Moga, February 5
Former Chief Minister and president of the PPCC, Captain Amarinder Singh today gave a wake-up call to the people of Punjab to rout the Badal family from power to pave the way for building a prosperous state for the future generations.

Back in form after the dismal performance at the Maghi Mela conference in Muktsar, before an unprecedented gathering at Moga on Saturday afternoon, Amarinder scoffed at the SAD-BJP, blaming them for misrule, corruption and poor fiscal management and promised the people that if voted to power, he would bring in reforms and policies for all sections of society.

In a jubilant mood, he pointed towards the people, saying that the winds of change were visible. "The Badal family has done nothing except for making false promises,” he said.

Amarinder said the Congress has hired a team of professionals to prepare a vision plan for development in the state to take it out from the messy situation and deliver good and clean governance. He also questioned the genuineness of the state government's claims about development while pointing out that they (Akalis) had no money to do so saying that the treasury was empty and the state had withheld the payment against bills worth Rs 1000 crores for the last two months.

The PPCC chief pointed out that there was a time when Punjab topped among all the states in the country and now, the Akalis had brought it to such a pass that Punjab's growth rate is less than Bihar and Gujarat.

He also accused the Akalis of misusing the ‘golak’ from SGPC funds and said that these funds, collected for social welfare and propagation of religion from people, involving religious sentiments, were being misused for vested political interests. He said the Akalis were never sincere towards the 'panth' or Punjab.

Quoting the example of water related issues, he said the Akalis resorted to fake protests and 'morchas' and pushed the state into dark days resulting in the killing of so many people. "During my rule, I brought a Bill in the assembly and annulled all water agreements showing a bold face before the nation for the sake of my people and the state," he said.

Earlier, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, former CM Rajinder Kaur Bhattal remarked that both the CM and his son Sukhbir Badal were making false promises to the people. She said all the money being used in Punjab comes from the Centre.

In the coming Budget session, she said the Congress MLAs had prepared themselves to expose the SAD-BJP government on this issue.

"It appears that the SAD will split after the coming assembly elections," she said referring to the ouster of Manpreet Badal.

The local MLAs, Darshan Singh Brar and Joginder Pal Jain, also addressed the gathering highlighting the atrocities committed by the Akalis on Congress workers, to which, the Captain responded by saying, "I promise that I will hold each and every police officer and Akali leader accountable for every case of atrocity committed on our workers."

Prominent among those present at the rally were Lal Singh, Rana Gurmeet Sodhi, Balbir Sidhu, Avtar Brar, Darshan Brar, Joginder, Ajit Singh Shant, Naresh Kataria all MLAs and Dr Malti Thapar, Inderjeet Singh Zira, Colonel Babu Singh, Milkiat Singh Dakha, Bibi Jagdarshan Kaur and other party leaders. 

Abohar, February 5
The National Punjabi Conference that concluded at the DAV College here on Friday gave a clarion call to Punjabis across the world to think beyond the man-made geographical borders to promote Punjabi and Punjabiat.

Principal Dr BB Sharma, while welcoming the academicians from different states and over 1,000 students of the DAV College, Gopichand Arya Mahila College and Bhag Singh Hayer College for Women, said 75 per cent people in Pakistan speak Punjabi.

The conference was inaugurated by the dignitaries by lighting the traditional lamp. Ranjit Singh Romana from border village Kotha of Sriganganagar district swayed the gathering by presenting a song based on Punjabi alphabets.

A founder professor of the Punjabi department in the host college, GS Dhillon and SDM Jasdeep Singh Aulakh, were among those present. Colonel Dilbagh Singh, former CO of the NCC here, also spoke on the occasion.

Dr Jagjit Singh from the Panjab University regretted that in India, English had been virtually made the first language.

Dr Sukhdev Singh said the green revolution had shattered the economy of small farmers in Punjab. The roadside tractor markets spoke volume of the financial crisis that the farming community was facing.

Economist Dr Jaswinder Singh Brar expressed concern over the mushroom growth of educational institutions. Sant Sukhjeet Singh Seechewal and Dr Deepak Manmohan Singh, Director, World Punjabi Sector, shared concern over the environmental pollution.

Convener Prof Iqbal Singh Godara thanked the gathering. Prof Tarsem Sharma and GS Chahal conducted the proceedings.

Ferozepur, February 5
A Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Rajasthan Assembly comprising ministers and MLAs today carried out physical examination of the Harike head works and Rajasthan canal to find out that why the desert state is being supplied less water than its sanctioned share by the authorities concerned.

The PAC, led by Gulab Chand Kataria, former minister, had already visited the Pong and Bhakra dams to personally see the condition of the irrigation channels supplying water to Rajasthan and to check whether Rajasthan was being supplied electricity as per its rightful share from various hydroelectric dams being managed by the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB).

