Education-III
What Ails Punjab?
Border areas are most neglected
Chandigarh, November 2
Dilapidated building of a primary school with three lecturers - one each in Hindi, history and political science - makes Government College at Mohan ke Uttar in Ferozepur district. It runs BA (I and II) classes for 70-odd students it has on its rolls.

Chandigarh, November 2
With a view to checking anti-incumbency and setting its house in order, the BJP has decided to undertake an exercise to evaluate the performance of its ministers, Chief Parliamentary Secretaries and members of the legislative Assembly. This first-of-its-kind initiative is aimed at evaluating performance as well as determining winning ability of its leaders.

Confirming that a decision was taken at a meeting here on Monday, BJP state president Ashwani Sharma said: “A report evaluating the performance of all legislators, Chief Parliamentary Secretaries and ministers in the current government will be sent to BJP National President Nitin Gadkari after Divali”.

Gadkari had announced that allocation of tickets in the next general election would be decided on the basis of performance. He had even cautioned his party men against coming to Delhi seeking party nomination saying: “perform or perish, there is no other shortcut to the party ticket”.

Though several other organisational matters were discussed in the party meeting, the highlight turned out to be this issues. Several party leaders were vocal about the fact that not all 23 Vidhan Sabha Assembly segments that the BJP claimed to be its mass bases were well nurtured during the current SAD-BJP government.

The BJP had contested 23 seats in alliance with the SAD during the 2007 general elections and won 19. Out of the 19 legislators, the BJP has five ministers of Cabinet rank and three Chief Parliamentary Secretaries.

The BJP has decided that the next two months would be devoted to strengthen the organisation set up in the state, while from January 2011 the BJP will declare it as the “Year for elections”.

Till a few weeks ago, the BJP was unhappy with alliance partner SAD for not allocating enough developmental funds for the BJP-dominated Assembly segments. But after Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal promised Rs 450 crore for development in the urban areas and also approved the proposal of the BJP to borrow Rs 1,100 crore from the banks, the two parties are comfortable with each other. Ever since the restoration of cordial relations between the two parties, pictures of senior BJP leaders find prominent positions in all state government advertisements.

The BJP has already announced that in the coming months it would hold meetings of ‘mandals’ (blocks) in all its 23 Assembly constituencies. Besides, it will also hold ‘garib panchayats’ that will be aimed at redressing grievances of the poor. According to senior party leaders, the agenda of the BJP in the coming months will be “visible development”. As the decision of the party has spread, it has caused a lot of anxiety among many leaders who feel that the lack of development in their constituencies by the SAD-BJP alliance may actually affect their political careers.

Chandigarh, November 2
Bus fares are likely to be increased by 17.85 per cent in the state tomorrow with the Finance Department approving a proposal, which will now be put up before the state Cabinet.

The Cabinet, which meets tomorrow to discuss this issue, is likely to approve the increase as the case has been pending for two months now. The matter was being considered by former Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal and was due to be taken up at the last Cabinet meeting. However, the controversy over the issue of the proposed Central debt waiver and Manpreet’s subsequent ouster from the Cabinet delayed it further.

According to the proposal approved by the department, bus fares are likely to be increased by 10 paisa per km in the state. The increase will be applicable on both private and public transport.

According to sources, the hike has been necessitated because of the increase in diesel prices as well increase in salaries of employees due to the implementation of the Fifth Pay Commission recommendations. The last increase occurred in January this year when the fare was increased from 49 paisa per km to 56 paisa per km.

Secretary (Transport) DS Jaspal said since the last fare hike, diesel prices had increased by Rs 4.86 per l. He said buses running under the kilometer scheme were most affected as their input costs had increased by Rs 1.05 per km. He said besides this, the Fifth Pay Commission recommendations had resulted in an average 20 per cent increase in salaries. Jaspal said an increase of 5 paisa per l was needed to offset this cost only.

