Hoshiarpur, March 9
Though the Union Government launched the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana for providing free medical treatment to the families living below poverty line (BPL) in the state in government and private health institutions in collaboration with the Punjab Government during 2009-10, but due to lack of awareness, out of 13,215 BPL families having smart cards, only 129 beneficiaries have applied for cumulative claim amount of Rs 5,24,200 from July 1, 2009, till date.

According to official sources, out of 21,710 (18,541 rural and 3,169 urban) BPL families, smart card of 13,215 had been prepared.

According to the Civil Surgeon, Dr S.K. Gupta, the Union Government has to contribute Rs 750 as an annual premium for a family whereas the state government Rs 220 and a card holder Rs 30 as their share of premium. Three members of each smart card holder family could get themselves medically treated for sum up to Rs 30,000 annually. As many as 12 government and three private hospitals have been earmarked for providing medical treatment under the scheme in the district.

As many as 13,215 smart card holders had been insured under the scheme for which premium of Rs 74,72,125 of the Central Government share and Rs 24,46,625 of the state government in addition to Rs 3,96,750 contribution from beneficiaries had been given to the United Insurance Company, Chandigarh branch, to cover them under the scheme.

On account of unawareness about the scheme, only 129 beneficiaries had applied for claim from July 1, 2009, till date. The validity of the scheme is March 31, 2010.

Instead of beneficiaries, the insurance company was being benefited from the scheme.

Deputy Commissioner Megh Raj said the registration of BPL families for issuing smart cards for the year 2010-11 had been launched at the office of the Municipal Council here today.

One centre covering five wards of the city would be set up with the cooperation of the District Development and Panchayat Office and Health Department.

Similarly, a centre for five villages would be constituted for which services of the Block Development and Panchayat Officer in rural areas would be taken. Smart card would be prepared through Medsave Health Care (TPA) Limited.

While preparing smart cards, BPL families would be made aware of the scheme so that maximum number of people should get benefit.

Kapurthala, March 9
The Punjab government has issued a show-cause notice to convicted Congress councillor Namdev Arora asking him why he shouldn’t be removed from his post. In the show-cause notice issued by the Principal Secretary of the Local Bodies Department on March 4, the Congress councillor from Ward 8 has been asked to submit his reply within three weeks of the issuance of the notice.

Earlier, the Municipal Council recommended to remove Namdev Arora from the post of the councillor after taking action against him under section 16 of the Punjab Municipal Act, 1911, (amended in 1994).

The recommendation regarding Arora’s removal was made on the basis of a complaint filed by local SAD leader Harbans Singh Walia of Mansoorwal Dona village.

In his complaint submitted to the Local Bodies Department last year, Walia demanded Arora’s removal from the post of councillor on the grounds of alleged moral turpitude and for concealing facts in the nomination papers filed by him on June 17, 2008, for the MC elections, regarding the registration of a criminal case against him, under different sections, on March 10, 2003.

Stating that his nomination papers were liable to be rejected for concealing facts, Walia stated that Arora had been convicted and sentenced to three-year imprisonment by the special CBI court in Patiala on May 14 last year in connection with the FIR registered against him seven years back under sections 420, 468 and 120-B of the IPC (read with section 13 (1) and 13 (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act).

Walia stated another FIR under section 31 of the Representation of People’s Act and sections 420 and 120-B of the IPC for having prepared two voters ID cards in different constituencies were registered against him.

After getting the complaint, Principal Secretary, Local Bodies Department, sent it to the Deputy Director of the department, Jalandhar, who, in turn, sent it to the Executive Officer, Municipal Council, Kapurthala, for his comments.

The show-cause notice stated that the EO wrote to Namdev Arora to reply on the allegations levelled by Walia but he could not give any clear answer, following which the council recommended his removal from the post.

Pathankot, March 9
A regional kisan mela organised by the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) was held at Institute of Agriculture, Gurdaspur, 40 km from here today. Dr Manjit Singh Kang, Vice-Chancellor of PAU, while inaugurating the mela said the university had been working on different crops other than wheat and rice.

The PAU had also developed as many as 40 new improved crop varieties during the past two years and has recommended relevant production and protection technologies.

He said that efforts were being made to strengthen the Institute of Agriculture by upgrading the two year diploma course to four year degree programme.

He praised the role of Punjab farmers and the PAU in making the state to contribute substantially toward national pool of food grain reserves.

He urged the farmers to develop reading farm literature, a habit and to have their own library at home. He suggested the farmers to put their farming on scientific lines.

He appealed the farmers to encourage their matriculate children to seek admission in BSc (Agri Hons) six-year programme and BSc (Home Science) six-year programme at the PAU.

Dr B.S. Boparai, a member of PAU Board of Management, said economy of the nation greatly depends on agriculture as two-third population was engaged in farming. He emphasised on reducing undue expenditure using green maturing in fields and using water without wastage.

Hardiayal Singh Gajnipur, another board member, said all should make efforts to conserve natural resources. He stressed on the involvement of women in the development of agricultural communities.

Dr MS Gill, Director of Extension Education, PAU, said a plant health clinic (PHC) would be set up at Gurdaspur in the current financial year, which would provide services like seed sale, soil and water testing disease, pest diagnosis etc.