"The PAC is going to submit its report by February 15 in the Rajasthan Assembly. The report will contain information whether Rajasthan has been getting its rightful share of river water as per the agreement among the beneficiaries states and whether Rajasthan has been getting adequate electricity or not," Kataria told TNS over the phone.

"The PAC will also bring to the notice of the Assembly that the monthly meeting of BBMB with its member states for giving rightful share of river water to all the states has not been held for the past two years," he pointed out, adding that the report would also contain information in connection with the physical status of the Rajasthan canal.

The other issue, to be examined by the PAC was as to why the Rajasthan canal was not being run at its maximum level and hence, only 10000 to 11000 cusecs of water was being supplied to Rajasthan against its sanctioned share of 18,500 cusecs from it.

The other important thing, which had come to the notice of the PAC was that water in the Rajasthan canal was being run at 10 feet below its upper bank since 1988 when floods hit various parts of Punjab.

"The other prominent issue is that the Central government is supposed to give the required funds for the repair of Rajasthan canal. The PAC is also taking care of the fact as to how the repair of the canal should be carried out to increase its utility. The PAC would also discuss the facts gathered by it with the chief minister of Rajasthan," Kataria said. 

Bathinda, February 5
The new OPD (outpatient door) block, built at a cost of Rs 3 crore on the premises of the Civil Hospital here, has been handed over to the hospital authorities by the Punjab Health System Corporation (PHSC) and a process has begun to make it functional.

It is expected that the new OPD block will become functional by the first week of March as machines and furniture etc need to be shifted here from the existing OPD block. The new block has an added attraction as its building forms the shape of digit 8.

Talking to TNS here today, senior medical officer (SMO) of the local Civil Hospital Dr Vinod Garg said they had started the process to make the new OPD block functional as early as possible. For the purpose, they had written to the companies to shift the machines installed by them like mammography, X-ray, laboratory machine etc to the new OPD block.

The SMO said along with the machines, the furniture would also be shifted. He said it might take about a month to make the new block fully functional. However, nothing could be stated at this time as to when would it be formally inaugurated.

It may be recalled that Health Minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla had laid the foundation stone of the new OPD block on September 11, 2009, with a target of completing the construction work by September 2010. Later, the authorities extended the deadline to October 31. However, the block could be handed over to the hospital authorities only a week ago.

The new block has rooms for X-ray, ultrasound, tests like ECG, TMT, EEG and mammography, laboratories, surgical dressing, various OPDs for medical, surgery, dental, skin, orthopaedic etc besides a waiting hall.

Phidde (Ferozepur), Feb 5
A new chapter in the agricultural scenario of Punjab was added here on Friday when the Agriculture Produce Promotion Society (APPS) was formally inaugurated in this village. The function was attended by agriculture experts of international repute and thousands of farmers.

The APPS was launched with the aim of playing the role of a catalyst to build the farmers’ capacity to market their produce on their own after value addition so that they could rejuvenate their economy and inculcate interest in rural youth to take up agriculture as an attractive vocation.

Those attended the function included GS Kalkat, Chairman, Punjab State Farmers Commission, NS Kang, Financial Commissioner (Development), Gurbachan Singh, Agriculture Commissioner, Government of India, HS Phoolka, founder of Kirat Lehar and Supreme Court lawyer, Balwinder Singh, Director, Agriculture, Punjab, and Inderjit Singh, Director, Dairy Development, Punjab.

The others present included Jaswinder Singh Dhaliwal, president, Farmers Produce Promotion Society (FAPPRO), Hoshiarpur, Bakhshish Singh Chahal, chief agriculture officer, Ferozepur and CL Vashisht, an agriculture department functionary.

Kalkat, the chief guest, said middlemen were earning more profit than the producers and hence, the time had come when farmers must form societies, process their produce and market the same on their own to increase their income. He added that farmers must also take up fisheries, bee keeping, and dairy farming as sources to generate additional income.

Kang laid stress on the fact that farmers must come out of the vicious cycle of wheat and paddy, which had been causing damage to the soil structure and reducing the water table.

Phoolka said that agriculture must be made attractive so that youths could take up it without any hesitation and hence they could be kept away from world of addiction.

Gurbachan Singh advised farmers to adopt agriculture and allied activities to supplement their income. He said the state government must have direct access to farmers to motivate them to adopt profit oriented vocations. He predicted a bumper wheat crop in Punjab in this season.

Gurwinder Singh Kang, president, APPS, said the need of the hour was to give a direction to farming so that it becomes profitable and farmers were not left at the mercy of marketing forces. Sidhu advised farmers to use standard seeds and fertilizers for bumper produce.

