B A T H I N D A    E D I T I O N

Cong to hold protests against Manpreet, kin
Bathinda, March 13
The Congress leadership of Muktsar district announced to start a series of protests against finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal and his brother-in-law. The first protest in the series would be held at Gidderbaha, the home turf of the finance minister, on March 25.

IFFCO plans to launch crop insurance scheme
Abohar, March 13
Blaming the manufacturers of synthetic milk and khoya for misusing urea fertilizer, the IFFCO chairman Surinder Kumar Jakhar urged the state government to check the unfair trade with heavy hands. 

Anti-encroachment drive
Bathinda, March 13
The civil administration today demolished four structures located on Multanina road to remove the encroachment on the land falling under the approved ring road phase-II.

Cong to hold protests against Manpreet, kin
Rajay Deep
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, March 13
The Congress leadership of Muktsar district announced to start a series of protests against finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal and his brother-in-law. The first protest in the series would be held at Gidderbaha, the home turf of the finance minister, on March 25.

In a press meet here today, the senior party leaders, including district president Gursant Singh Brar and two ex-MLAs Chaudhary Nathu Ram and Raghbir Pardhan, alleged that a number of “false” criminal cases were registered against Congress activists.

The Congress leaders gave an ultimatum to the state government to either cancel the false cases within 10 days or face gherao and other types of agitation. They accused the minister and his brother-in-law Jai Jeet Singh Johal ‘Jojo’ of using the police and civil administration as tools to settle scores with their political and personal rivals.

“We took up the matter with senior police officials a number of times but they suggested us to get the investigation of their cases transferred to some other district, as they were helpless,” claimed the leaders.

Showing a copy of an FIR registered against Congress activist Ninder Kumar, district president Gursant Singh Brar alleged that the case was registered under political pressure as the address of the woman, who had reportedly accused Ninder of raping her, could not be located till date. Moreover, the sarpanch of the village also gave in writing that neither the woman nor her husband and father-in-law lived in village.

“More than 100 Congress activists have been falsely implicated in such criminal cases,” they alleged.

Criticising Jai Jeet Singh, senior Congress leaders Sant Singh Brar, Harcharan Singh Sotha, Gurmeet Singh Khuddian and Ranjit Singh said, “Enjoying the patronage of the minister, he has become a dictating authority in government offices of Gidderbaha.”

Recalling a recent incident when truck union president Rashpal Singh allegedly brandished a pistol in a court, used derogatory language against the female judge and had fled, the leaders alleged, “The police is trying to shield him as he is a close associate of Manpreet. In the recovery details, the cops showed the pistol flaunted in the court as a toy.”

IFFCO plans to launch crop insurance scheme
Our Correspondent

Abohar, March 13
Blaming the manufacturers of synthetic milk and khoya for misusing urea fertilizer, the IFFCO chairman Surinder Kumar Jakhar urged the state government to check the unfair trade with heavy hands. 

Speaking to media on the sidelines of the 4th free eye check-up camp organised by the organisation in village Danewala Satkosi of this sub- division on Saturday, he said the Central government had maintained substantial subsidy on fertilisers for the benefit of farming community but adulterators were not only stealing the benefit but also playing with health of millions. This needs to be handled firmly.   

He informed that IFFCO had planned to set up a Farmers Training Institute in the region which would offer six-month diploma course to train the youths, both boys as well as girls, from farming families, in modern agricultural technologies including poly culture and green houses. Another diploma course to train educated youths of rural areas in insurance business was also under active consideration, he added.

Earlier he along with legislator Sunil Kumar Jakhar inaugurated the camp by lighting a lamp.

He said that IFFCO now plans to launch crop insurance scheme in Punjab to safeguard interests of farmers. As many as 433 farmers of this region were recently paid Rs 1.08 crore under the Barish Bima Yojna. And under the Sankat Haran Bima Yojna, offered free of premium to the buyers of IFFCO fertilizers, so far Rs 4.29 crore had been paid to 540 farming families in Punjab. The MLA today presented cheque worth Rs 40,000 to Vidya Devi under the scheme.

The legislator complimented IFFCO for launching Pashudhan Bima Yojna to promote animal husbandry in the state. IFFCO senior area manager R K Upveja informed that about 150 patients had so far been selected for free cataract surgeries during examination of about 2500 patients by senior eye surgeon Dr S L Chalana and Dr Gagan Chalana.

Anti-encroachment drive
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, March 13
The civil administration today demolished four structures located on Multanina road to remove the encroachment on the land falling under the approved ring road phase-II.

The drive saw no resistance except for the members of a family, who said they had not accepted the award amount deposited in their bank account. They alleged that the administration was demolishing their house without serving any notice.

When contacted, the Tehsilar Avtar Singh said, “The demolition was conducted after completing all the formalities.”