The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	‘Growth needs leadership’ Faculty development programme concludes Kulwinder Sandhu Tribune News Service Moga, November 17 A 10-day faculty development programme was held at Government Polytechnic College, sponsored by the department of science and technology and EDII Ahmedabad with the help of regional centre for entrepreneurship development, Chandigarh. The programme concluded at Guru Teg Bahadurgarh in Moga district, today. It aimed at improving skills, knowledge and competencies that were essential for the effective initiation of entrepreneurship development activities. It covered vital areas like entrepreneurial concepts, development methodologies and strategies; achievement motivation and training, project identification techniques, project feasibility analysis and steps involved in starting small enterprises. The programme was organized to train the teachers and faculty members of polytechnic and engineering colleges in the field of entrepreneurship development to understand the importance of self-employment, who would further motivate the students in this field. Principal HP Singh asked the participating teachers to inspire students for entrepreneurship, particularly food processing, which has a great market potential in the country. Paramjit Singh, principal consultant of regional centre for entrepreneurship development, gave details about basics of entrepreneurship and its need in this era of increasing unemployment. Dr DR Vij discussed about communication skills in a very interesting way. Dr Manish Bansal, a senior faculty member in the MIMIT Malout, discussed about the role of marketing in entrepreneurship. Ramesh Kumar Gupta, senior manager, SBI Bathinda, gave details of various loan schemes available for setting up own ventures. The details on Prime Minister Employment Generation Programme were also given to the participants under which loan up to Rs 25 lakh with subsidy is available to start new business. RC Chopra, director in the Union Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises discussed the qualities required for becoming a successful entrepreneur. The experts were of the view that entrepreneurship is the backbone of economic development and that the level of economic growth of a region to a large extent depends on the level of entrepreneurial activities in the region.
	Man murdered, family members under scanner Rajay Deep Tribune News Service Bathinda, November 17 In the blind murder case of a 60-year-old man of Gidder village, police has reportedly rounded up his son and daughter-in-law along with two contract killers, a woman and two others. As per the details gathered, Makhan Singh of Gidder village, who was killed, was on way to his village in the evening of November 10, when two unidentified persons opened fire at him twice, which hit him in his neck. Presuming him to be dead, the shooters fled from the spot. It is learnt that three such attacks had taken place on him earlier also. This time, considering it to be a robbery attempt, police registered a case for attempt to murder and robbery bid. Makhan was taken to the Civil Hospital in Bathinda, from where he was then referred to the DMCH at Ludhiana. Meanwhile, police started investigating the case. Contemplating the role of his son, Hakam Singh, in the murder attempt, police called him from DMCH Ludhiana and began his interrogation. During the interrogation, police tried to find out the role of Hakam and his wife along with two contract shooters of Bagha Purana, a woman of Burj Tharod who reportedly practised witchcraft and an agricultural helper of the family and his wife. Acting upon the clues, police rounded up all the accused and started grilling them. Meanwhile, Makhan Singh succumbed to his injury on Monday evening at Ludhiana, from where the body was taken to the Nathana police station in the early hours this morning. With immediate effect, police added section 302 (murder) in the already registered case without mentioning the names of the accused. Meanwhile, the kin of the deceased talking to the media at the Civil Hospital in Bathinda and at Gidder village said Makhan had some problem with his son and daughter-in-law. The issue snowballed when he asked the mother of his daughter-in-law to steer clear of their family affair. They added that the deceased was financially well off as he had about 40 acres of agricultural land, two tractors and about seven milch cattle. He was said to be a tight-fisted which reportedly irked his daughter-in-law. Speaking further, they said that one of their helpers and his wife arranged their meeting with the woman who practised witchcraft, who upon receiving Rs 40,000, arranged their meeting with the shooters from Bagha Purana, who killed Makhan reportedly for Rs 2 lakh. They said that all the accused were believed to be in police custody. Refusing to divulge details of the case, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Bathinda, Ashish Chaudhary said, “We are investigating the case in detail. As of now, the case is still against unknown persons. The weapon used in crime is yet to be recovered, and we are hopeful of recovering it soon. Before it is seized, we cannot provide any detail to the media.”