Vashisht said the APPS would organize training for activities like bee keeping and vermin compost for farmers. He said effort was on to increase the per unit income of farmers and provide hygienic and quality products to the consumers at reasonable rates. 

Bathinda, February 5
Despite the distribution of Rs 2.20 crore (released by the state government in December 2010 to the Bathinda district) among the beneficiaries of the ‘Shagun scheme’, over 3,450 beneficiaries in this district are still awaiting the amount (Rs 15,000 each) for the current and previous financial years.

Rs 2.20 crore had been released to the district for the financial year 2006-07 (the period of Amarinder Singh’s regime) and a few months of the year 2009-10. The amount cleared over 1,160 pending cases of 2006-07 and around 300 cases of 2009-10. From this amount, more than 150 beneficiaries of the scheme, related to pending cases of the years 2006-07 and 2009-10, were also given cheques at the District Welfare Office here on Friday.

However, the District Welfare Office still needs a about Rs 5.20 crore to make payments to the beneficiaries of over 3,450 cases under the scheme.

As per information available, as many as 2,605 beneficiaries had applied for the ‘Shagun scheme’ in Bathinda district during the financial year 2009-10. Of them, around 540 had been given the benefit of the scheme so far. Thus, over 2060 beneficiaries are still awaiting the benefit.

Besides, around 1,400 beneficiaries in this district, who had applied for the benefit under the ‘Shagun scheme’ from April 1 to December 31, 2010, are also in the queue to receive the ‘Shagun’ amounts.

It may be recalled that the Shagun scheme was started by the Badal government during its previous tenure.

Jalandhar, February 5
Certain changes in the rules relating to the Shagun scheme have been mooted to check frequent frauds in its execution in various parts of the state. Besides, the authorities concerned have also proposed to increase the financial assistance under the scheme to Rs 21,000 per person.

Sources today said the Department of Social Security had proposed that the submitting of the marriage certificate as well as the income certificate from the competent authority should be made mandatory for the beneficiary. That would help eliminate frauds in the execution of the scheme. Earlier, there was a condition for the submission of the annual income certificate from the competent authority. However, this condition was waived on October 30, 2007, through a Cabinet decision. Instead, the submission of an affidavit with regard to the annual income from the beneficiary was introduced. At present, to be eligible under the scheme, the family annual income should not exceed Rs 20,000 in the case of the rural areas and Rs 27,500 in the case of the urban areas.However, the department has proposed that the limit of the annual income should be increased to Rs 40,000 in the case of the rural areas and Rs 55,000 in the case of the urban areas.

Likewise, the financial assistance under the scheme should be increased to Rs 21,000 from the existing Rs 15,000. In addition, Rs 1,000 should be given to the beneficiary to get the required documents--- the income certificate and the marriage certificate- prepared from the authorities concerned.

The changes proposed would go to the Cabinet for appropriate action, it is learnt. The Administrative Reforms Commission has also suggested some changes in the implementation of the scheme. 

Abohar, February 5 
The National Punjabi Conference that concluded at the DAV College here on Friday gave a clarion call to Punjabis across the world to think beyond the man-made geographical borders to promote Punjabi and Punjabiat.

Principal Dr BB Sharma, while welcoming the academicians from different states and over 1,000 students of the DAV College, Gopichand Arya Mahila College and Bhag Singh Hayer College for Women, said 75 per cent people in Pakistan speak Punjabi. 

The conference was inaugurated by the dignitaries by lighting the traditional lamp. Ranjit Singh Romana from border village Kotha of Sriganganagar district swayed the gathering by presenting a song based on Punjabi alphabets. 

A founder professor of the Punjabi department in the host college, GS Dhillon and SDM Jasdeep Singh Aulakh, were among those present. Colonel Dilbagh Singh, former CO of the NCC here, also spoke on the occasion.

Dr Jagjit Singh from the Panjab University regretted that in India, English had been virtually made the first language. 

Dr Sukhdev Singh said the green revolution had shattered the economy of small farmers in Punjab. The roadside tractor markets spoke volume of the financial crisis that the farming community was facing. 

Economist Dr Jaswinder Singh Brar expressed concern over the mushroom growth of educational institutions. Sant Sukhjeet Singh Seechewal and Dr Deepak Manmohan Singh, Director, World Punjabi Sector, shared concern over the environmental pollution. 

Convener Prof Iqbal Singh Godara thanked the gathering. Prof Tarsem Sharma and GS Chahal conducted the proceedings.

Bathinda, February 5
A two-day conference on ‘Contemporary Punjabi Literature and Criticism’ was organised at the Baba Farid College, Muktsar road, Bathinda, that concluded on Friday.