The increase in bus fares will allow both state transport utilities - the Punjab Roadways and the Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) to recoup losses. The utilities stand to earn Rs 4,000 crore more per month after the fare hike. The increase in fare will, however, make travel by Punjab buses slightly more expensive than Haryana ones which is currently charging commuters 63 paisa per km. Punjab will charge commuters 66 paisa per km.

Kharar, November 2
The Supreme Court’s decision on restoring rights of lambardars (village revenue collection officials) to contest elections will affect 2,000 lambardars in the state. President of the Punjab Lambardar Association Tarlochan Singh Mann said a meeting of lambardars was held at Gurdaspur today wherein all members of the association hailed the verdict.

R Sedhuraman reports from New Delhi: The Supreme Court has reprimanded the Punjab Election Commission for treating the posts of lambardars and anganwari workers as offices of profit and preventing them from contesting Panchayat elections, holding that this was “disastrous to democracy at the grassroots level in Punjab.”

A Bench comprising Justices B Sudershan Reddy and Surinder Singh Nijjar also expressed dismay at the Punjab and Haryana High Court lifting the ban only in the case of anganwari workers and allowing panchayats to be kept out of bounds for lambardars. Though the ruling has come in a case relating to Punjab, it would have a bearing on the entire country as the issue is relevant to all the states.

Becoming a lambardar “could be a stepping stone for becoming the Chief Minister of the state. Therefore, it would seem a little incongruous that a lambardar would not be permitted to seek election to the Panchayat.

“The village-level democracy is the bedrock of the Indian National Democracy. Being a member of Panchayat can be the beginning of a long career in public life,” the Bench noted.

The state EC had issued a circular on April 30, 2008 disqualifying those holding either of these posts from contesting elections. Quoting two SC verdicts (Shivamurthy Swami Inamdar vs Agadi Sanganna Andanaappa and Ravanna Subanna vs Kaggeerappa), EC had said lambardars and anganwari workers came under all the five criteria: 1 and 2) appointed and removed by government. 3) government pays remuneration 4) functions for government and 5) government controls functions.

Observing that the EC had misunderstood the two verdicts, the SC clarified that the criteria 3, 4 and 5 “assume importance.” In the case of lambardars, the honorarium of Rs 900 was meant for out-of-pocket expenses for discharging duties associated with the post and as such there was no net gain in it, the Bench maintained.

“It would be preposterous to accept, in this day and age, that a sum of Rs 900 per month would be sufficient to cover (even) the out-of-pocket expenses of a lambardar,” the Bench noted. The SC also agreed that the office of lambardar “is regarded as a mere relic” or “a heritage” and was “purely honorary.” The HC quashed the circular on December 5, 2008 in relation to anganwari workers on “this very basis.”

“In our opinion, for the same reasons the circular could not be sustained qua the lambardars also,” the SC ruled on Friday. Justice Nijjar has written the verdict for the Bench.

Chandigarh, November 2
Dilapidated building of a primary school with three lecturers - one each in Hindi, history and political science - makes Government College at Mohan ke Uttar in Ferozepur district. It runs BA (I and II) classes for 70-odd students it has on its rolls.

Another Government College in the same district at Zira also has a couple of rooms with two permanent teachers against a sanctioned strength of 10. Six members of the guest faculty and two part-time lecturers look after 606 students, including 150 girls.

The third Government College in Ferozepur district is MR College at Fazilka that the state government had taken over more than two decades ago. It has 2,400 students. Other than these colleges, Ferozepur, one of the biggest districts of the state, has no government college. It only reflects the government’s apathy towards the people of border districts.

Situation is no better in other border districts of the state. Buildings of many of these government colleges are in a deplorable condition. There are no funds for regular or annual maintenance. The ritual of whitewashing classrooms is done through the PTA funds.

Except for bigger towns like Ludhiana, Patiala, Bathinda, Sangrur, Jalandhar and Amritsar, government colleges in smaller towns are basically equipped to conduct BA (arts) courses only. There are no facilities for teaching science or commerce courses. Interestingly, many of these colleges have no libraries or reading rooms or computer laboratories.