	DCs to weed out ineligible pensioners Sushil Goyal Tribune News Service Bathinda, November 17 After receiving complaints from various quarters that a large number of ineligible persons (elderly persons, widow/destitute women, disabled persons, dependent children) are getting old age pension or financial assistance to the tune of Rs 250 per month through the Social Security Department in Punjab, the state government has started process to identify such ineligible pensioners/beneficiaries by asking the deputy commissioners (DC) in the state to conduct inquiries in this direction. The inquiry will cover those pensioners/beneficiaries of financial assistance whose cases have been sanctioned from September 1, 2002 till now. According to information available, the Punjab Chief Secretary had written to the DCs in the last week of October to get the inquiries conducted to identify the ineligible old-age pensioners and beneficiaries of financial assistance by November 5. Stating that the stipulated time was too little to complete the inquiries, the offices of district social security officers are of the view that the state government should extend the period for at least two months as the wheat sowing season is in progress due to which many beneficiaries may not be available at their houses, especially in villages, for inquiry. Sources said that the inquiry committees under the chairmanship of sub-divisional magistrates (SDMs) would probe a lakhs of cases to detect the ineligible ones. The government had also issued instructions that no employee from the rural development department would be sent for inquiry in villages. Likewise, no employee of a municipal council would be sent for inquiry in cities. After the completion of inquiries, the SDMs will submit lists of eligible and ineligible pensioners to the DCs, who will then forward those to the state government for further necessary action. It is learnt that on the basis of inquiry reports the names of ineligible pensioners will be deleted from the lists of beneficiaries (pensioners). According to information, the exercise to identify the ineligible pensioners and beneficiaries of financial assistance has already begun in Bathinda district. The SDMs are forming inquiry committees to identify the ineligible cases. Though there are over 91,000 pensioners and beneficiaries of financial assistance in Bathinda district, but it is expected that about 40,000 pensioners, whose cases have been sanctioned in the district since September 2002, will become part of the inquiry process.
	Youth willing to rehabilitate sex workers: Dera chief Raj Sadosh Sriganganagar/Abohar, Novomber 17 About 300 youths have submitted their biodata and expressed their willingness to marry sex workers during the last five days, claimed Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh. Speaking on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of Shri Gurusar Trophy kabaddi tournament in his native village Gurusar Modian on Tuesday, the Dera chief said, “The campaign to rehabilitate sex workers has been planned keeping in mind all pros and cons. We will perform as guardians of the rescued workers. They will be examined and treated by medical specialists before arranging marriages. We will ensure that the youths coming forward to marry such girls don't face social insecurity. We plan to develop a housing colony for them besides providing vocational training for respectful jobs to enable them earn their livelihood.” Elaborating another Dera plan for rehabilitation of eunuchs, he informed that a team of Dera followers had been sent to their national conference in Uttar Pradesh. “The Dera has offered to get HIV victims, if any, treated besides adopting others for the rehabilitation plan under which they will be educated and made eligible for self-employment schemes. The Dera followers have widely appreciated these projects and were offering all out cooperation.” Earlier, while inaugurating the tournaments, the Dera chief made a strong plea for promoting rural sports asserting that this will help in keeping the youths away from drugs. Games like kabaddi need no kit or expenses. Hundreds of students and several thousand devotees accorded a rousing reception to the Dera chief who arrived for a four-day stay. The students carried placards that read, "Papa Ji we love you", "Come soon to our hostel" while women took out "Jago". Elaborate security arrangements were made by the district administration by deploying more than 400 cops. Dera spokesman Gopal Insan said the winners in the circle kabaddi will get a trophy along with Rs 25,000 in cash while a Rs 20,000 cash prize will be given to the runners-up. In the national kabaddi, the winners are to be honoured with a trophy plus Rs 15,000 while a Rs 10,000 prize has been fixed for the runners-up. The tournament will conclude tomorrow. In the opening match, Meet Kabaddi Academy team defeated Tushar Club of Haryana. The Dera chief will address a congregation on November 19. Hundreds of volunteers are working round-the-clock to set up a pandal spread over 25 acres of land in Gurusar Modian. Welcome arches have been installed all over the route. Trainee IPS officer Dr Ravi Sharma, DSP Rajan Dushyant and executive magistrate Rajinder Meena are camping in the village.
	Rich tributes paid to Kartar Singh Sarabha Tribune News Service Moga, November 17 The All India Youth Federation paid glowing tributes to Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha on his martyrdom day here, today. The members remembered his laudable contribution and the supreme sacrifice and held a huge conference on the occasion. Federation president Prithipal Singh said he was one of the youngest martyrs of the freedom movement. He said it was the duty of today's youth to follow the ideology of Sarabha. He stressed upon the need to raise minimum wages of the labour class at a time when prices of essential commodities were rising. He said that the government should immediately stop discrimination against women. He announced that working women from across the nation would protest outside Parliament in New Delhi on December 4 against this discrimination. Jagroop Singh, chief adviser of the NREGA labourers union, demanded that instead of giving 100-day job, this scheme should be extended to at least 200-day job. State president of the federation, Kashmir Singh, state president of AISF Paramjit Singh Dhaban, general secretary of the Naujwan Sabha, Kuldip Singh Bhola, general secretary of the state government transport workers union Gurmail Singh, activists of the young women association Narinder Kaur Sohal and others also participated in the rally.