The conference was a tribute to Dr TR Vinod. Eminent litterateurs and writers graced the occasion. Jnanpith laureate and Padma Shri awardee Prof Gurdial Singh presided over the first session.

Gurmeet Singh Dhaliwal, MD, Baba Farid Group of Insitutions, in his welcome address, expressed his gratitude to Dr TR Vinod for his patronage to the BFGI and also declared that February 3 every year will be dedicated to his memory by organising a seminar or conference.

Dr Jagbir Singh, of the Delhi University, presided over the first session on the second day. He said the study of literature was the need of the hour. Dr Jasmeet Singh Director RRC Kauni.urged the audience to show concern for the present situation. Dr Paramjit Singh Dhingra, Director presented a paper on Punjabi novel and Dr Balkar Singh presented a paper on criticism. 

The second academic session was presided over by Dr Rajinderpal Singh Head of the Punjabi department, Punjabi University, Patiala. 

Varinder Walia, Editor, Punjabi Tribune, was the guest at the ceremony. Praising the effort of the BFGI, he said Punjabi is not the language of just one group but the mother tongue of all Punjabis, so concerted efforts should be made to make it flourish. 

A large number of distinguished scholars attended the conference including Gurbhajan Singh Gill, Jaswant Zafar, Ravinder Bhattal, Tarlochan Lochi, Harjinder Surewalia, Gursewak Preet, Rajpal Singh, Khuswant Bargadi, Satnam Singh Jassal, Dr Jeet Singh Joshi and Dr Butta Singh Brar. 

After the conference, a book exhibition on constructive literature was organised by the Chetna Prakashan.

Harike (Ferozepur), Feb 5
The water hyacinths, considered a major problem for those managing the Harike barrage and canals originating from it, might in fact turn out to be useful and a source of livelihood for many. The water hyacinths cover the surface area of the lake apart from choking the flow of water into canals and their distributaries.

However, at a workshop held here in connection with the International Wetland Day, the participants were told that hyacinths could be used for making baskets, caps, dyes and compost. Sanjeev Tiwari, DFO (Wildlife), Ferozepur, said the workshop was organized with the help of WWF-India and an NGO, SDSG Foundation, Chandigarh.

"Apart from showing the products made of hyacinths, we have urged the participants to make self-help groups to use hyacinths for earning money. At present, the wildlife department has three employees, who are trained and can be used to train the villagers," he said, adding that self-help groups could arrange loans from banks.

The participants have been promised training in Kerala.

Maneel Grover, Director (Projects), SDSG Foundation, emphasized upon the importance of water hyacinths for products like baskets, caps, dyes and compost. — TNS

Abohar, February 5
The DAV College of Education (Abohar) team has clinched gold by defeating Chandigarh in the the PU inter-college basketball tournament, principal Dr Venita Singh Informed.

As per details, the DAV boys defeated Chandigarh 52-35 in the final. Kapil Bathla was adjudged the best scorer. The winning team had Vinay Raghav as captain with Neeraj Kalra, Jugraj Singh, Naveen Bishnoi, Ajaypal, Kamaldeep, Navdeep Kumar, Ajay Kumar, Sukhdev Raj, Navdeep Singh and Rajesh Kumar as members.

Earlier, the winners had trounced Malout 30-4 in the quarter-final and Jalalabad 30-0 in the semi- final. Simple Kamboj was in charge of the DAV team. — OC

Muktsar, February 5
Desh Bhagat Dental College and Hospital, Muktsar, organized a day-long scientific meet Ocllusion-2011 in college campus. Dr Zora Singh, chairman, Tejinder Kaur, vice-chairperson of Desh Bhagat Group of Institutes and Devinderpal Singh, member of the management commitee inaugurated the meet.

Dr Zora Singh said advanced techniques had changed dentistry these days. Ocllusion-2011 can help make students aware about these techniques, he hoped.

Dr Harpreet Singh Grover, principal of DBDC, praised the models and seminars prepared by students.

Gurmail Singh Agroa, administrator of DBDC, Dr Puneet Bhatnagar, Dr Harpal Singh, Dr Anil Gupta, Dr.Naresh, Dr Rajinder Gupta, Dr Manmeet Gulati and Dr Ajitpal Singh were also present on the occasion. — TNS

Abohar, February 5
Members of the Chemists Association observed complete strike here today to express resentment over the raids conducted by the officials of the health department under heavy police cover.

The drug inspector was yesterday accompanied by the local DSP and SHO during the raids at two medicine shops. The chemists assembled outside the civil hospital and marched in a procession shouting slogans against the police.They faxed their memoransum to the district administration.

During a meeting later at Nehru Park, the association warned of state-wide agitation if the police officers harassed chemists. — OC