Gurdaspur, May 22
Ashwani Kumar, Minister of State for Planning, Parliamentary Affairs and Science and Technology, has asserted that the Union Government’s Department of Water Supply has been asked to coordinate with the Punjab Government to undertake a comprehensive survey of all village ponds in Gurdaspur district, test the water for purity levels and commence cleaning these ponds on an urgent basis.

Talking over phone from New Delhi, Ashwani Kumar claimed that a major part of the funding for this mega project would be provided by the central government.

“The surveys will be completed within a month following which work of cleaning these ponds would commence. This will also create large-scale employment under the MGNREGA scheme,” he added.

The minister said focus would also be on repair and maintenance of village drains and this work would also be undertaken under the MGNREGA scheme.

“The Planning Commission has been asked to coordinate with the Punjab Government and Ministry of Water Resources to complete this project,” he said.

Ashwani Kumar disclosed that he had given instructions to Sudha Pillai, member secretary, Planning Commission, SP Chauhan, adviser to the Planning Commission, and SK Saha, personal secretary to the minister, to oversee execution of these projects on a day-to-day basis.

Speaking about the plight of farmers whose land holdings came within the barbed wire and the international border with Pakistan, the minister said he had asked officials of the Defence Ministry and Home Ministry to allow access to farmers to their fields for at least 10 hours a day during summer months.

He also asked officials to draw up a plan to increase compensation from the present Rs 2,500 per acre to Rs 10,000 per acre.

Newly inducted PPCC executive member Chowdhury Rajbir, who attended Ashwani Kumar convened meeting at New Delhi last week on this issue, claimed that a strategy on draining out flood water during monsoons was also charted out and the Punjab Government has been asked to formulate a policy in the regard before the onset on the monsoon season.

Hoshiarpur, May 22
To combat the menace of honour killing, the district administration has set up four security centres at sub-divisional headquarters here for newlywed couples or young girls and boys wanting to get married. Marriage registration of boys and girls would be done at these centres. The police would provide protection and legal aid to the needy at these centres.

Deputy Commissioner Dharam Dutt Tarnach, in a special meeting, said Sainik Rest House, Hoshiarpur, Forest Rest House, Bassi Jana, PWD Rest House, Dasuya, and Panchayat Samiti Rest House, Mahilpur are the four centres.

Lokesh Ohri, B S Judge, Raghubir Kumar and S P Saini had been deputed as lawyers for these centres. They would make weekly visit to their respective centres and would make necessary arrangements to stop honour killings.

The Deputy Commissioner instructed District Attorney, Legal Services, to organise seminars in schools and colleges to make youth aware on honour killings. 

Jalandhar, May 22
Demanding abolition of VAT on sports goods, industrialists have given a 15-day ultimatum to the state government over the issue.The Vyapar Sena, representing sports industries in the state, said it would decide on the plan of action after the ultimatum period.

However, on a softer note, sena representatives Vijay Dhir, Ravindra Dhir and Vipan Preenja pinned hopes on the newly-appointed Cabinet ministers from the BJP saying that the party had included the issue in its manifesto during the last Assembly elections.

Ravindra Dhir said they would also soon meet Local Bodies and Industries & Commerce Minister Tikshan Sud in this regard.

Citing example of Uttar Pradesh to support their demand on VAT abolition in Punjab, they said favourable state policy in UP had helped Meerut leave Jalandhar behind in the sports goods manufacturing business.

Hoshiarpur, May 22
Releasing the district credit plan of Rs 3,054.03 crore for 2011-2012, prepared by Punjab National Bank (PNB), Deputy Commissioner Dharam Dutt Tarnach briefed that the total credit is higher by 21.23 per cent as compared to the target of Rs 2,519.14 crore for the last year plan.

Out of Rs 3,054.03 crore, Rs 2,901.64 crore had been earmarked for priority sector, which included Rs 2,059.57 crore for agriculture and allied activities, Rs 183.04 crore for non-farm sector and Rs 659.03 crore for other priority sector.

Special emphasis had been laid on the diversification of agriculture, poverty eradication and employment generation programmes and micro-financing through self-help groups. The plan envisaged inclusive growth by providing hassle-free institutional credit to the poor and underprivileged sections of the society, providing employment opportunities to the jobless youths, empowerment of women by financing their projects on priority basis and providing banking services to all the villages having population over 2,000.