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Shagun Scheme
Rotten wheat found at Pb Agro godown; procurement staff under the scanner
Pilot project against drugs yet to take off
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Sangharsh Rally
Banker among 22 booked
LJP threatens gherao of Balianwali police station
B.Ed teachers protest govt apathy
Malwa diary
Saloni receiving gold medal from DG, Health Services, RK Srivastava for her achievements in the second year of MBBS. A Tribune photograph
...Faridkot boys to rev up solar car
The students showing their solar car at Malwa Polytechnic College, Faridkot. A Tribune photograph
BKU relay fast enters sixth day
‘Grain markets will be farmer friendly’
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150 beneficiaries in wait list since May
Sushil Goyal Tribune News Service
Bathinda, May 9 Apart from these, more than 2,200 other beneficiaries of this scheme belonging to this district have also been awaiting the ‘Shagun’ amount for the months June 2009 to March 2010. In all, 2,365 beneficiaries of the scheme of the financial year 2009-10 are yet to receive the ‘Shagun’ amount. These beneficiaries belong to Bathinda, Talwandi Sabo and Phul sub-divisions of this district. Under the scheme of the state government, the ‘Shagun’ amount is given for the marriage of the girls of scheduled caste (SC) communities, below poverty line (BPL) families and the girls of widows of any community. For getting the benefit under the scheme, the applicant has to submit an application to the District Welfare Office one month before the marriage or within one month after the marriage of the girl. Sources in the Welfare Department told TNS that the state government had released only Rs 36 lakh for the ‘Shagun scheme’ to the Bathinda district’s Welfare Office during 2009-10. With this amount, the district office made the payment to 212 beneficiaries of April 2009 and 28 beneficiaries of May 2009. However, due to non-availability of funds, payment could not be made to remaining 153 beneficiaries of May 2009. The District Welfare Office, Bathinda, reportedly requires Rs 3.54 crore to disburse among 2,365 remaining beneficiaries. It is learnt that the office has been sending the list of beneficiaries every month to the Department of Welfare, Punjab, for releasing the funds, but to no avail so far.
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Rotten wheat found at Pb Agro godown; procurement staff under the scanner
Bathinda, May 9 The issue came to light on late Saturday evening, when the labourers deployed at the godown of Punjab Agro was unloading the wheat bags from a truck for the storage purpose. Suspecting the bags filled with old and rotten wheat, labourers raised the voice and called up the storage in-charge. Finding a number of bags, filled with rotten wheat, the official informed his seniors and stopped its unloading. The staff was yet considering the possibilities that two more trucks loaded with the same quality of wheat arrived there. Sensing the gravity of the situation, the district manager of the Punjab Agro, Raghbir Singh visited the spot, in the early hours today. Taking an account of the situation, he put the matter in the notice of the Sub divisional magistrate, Talwandi Sabo. Suspecting the dubious role of purchase staff, the SDM marked an inquiry to the secretary Market committee, Apinderjeet Singh. Meanwhile, the DM Punjab Agro called the purchase inspector of Teona Pujarian purchase center, from where the truck was loaded, for reply. In his verbal reply, the inspector Gurnaib Singh reportedly floated an excuse of over burden, saying that he had four purchase centres to look after, so it was possible that the Arhtiya or his labour would have done the misdeed once he left the centre. When contacted, the secretary Market committee, Apinderjeet Singh confirmed that he was asked to investigate the case, which he would do on Monday. Speaking to TNS over phone, DM Punjab Agro Raghbir Singh termed it as a minor issue. “During the preliminary investigation only about 40 bags got detected with poor quality of wheat. We are doing the needful as I personally visited the spot and called the inspector for his written version,” said Raghbir Singh. On the other hand, sources in the procurement staff informed that the wheat belonged to a renowned firm of Rama Mandi and owners of the firm had been using all possible pressure tactics to snub the matter. |
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Pilot project against drugs yet to take off