Even those colleges that once boasted of well-stacked libraries have now class IV employees managing these treasure houses of knowledge. Of the 70 sanctioned posts of librarian in government colleges, 42 are vacant. Similarly, of the 52 posts of restore in these college libraries, 27 are vacant.

Barjinder Pal Dhiman, general secretary of the Punjab College Librarians Association, says that of the 98 approved posts of college cadre librarian (UGC pay scale) in the state, 60 are vacant. By December 31, 2014, another 15 posts will fall vacant.

Of 47 colleges that have sanctioned post of a librarian, 25 colleges are without a librarian.

Other than teachers, librarians, many of these government colleges are also without physical education teachers. The majority of colleges do not have a single team to participate in inter-college competitions. Many colleges have even discontinued the conventional practice of holding the annual athletic meet.

(With inputs from Neeraj Bagga, Kusum Arora, Mahesh Sharma, Kulwinder Sandhu, Chander Parkash, Rajaydeep, Shareeq Majid, Gagan K. Teja, Gurdeep Mann and Megha Mann).

Concluded

Baba Bakala (Amritsar), November 2
In an apparent bid to exhibit its support base in Majha post-Manpreet crisis, the ruling SAD today put up a show of strength here in Beas, the constituency of rebel party MLA Manjinder Singh Kang, on the occasion of the inauguration of a Rs 16-crore railway overbridge (ROB) on the Jalandhar-Jammu National Highway by Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal.

Addressing an impressive gathering, Sukhbir lashed out at Kang for “backstabbing” Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal by going against the basic policy of the party. He said, “The CM showered him with love and affection and he has ‘repaid’ that by acting as a traitor of the party.

Sukhbir further said the CM envisioned a development plan of Rs 50 crore, including Rs 32 crore for adjoining villages, to facilitate pilgrims visiting the holy town of Baba Bakala, adding that he would not let this region feel as “orphaned”.

Referring to former Finance Minister Manpreet Badal and his supporting MLAs, he said: “These leaders are speaking the language of the Congress-led UPA government which does not want development to take place in Punjab.”

He wondered as to how they could stop subsidies, including ‘atta-dal’ scheme, free power, subsidised fertilisers, and ‘shagun’ scheme when the Centre itself was contemplating offering subsidised food to over 75 per cent population of the country.

Rejecting what he dubbed “phobia of debt trap created by the vested interests”, he said the debt of Rs 64,000 crore on Punjab was much less than eight other states in the country.

On development front, Sukhbir said the completion of major road projects, including four-laning of the Zirakpur-Patiala road (Rs 460 crore), four-laning of the Patiala-Bathinda road (Rs 1,400 crore ) and six-laning of Sher Shah Suri Marg from Panipat to Jalandhar (Rs 2,700 crore), would change the face of the state. He said the government had also built 32 ROBs, including Baba Bakala, at the cost of Rs 700 crore in the past three years.

The SAD chief also took the opportunity to lash out at the Congress on the 26th anniversary of 1984 riots. “In the largest democracy, not a single culprit has been punished for this mass murder. Let alone punishment, the Congress is awarding Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler with party tickets and posts, sprinkling salt on the wounds of the Sikhs,” he added.

MP Rattan Singh Ajnala, Cabinet minister Gulzar Singh Ranike and former SGPC chief Bibi Jagir Kaur were also present.

Chandigarh, November 2
The ruling SAD has been forced into “election mode” much ahead of the scheduled 2012 general elections in the state. Though the expulsion of Manpreet Badal and appointment of Captain Amarinder Singh acted as a catalyst, the SAD government as gone all out during the last few days to please all section of voters.

Initially the laying of foundation stones by Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal at more than a dozen places and announcements of various developmental schemes by CM Parkash Singh Badal appeared to be part of normal government functioning, the pace at which announcement have been made makes it clear that the government has gone in an election mode much before time.

