villagers and schoolchildren listening to speakers urging upon them to stay away from drugs.

‘‘Drugs have taken away the strength of Punjab. Let us all take a pledge to say no to these substances for the first time”, said SSP Chahal.

Religious leaders also said the future of the country to be healthy so that they could restore the state its lost glory.

Harbhajan Mann, in his address, also asked to youths to work hard. ‘‘If you dream then you should have the courage to realise them also. We Punjabis are known for our strength and we should not be known as druggies as the trend is fast catching up”, he added.

‘‘At least 60 per cent households in the state have a drug addict each. The families are concerned as they are losing their dear ones gradually.

Seven college-going boys out of 10 and 3 girls out of 10 are taking drugs”, said DIG Dr Sharad Satya Chauhan, while quoting latest facts.

The gathering saw villagers from all parts of the district and school children from nearby areas. All present raised hands in unison and took an oath to say no to drugs.

Amritsar, October 30
Decks have finally been cleared for the SGPC with the Union Ministries for Home and External Affairs clearing a list of over 1,000-member Sikh jatha after much haggling and with pilgrims finally starting to attain Pakistan visas to participate in Guru Nanak Dev’s birthday celebrations.

The pilgrims have been asked by the SGPC authorities to gather at its headquarters at 9 am tomorrow from where they will for Pakistan. The visas, it was learnt, are valid till November 6.

Earlier, there were 1,360 applicants, but over 300 scrapped their plans after the Union Home Ministry issued an advisory, asking them not to visit Pakistan for poor law and order situation.

A 165-member Sikh jatha organised by the Khadoor Sahib-based Baba Sewa Singh of Kar Sewa Wale had left for Pakistan on Thursday while another jatha of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee had managed to obtain an early clearance from the ministry.

Irked over an “indifferent treatment” meted out to them, the SGPC authorities had accused the Home Ministry of pursuing the policy of discrimination against it.

SGPC chief Avtar Singh had alleged that the ministry had subjected the SGPC to such a treatment for the second time in the past one year.

The SGPC had rushed its teams to Delhi to take up the case up with the Home Ministry. The jatha, it was learnt, was earlier scheduled to leave for Pakistan on October 28.

“Our teams are in the Embassy and they have reported that visas were being issued to the pilgrims,” said Bhai Ram Singh, a senior SGPC official, adding that the list of pilgrims had been forwarded to the Pakistani authorities by the Union Ministry for External Affairs after its clearance by the Home Ministry.

Ludhiana, October 30
The Excise and Taxation Department has unearthed that traders across the state in order to claim income tax credit and refund have presented bogus turnovers of an estimated Rs 20,000 crore.Nearly 60 per cent of the firms showing bogus turnover are from Ludhiana.

Officials in the department said while the VAT registration of 150 firms had been cancelled from Ludhiana, the department was suspecting 350 more firms. Notices had been issued to 1,700 firms, which had done dealings with the bogus firms, to prove evidence of genuine purchase.Other firms are from Mandi Gobindgarh, Jalandhar, Patiala and Sangrur, which deal in iron and scrap.

A source said these firms were showing bogus billing and claiming refunds and income tax credit. “Genuine traders are suffering due to this, as their refunds will be delayed due to the scrutiny by the department,” the source added. If someone claims refund and income tax credit, he has to pay 200 per cent penalty if the claim found to be false. The department is tightening noose around such traders and efforts are on to unearth more bogus firms. Traders are finding themselves in a fix and some even went to deposit their VAT return. However, the department will accept it only after the probe is over.

Patiala, October 30
A two-day ‘National Seminar on Folklore Studies: A Global Perspective’ in collaboration with the Punjabi Academy, Delhi, was organised in Khalsa College here today.

Dr Gautam Sharma Viathit, Folklore Scholar, Dharamshala, was the chief guest in the seminar. He emphasised on the analysis of folklore, adding that it was a medium that bound the world in this era of globalisation. Principal of the college Dr Dharminder Singh Ubha stressed on the need to check distortion and to encourage development in the fields of folklore, folk culture and folk tradition.

Dr Chandan Prakash Dewal, founder, Rajasthani Languages, Folk Literature and Folk Movement, in his presidential address, said that folklore had originated right from the birth of primitive man.

Dr Satinder Singh Noor, professor of eminence, vice-president, Sahit Academy, Delhi, focused on the changing viewpoint regarding folklore among people. Interpretations of folklore had changed as a result of colonisation, he added. He said that our study should be focused on the development in the motives of folklore while analysing its aspects.

Dr Rewal Singh, Secretary, Punjabi Academy, Delhi was the special guest. He discussed various research methodologies and research areas regarding folklore. 

Jalandhar, October 30
The Punjab Government today released Rs 8 crore for disbursement as scholarships among students belonging to minorities such as Sikhs, Muslims, Christians and others in the state. Of Rs 8 crore, a large share is of the Union Government which had paid it to the state government during the last fiscal year. However, as the state government did not release the money to the Social Welfare Department, it could not be disbursed among the eligible students during the last fiscal year.

Nearly 52,000 students will benefit following the release of the money. Sources said the Union Government had warned the state government authorities that it would not release the money for the current fiscal year if the amount meant to be disbursed last year was not released by the state treasury.

Meanwhile, as compared to last year, this year the scholarship schemes meant for students of minorities in the country have got an overwhelming response in the state. Sources said this year more than 2 lakh applications were received from students for scholarships under three schemes started by the Union Government in this regard. Punjab’s quota of pre-matriculation students is 1.77 lakh and post-matriculation 20,187. The quota under the merit and means scheme is 1,617 students.

“ We are hopeful that students will get in all about Rs 30 crore this year in Punjab from the Union Government under the schemes meant for students from the minorities. On an average each student will get Rs 500 per month and about 2 lakh students will benefit”, said an officer of the state government. The full fee would be reimbursed in the case of students of minorities studying in the institutions notified by the Union Government.

Chandigarh, October 30
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today directed the setting up of a committee headed by Punjab chief secretary to examine the feasibility of constructing a building for housing all the tribunals and commissions of the state at one place in Chandigarh, or else Mohali.

The other members of the commission would include the finance and the housing and urban development secretaries. The directions came on a petition filed in public interest and follows a proposal by Punjab advocate-general Hardev Singh Mattewal.

In a PIL, advocate HC Arora had sought directions for adequate infrastructural and other facilities for Punjab Education Tribunal. The Bench of Chief Justice Tirath Singh Thakur and Justice Mahesh Grover also directed the committee to take up with the Chandigarh Administration the issue of constructing more floors at the proposed building of Punjab State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Sector 37 here.