Bathinda, May 9 It was said that observing the response to the campaign, which was in fact a “brain-child” of deputy CM Sukhbir Badal, the government would replicate it in other districts. After setting in place everything including the formation of an Anti-Drug Society to run the project in a systematic manner, its launching was expected in the first week of November last year but it failed to start till today. The project was to be run under the Anti-Drug Society. The deputy commissioner (DC) was appointed its president while 19 officials heading various government departments at district level, including police and health, were the office-bearers. The society had to run the campaign adopting multi-prolonged strategies like holding anti-drug rallies at the block level, contests in essay writing, paper reading, making posters, slogans, etc. Signature campaign, parent-teacher meetings, formation of anti-drug units, ‘Mahila Prerna’ clubs and drug-free youth clubs were also part of the society’s job. It was to adopt some villages and meet gram panchayats for motivation and cooperation and organising drug tests. Submitting reports to the coordinator of the project, the secretary to deputy CM, the society had sought funds to run the activities but till date, the district administration did not get a single penny. As a result, the campaign is waiting to see the light of the day. Bathinda DC Gurkirat Kirpal Singh said, “We have been waiting for the government to send the notification and release the funds. As soon as the government intimates us, we will launch the drive.” |
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Freebies withdrawn, farmers to stage stir on June 7
Rajay Deep Tribune News Service
Bathinda, May 9 Speaking to TNS over phone, general secretary of the Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta) Sukhdev Singh Kokri Kalan said the rally would be a befitting reply to all, who had been spreading rumours that the agitators had set at rest their protest against the government on the issue of PSEB unbundling. “We are still firm to get the decision of the government cancelled. Moreover, we have been pursuing for the cancellation of the government decision, which stopped 100 units of free power supply to labourers. The recommendation of Sukhbir-Kalia report to withdraw the farmers’ subsidies will also be got revoked,” claimed Kokri Kalan. To make it a mass movement, the agitators are getting thousands of posters and handbills printed, mentioning their demands like the arrest of all accused of killing Sadhu Singh Takhtupura and reinstatement of 35 workers, who were expelled from the Didar Steel Mills, Amargarh. Further, the posters would demand imposition of ban on the laying of gas pipe beneath the agricultural land of 204 villages in the state and laying of the pipe along the canals and drains. It would also seek Rs 5,000 per acre for farmers and Rs 1,000 for farm labourers as a compensation for the less wheat yield this season. Kokri Kalan said, “In a joint meeting held at Ludhiana, it was unanimously decided to circulate the posters and pamphlets as much as possible so as to make it a mass move.” Confirming the reports of some groups having separated from the protest, he said the Sidhupur and Tagad groups had parted ways. But he mentioned that the Kirti Kisan Union, the Jamhoori Kisan Sabha, the BKU (Krantikari), the BKU (Ekta), the Pendu Mazdoor Union, the Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union, the Kirti Kisan Sabha, the Punjab Kisan Union, the Kisan Sangharsh Committee and various other organisations were still united. He added that the Democratic Teachers’ Front, the Anganwari Workers’ Union, the ETT Teachers’ Union, the Punjab Roadways Employees’ Union (Azad), the Medical Practitioners’ Association and various others were supporting their cause.
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Document forged Chander Parkash/TNS
Ferozepur, May 9 Official sources said that farmers, revenue official and the bank manager connived and left the bank poor after they managed to take lakhs of rupees as loan in the names of farmers by submitting forged documents to the bank authorities. Interestingly, Satish Kumar, former manager of Tibbi Khurd branch of the bank, who was supposed to advance loan only to genuine applicants, has turned out to be one of the accused as he connived with revenue official Vijay Kumar and farmers and committed fraud with the bank. Police sources said the modus operandi adopted by the accused was that they would prepare fake 'Jamabandi' in connection with the ownership status of land belonging to the Central government, in the name of farmers with the help of Vijay Kumar, Patwari, and would then get the loan advanced to themselves on the basis of same Jamabandi with the help of Satish Kumar. Sources added that the connivance of Satish Kumar in this fraud came to light when during the inquiry conducted by Harjit Singh, SP (D), on the complaint moved by Hansa Singh, a resident of village Kaluaarie, it was found that Satish Kumar did not verify the documents submitted to him by the applicants before advancing them the loan amount. Those who had been booked under various offences of the IPC at Mamdot police station, included Kashmir Singh, Prem Singh, Babu Singh, Sulakhan Singh, Balkar Singh, Fauja Singh, Mohinder Singh, Surjeet Singh, Mukhtiar Singh, Lachman Singh, Mukhtiar Singh, Balwinder Singh, Balbir Singh, Hardeep Singh, Mangal Singh, Veer Singh, Surjeet Singh (belonging to villages Gandu Kilcha and Habibwala) , Vijay Kumar and Satish Kumar. Sources said that in some cases, more than one member of a family had managed to get loan in this manner. Rajbir Singh, in-charge, anti-fraud wing, when contacted, said no arrest could be made so far in this case as all the accused had absconded. He added that raids were being conducted on their suspected hide-outs.