“Looking at the political activities in the state, announcements by the Chief Minister and his son clearly suggest that the Akalis have panicked and want to under take all that had been overlooked. The formations of anomalies committee for employees, announcing water and sewerage schemes that have been ignored so far only indicate pre-election fever”, said Jassi Khangura, Qila Raipur MLA, said over phone.

The announcement of Amarinder as president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee has led to the strengthening of the party in the state followed by the launch of the Youth Congress march has activated state politics to a large extent.

What, however, has really ignited the SAD into a premature election flurry is Manpreet’s ouster from the party followed by his extensive meet-the-people programme and activities, specially the strength of the crowds he is able to pull, are being monitored closely by the Badals.

Aa result putting, Sukhbir is putting in extra efforts in his public functions. All out attempts are made to ensure that maximum number of people are mobilised for his public functions.

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has also started announcing the typical largesse of promises made by the government in its last months.

Today he announced the setting up of a pay anomalies committee under the chairmanship of a senior bureaucrat in the rank of Financial Commissioner within a week.

Yesterday he had announced that pension for college teachers of state government-aided colleges.

Jalandhar, November 2
Worried over disinterest being shown by the youth in getting themselves enrolled as voters, the Election Commission has approached Vice-Chancellors and heads of educational institutions to encourage the youth to enrol as voters.

Chief Electoral Officer Kusumjit Sidhu said today that about 36 lakh youth in the state had not shown inclination to enrol themselves as voters.

“I have sent forms to VCs of different universities with a request that they should ask students in their respective institutions to fill the same, which will help in updating the voters’ list and enrol genuine voters,” she added.

She said a special drive would be launched to rope in educational institutions in the process so that young voters could be educated about the importance of their right to vote.

She was in the city to head a meeting of District Returning Officers. Sidhu claimed that the state had taken a lead in introducing a software that would help election officers as well voters to know if their forms were accepted or rejected.

She said the voters’ lists would be revised from November 22 to November 27.

Chandigarh, November 2
The Punjab government today took a decision to dismiss hundreds of employees that have been convicted by various courts, but were still in service. The decision was taken in a meeting of the Home Department held here today.

The decision is in consonance with the directions of a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court comprising Chief Justice Tirath Singh Thakur and Jasbir Singh had in November 2008 ordered that “the state government should periodically monitor the action taken against employees convicted for the alleged offences against them, and ensure that those deserve to be weeded out on account of their conviction in accordance with the rules on the subject, are dealt with strictly in accordance with the said rules.”

Since Punjab had so far failed to take any action in the matter, risking contempt, it was decided that the state must go by the direction of the court and take appropriate action immediately.

It may be recalled that the Vigilance Department of the Punjab government had two years ago issued a letter to heads of all departments, Divisional Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners in the state to immediately forward them a list of such employees after taking suitable action against them. After collecting information the state had told the court that Punjab had already dismissed 416 such employees. 

Patiala, November 2
After engineers, now the Junior Engineers (JE) and Additional Assistant Engineers (AAE) have started protests against Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL). On the call given by the Council of Junior Engineers, Punjab State Electricity Board(PSEB), a massive protest demonstration was held outside PSPCL headquarters, here today.

The council members also sat on dharna in various parts of the state, including Sangrur, Muktsar, Faridkot, Ferozepur, Mohali, Ropar, Khanna, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur and Kapurthala.

Addressing the protestors, the Zonal president of the ccuncil, Ashok Kumar, said inordinate delay in finalising the tripartite agreement, protecting service conditions, employment, terminal benefits and other benefits of the employees was uncalled for.

The general secretary of the council, Davinder Singh, while addressing the council members said Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal at a meeting held with the council on April 17, had assured that tripartite agreement would be executed with the parties concerned within 10 days.“But, the same could not be finalised even after six months. This has led to large-scale resentment among the employees of the Power Corporation”, he added.

