J A L A N D H A R    E D I T I O N

Complaints bring down the curtain on centralised kitchen
Mid-day Meal Scheme in Phagwara: After a flurry of complaints against the meal-preparing company, the system will be scrapped from April 1
Phagwara, March 23
The concept of centralised kitchen in the mid-day meal scheme turned out to be a flop show in Phagwara. Only after eight months of implementation, the concept, which was started to provide hygienic food to schoolchildren and relieve teachers of making the meals, would be withdrawn from April 1.

Income tax revenue collection surpasses expectations
Rs 2,089 crore collected as revenue up to March 22 against the target of Rs 1,860 crore
Hoshiarpur, March 23
Despite acute shortage of staff, there is a record collection of Rs 2089 crore as income tax revenue up to March 22 against the proposed collection target of Rs 1,860 crore in the current financial year in Ludhiana charge of Income Tax Department consisting of Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala, Nawanshahr, Moga, Khanna and Phillaur.

Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Sukhdev remembered
Hoshiarpur, March 23
The Rashtriya Vikas Party organised a function to commemorate the 80th martyrdom day of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev, at Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh Chowk here today. Party activists, led by their president Bharat Bhushan Verma, garlanded the portraits of martyrs. A langar was also organised on the occasion.

Youth booked for abducting girl
Hoshiarpur, March 23
The Hajipur police booked Amrit Singh of Bariana village for allegedly abducting a minor girl on Tuesday. Girl’s father Jagjit Singh of the same village in his complaint alleged Amrit Singh abducted his 17-year-old daughter Manpreet Kaur, a student of Class 10, to marry her. Amrik has been booked under Sections 363 and 366 of the IPC.

Garbage woes pile up Nakodar, March 23 The strike of safai karamcharis has ended but areas near Rishi Balmik Chowk, Hospital Road and Mangat Marg in Shahkot have seen no end to garbage woes. The condition is still the same as it was during the strike. — OC Garbage lies scattered on a roadside in Shahkot. A Tribune photograph

Complaints bring down the curtain on centralised kitchen
Mid-day Meal Scheme in Phagwara: After a flurry of complaints against the meal-preparing company, the system will be scrapped from April 1
Ashok Kaura

Phagwara, March 23
The concept of centralised kitchen in the mid-day meal scheme turned out to be a flop show in Phagwara. Only after eight months of implementation, the concept, which was started to provide hygienic food to schoolchildren and relieve teachers of making the meals, would be withdrawn from April 1.

The move was taken keeping in view the complaints against the private meal preparing company, which allegedly used to provide low quality of food to the students.

Confirming the move, Kapurthala Deputy Commissioner Kavita Singh said now meals would be prepared in schools only.

Phagwara SDM Amarjit Paul said the instructions had been passed on to District Education Officer (Primary) in this regard.

Paul said students in many schools of the sub-division had fallen ill after consuming low quality of food over these months.

It may be recalled that Punjab Technical Education Minister Swarana Ram inaugurated the centralised kitchen in Phagwara and flagged off the first mobile vehicle on August 3 last year.

Paul said more than 18,000 students studying in 177 schools of Phagwara sub-division would now get meals prepared in their schools.

Prabhcharan Singh, General Manager, Mid-Day Meal, Punjab, said the failure of the centralised kitchen in the sub-division would be reviewed at highest level.

Income tax revenue collection surpasses expectations
Rs 2,089 crore collected as revenue up to March 22 against the target of Rs 1,860 crore
Our Correspondent

Hoshiarpur, March 23
Despite acute shortage of staff, there is a record collection of Rs 2089 crore as income tax revenue up to March 22 against the proposed collection target of Rs 1,860 crore in the current financial year in Ludhiana charge of Income Tax Department consisting of Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala, Nawanshahr, Moga, Khanna and Phillaur.

Disclosing this to mediapersons here this afternoon Chief Commissioner of Income Tax Department of Ludhiana charge GS Randhawa claimed that with the strenuous efforts of the existing officials of the department, 32 per cent increase in income tax revenue collection had been recorded in Ludhiana charge as against the national increase of 19.4 per cent during the corresponding period of last year. He hoped that the total collection would touch up to Rs 2,250 crore by the end of this financial year.

Stress on more number of quality assessment, concentrated efforts for realising arrears and close monitoring for getting deposited advance tax were the main reasons of collection of record revenue during this year. The department had collected Rs 1,607 crore Income Tax revenue up to March 22, 2010.

During 61 survey raids, disclosure of Rs 54 crore income had been made by assessees during the current financial year. To create cordial relations with assessees and to redress their grievances, refund of Rs 255 crore had been made up to March 21, 2011 as against Rs 134.7 crore during the corresponding period last year.

To provide efficient services to the assessees under one roof, Aiyakar Sewa Kendra had been opened at Ludhiana from where replies for all types of queries relating to income tax were being given. Such Aiyakar Sewa Kendras would also be opened at all district headquarters in near future for the benefit of assesses for which requisite funds were available with the department for constructing buildings etc.

Replying to a question, GS Randhawa said 7.46 lakh assessees had filed their income tax returns during last year. Considerable number of assessees would be increased during current financial year.

Replying to another question, he said there was a great shortage of additional/joint commissioners, income tax officers, inspectors and clerical staff due to which working of the department was badly hit. The department had urged its recruitment board to recruit new employees to overcome the shortage of staff. Income Tax Commissioner, Jalandhar, Subhash Kumar and Additional Commissioner, Hoshiarpur, JS Minhas were present on the occasion.

Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Sukhdev remembered
Our Correspondents

Hoshiarpur, March 23
The Rashtriya Vikas Party organised a function to commemorate the 80th martyrdom day of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev, at Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh Chowk here today. Party activists, led by their president Bharat Bhushan Verma, garlanded the portraits of martyrs. A langar was also organised on the occasion.

An annual blood donation camp was also organised at local Bhai Ghaniya JI Charitable Blood Bank by Shaheed Bhagat Singh Youth Club, Pandori Phagurian, in which 20 members of the club donated their blood on the occasion.

Phagwara: The Blood Donors Council commemorated the martyrdom day by organising blood donation camp here today. As many as 58 youths donated blood.

Nakodar: Nirog Yog Sanstha, Shahkot, and Bhagat Singh Sports Club, Nakodar, today organised a rally on the martyrdom day of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev. Hundreds of youngsters along with aged took part in the rally.

Youth booked for abducting girl
Our Correspondents

Hoshiarpur, March 23
The Hajipur police booked Amrit Singh of Bariana village for allegedly abducting a minor girl on Tuesday. Girl’s father Jagjit Singh of the same village in his complaint alleged Amrit Singh abducted his 17-year-old daughter Manpreet Kaur, a student of Class 10, to marry her. Amrik has been booked under Sections 363 and 366 of the IPC.

PO arrested

Batala: Proclaimed offender Rajinder Singh of Teja Kalan village has been arrested from Akal Muridke. He was wanted in case of 2004.