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LJP threatens gherao of Balianwali police station
Bathinda, May 9 Opening a front against the Bathinda police, Gehri accused the cops of high-handedness and indulging in malpractices. Gehri alleged, “On April 25, three persons crushed a 25-year-old man to death at village Harikishanpura. Despite identifying the accused, the Balianwali police is shielding them as one of the accused is kin of the SHO concerned.” “When we raised voice against the unjustified act of cops, the police booked my son and brother in a false case of eve teasing and assault at the Civil Lines police station,” alleged Gehri. The LJP leader said, “Irked over the high-handedness of the police, we have launched a protest in a peaceful manner. But if the senior officials do not accept our demands — arrest of all culprits of the Harkishanpura incident and cancellation of false case registered against my kin — we will intensify the protest.”
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Pending demands
Bathinda, May 9 President of the Muktsar wing Ranbir Bhandari said their main demand was regularisation of teachers before the end of the current financial year. Further, he counted the demands of medical leaves, maternity leaves and release of the waiting list of the education service providers. “The government is making tall claims to appoint 14,000 teachers, but still many are still in the waiting list,” added Bhandari. Press secretary of the unit Sandeep Sharma urged fellows to join a community – B.Ed Teachers’ Front, Punjab — on Orkut (a social networking site) to share views and discuss the future strategies. The other members who addressed the teachers were Charanjeet Singh, Gurpreet Singh, Harpreet Singh, Parakhjeet Singh Karan Dhaliwal and Jagmeet Singh. Among others, Manohar Lal Sharma of the Government Teachers’ Union also marked his presence. — TNS
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Acharya Mahapragya passes away
Sriganganagar/Abohar, May 9 As per information received this evening Acharya Mahapragya breathed his last during stay in Sardarshehar that is located on
Hanumangarh- Churu road. Born on June 14, 1920 at Tamkor in Rajasthan he was formally initiated by Acharya
Tulsi. In his childhood he was known as Nathmal son of Tola Ram. Acharya Mahapragya formulated Preksha meditation system in 1970. He was the supreme head and promoter of Jain Vishva Bharati University. A condolence message received from Kshullak Shree Atulya Sagar Ji Maharaj of Rishabhdev said two minute silence was observed in the Ashram to pray for eternal peace to the noble personality. The gathering was told that the Acharya promoted nonviolence and led the Ahimsa Yatra movement. Followers refer to him as
Gurudev, the godly teacher. He had traversed more than 100,000 km on foot covering more than 10,000 villages reaching out to the masses spreading the message of harmony and peace. Walked across the length and breadth of India from Kutch
(Kachchh) in Gujarat to Kolkata and from Punjab to Kanyakumari, Mahapragya undertook travel on foot earlier under the leadership of Acharya Tulsi and later himself being the leader. During these travels, he addressed thousands of public meetings. |
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Last journey today
Sriganganagar/Abohar, May 9 However the final decision regarding the cremations awaits consent of the Yuvacharya Mahashraman, the successor of the Mahapragya. The body of the 90 years old Acharya was handed over to relatives by the saints after 48 minute deliberations.
— OC |
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Jalalabad girl makes
a mark in education
Saloni Sidana, a resident of Jalalabad and a student of Lady Hardinge Medical College, Delhi, has been making a mark in the field of education for the past many years. First, she made Ferozepur district proud by securing first place in the Punjab School Education Board examination of class XII in 2007. She again managed to bring laurels to this district when she got admission in Lady Hardinge Medical College, Delhi by getting 113th rank in AICBSE PMT in 2007. She became the only student of Punjab in 2007 to make it to that medical college. Ever since she joined the medical college, she has been making her presence felt by achieving successes in the academic field. She got gold medals for scoring excellent marks in physiology and biochemistry in the first year of MBBS. In the second year of MBBS, she delivered excellent performance again and was awarded gold medal for getting high scores in forensic medicine and microbiology. On both occasions, Saloni, daughter of Anish Sidana, a businessman of this town, was given gold medals by RK Srivastava, Director General, Health Services, India. She has also been honoured with a gold medal and a cash prize of Rs 20,000 in 2007 for her achievements at a function organised by the Central government. The function was presided over by then union minister Kapil Sibal. Saloni, who has done her schooling from this town, scored 96 per cent in class X and stood fourth in the All India DAV Board in class VIII. She is an avid reader and likes to listen to good music. "I want to do super specialization in endocrinology or neurology," she said while talking to TNS. — Chander Parkash NREGA workers show the way!