The council president, Swarn Lal said it was also assured to the council that issues, including that of pay revision and allowances would be settled within one month of unbundling of PSEB, but the issues were still pending before the state government and PSPCL.

“Managements of both power utilities created after bifurcation of PSEB are not serious to concede to the demands of the employees”,he alleged, while announcing that their council would observe a two-day strike on November 10 and 11 in protest against the casual attitude of the government towards their genuine demands.

Fatehgarh Sahib, November 2
The teacher’s fraternity in Fatehgarh Sahib is elated over the decision of the Punjab Government wherein it has announced to resume pension for government-aided schoolteachers, besides giving salaries as per the revised pay scale.

In a press release issued by Ravinder Joshi, press secretary of the government-aided schoolteachers association said the announcement was made after a meeting of the cabinet ministers of Punjab. The minister later informed Gurcharan Singh Chahal, the president of government-aided schoolteachers association about the decision.

The teachers had announced to intensify their agitation in view of the dilly dallying attitude of the government a few days ago over their pending demands.

Welcoming the decision, Nakesh Jindal, president of Lajat Rai Senior Secondary School, Bassi Pathana, said teachers had always been toiling hard to teach their students. The announcement will help them

building future generation in a better way.

President of Ashoka Educational Trust, Rajiv Datta, also expressed his gratitude to the Punjab Government.

Chandigarh, November 2
Punjab State Farmers Commission Chairman G S Kalkat today said the commission had recommended an MSP of Rs 1,400 per quintal for wheat and that the current price of Rs 1,120 per quintal did not cover the inflationary cost.

In a statement here, Dr Kalkat said the commission had approved the recommendation of Rs 1,400 per quintal, which had been made by the Agriculture Department after it had received a report on the average cost of cultivation on rearing the last wheat crop.

The chairman said the commission stood for 50 per cent profit for farmers and that this would have been ensured if the Centre had agreed to offer an MSP of Rs 1,400 per quintal. He said now the Centre had announced the MSP, the commission urged the Centre to ensure a bonus of Rs 50 per quintalto farmers. — TNS

Washington, November 2
Barack Obama would have loved to spend more time in India but time constraint was preventing him from visiting the Taj Mahal and the Golden Temple, the White House has said, seeking to dispel reports that said the requirement of headgear prompted him to shelve plans to go to Amritsar.

Ahead of the presidential visit beginning November 6, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said, "Anybody that would go would love to go to (India)...to spend a lot more time there".

"We're afforded a short trip to a very important country in a very important region of the world because the trip obviously is also anchored by the important economic meetings later on in the trip," Gibbs said in response to a question.

Asked why Obama was not visiting the Golden Temple or the Taj Mahal, Gibbs said: "I said even before we started these briefings, we are in India for three days. There's... you could spend a lot longer than that, and obviously anybody would".

"We picked our schedule based on what we wanted to get accomplished, and that focus was on New Delhi and Mumbai, and that's going to be the focus of our trip." Obama will be arriving in Mumbai on November 6. He will stay in Mumbai on November 6 and reach New Delhi on November 7.

The official meetings are scheduled for November 8 and he is scheduled to leave for Jakarta on November 9. After the Golden Temple visit was called off, reports suggested the Obama administration was wary that a head scarf, as required at the religious place, might portray an image of a Muslim. — PTI

Patiala, November 2
Punjab Public School (PPS), Nabha today celebrated its 51st founder’s day with a gala function. Lt Gen BS Jaswal, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command, presided over the function.

In his address to the students, the general stated that it was the attitude that differentiated a winner from a loser. “The winner is always a part of answer, whereas the loser a part of problem. The winner makes it happen, while the loser lets it happen,” he said.

The prestigious Roll of Honour award for this year was conferred upon former student of PPS, Kanwar Vijay Singh, writer and filmmaker, now settled in France.

Prizes were also awarded to the students for their achievements in the field of academics as well as extra-curricular activities. — TNS