NREGA funds in Punjab could not be utilized even by 50 per cent owing to poor planning coupled with lack of will as well as high incidence of corruption. The administrative officers had by and large succumbed to pressure from different quarters to pay no-work allowance to the workers who had been listed but not assigned any job. Hence, the workers received half of the daily wages without doing any work. In Abohar, the officials who did the work at a slow pace earned the wrath of the workers who formed a union and gheraoed government offices after short intervals. In most development blocks, mates (supervisors) could not be appointed during the past three years and a few who were lucky to get the letters have been running from pillar to post to get their remuneration paid. Contrary to this, in the neighbouring areas of West Rajasthan, all District Collectors as well as the Bikaner Divisional Commissioner were found inspecting NREGS work and even used scales to measure the work done. An IAS officer, Puran Chand Kishan, while inspecting the work going on the gravel road on Sarthuna road in Jharni village on Saturday spotted two women mates doing good work job and complimented them. Ramila Damore said she had done matriculation while Kokila Damore studied up to class VIII only. Both had completed regular training as mates. They were supervising 80 NREGA workers. Project officer RC Chotrani said these women mates who braved the scorching heat seem to be more careful and assertive about the quality of work than males. Ramila and Kokila can emerge as role models for others, he said. — Raj Sadosh
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...Faridkot boys to rev up solar car
Bathinda/Faridkot, May 9 The car, developed by Inderjit Singh, Gurdarshan Singh
,Jagmeet Singh, Brinder Singh, Gurmanjeet Singh and Rakesh Kumar, is powered by solar energy. The car converts solar energy into electrical energy (DC) which runs the DC motor. Rotation of DC motor transmits power to the transmission system of the car. As it does not use any petroleum products, it is eco-friendly and has zero emissions. It has a quiet operation and low maintenance cost. Expressing satisfaction over the achievement of the students, project guide Karampreet Singh
Sodhi, and engineer Balram Das and project in-charge OS Tiwana said the efforts of the students resulted in their
success. Gurfateh Singh Gill, Technical Director of Adesh Group and principal Avtar Singh Gill have congratulated the students on their success.
— TNS |
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BKU relay fast enters sixth day
Fazilka, May 9 Their demands include canal water for irrigation purposes, eight hours power supply to the farmers in rural areas, waiving off electricity bill and farmers' loan. They also demanded remunerative prices of their crops. They urged that 201 variety of paddy should be recognised by the Punjab Agriculture University for cultivation. While addressing the gathering, district unit president Udai Singh Ghuriana, general secretary Ami Chand Kerian, district press secretary Om Parkash and Fazilka block president Krishan Kumar lamented that the state government has not been safeguarding interests of farmers as their major demands have not been accepted by the government so far. They said that the relay fast would continue till May 10. The leaders disclosed that further programme to intensify their stir would be chalked out in state-level meeting to be held in Bathinda on May 10. |
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‘Grain markets will be farmer friendly’
Godara, who is member of the Punjab State Wildlife Board and has been nominated as a member of the Mandi Board by Shivraj Patil, Governor, Punjab, while talking to TNS today, said his main aim was that farmers visiting the grain markets to dispose of their produce twice a year must be extended all facilities. He said stress would be laid on providing rural areas with more connectivity by constructing new roads and upgrading and strengthening existing link roads.
— TNS |
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Saloni Sidana, a resident of Jalalabad and a student of Lady Hardinge Medical College, Delhi, has been making a mark in the field of education for the past many years.
First, she made Ferozepur district proud by securing first place in the Punjab School Education Board examination of class XII in 2007.
Faridkot, have developed a solar car, which bagged the second prize in the recently held Punjab State Inter Polytechnic competition at Ludhiana.
Abohar, May 9