Barnala, June 17
Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today ridiculed the statement of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee chief Captain Amarinder Singh "criticizing" the new land purchase policy of the Punjab government and said the policy takes full care of the interests of farmers, especially small and marginal farmers.

Talking to media persons at Bhadaur after attending the Bhog ceremony of Harsurinder Kaur, mother of Supreme Court lawyer HS Phulka and former DPRO of Bathinda Wahegurupal Singh here today, Sukhbir said the Captain should first study the policy and than comment on it.

He added that the policy ensures full market price to the farmers, taking care of their interests.

"The Captain is oblivious of people's perception about the policy as he never moves around among the people," Sukhbir averred.

When asked about the erection of wall on the Hansi-Butana canal by the Haryana government, Sukhbir said Punjab would not allow anyone to encroach upon its water rights and would contest the issue in the apex court.

Earlier, Sukhbir Badal paid glowing tributes to Harsurinder Kaur. Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Member, Rajya Sabha and SGPC President Avtar Singh also paid tributes to the departed soul on the occasion.

Bathinda, June 17
The residents of Maur Mandi and Raman Mandi were surprised as Sukhbir appeared on the roads and streets of the towns with a cavalcade of administrative officers and personally examined the development works being carrying out there. He also interacted with the local populace and took feedback on development activities.

Sukhbir said it was for the first time that not only cities but even Mandis and towns of the state were witnessing an era of development. Sukhbir said he had chalked out a plan to pay surprise visits to the development sites across the state to ensure their quality and speedy completion. He said he felt satisfied by visiting Maur Mandi and Raman Mandi where the work on sewerage was 85 per cent complete and the work on strengthening of streets and streetlights would be over soon.

The Deputy CM said implementation of the Right to Service Act would strengthen his government's policies on the basis of which he had planned to go to the people to seek their mandate. — TNS

Bathinda, June 17
MP Harsimrat Badal today held ‘Sangat Darshan’ programmes at Joga Nand, Bibi Wala, Gobindpura, Dhelwan, Ganga, Gidder, Puhli and Sema villages of the Bhuchho Assembly constituency. She heard the grievances of villagers and redressed some of them on the spot.

She laid the foundation stone of a 66-KV sub-station to be built at a cost of Rs 3.50 crore at Gobindpura village. She also laid the stones of NREGA Bhawans at Dhelwan and Puhli villages.

Harsimrat inaugurated health sub-centres at Bibi Wala and Gobindpura villages.

The Bathinda MP also distributed Rs 50 lakhs for various development works in the villages. — TNS

Mansa, June 17
The ongoing tussle between the Deputy Commissioner (DC) and the Municipal Council (MC) authorities over the possession of a building today intensified and took a new dimension.

DC Ravinder Singh declared he would write against the Executive Officer (EO) of the municipality to the Punjab government for taking disciplinary action against him due to his irresponsible and misleading role in the matter.

The MC authorities and the DC came on collision course over the possession of a building located near the bus stand when the latter rented it out to a private contractor for running a canteen without the consent of the MC authorities who passed a resolution unanimously to get back its possession.

The DC alleged that the EO, MC, Mansa had deliberately made the issue controversial and mislead the members of the Municipal Council House to make them pass a resolution number 274. He said he would write to the principal secretary and director, local bodies, Punjab, for action against the EO.

He asserted that the building housing the 'canteen' of the Red Cross society was owned by the society and the MC could not claim its ownership on the chunk of land, over which the building was constructed. The building was given on contract to bolster the financial resources of the society.

In 1992, when the Mansa was carved out as a separate district, the building and other properties, which were transferred to Red Cross Society, Mansa by Red Cross Society, Bathinda, also included that building located near the bus stand, where the canteen was being run now, he claimed.

That land was handed over by the MC to the society and Rs 25,000 was given as assistant fund for the construction of the building on 23, April, 1984. His preceding DCs had informed the MC about the possession of society on that building, then why had the council raised the issue suddenly now, he asked.

However, neither the president nor the EO of the local Municipal Council could be contacted for their comments despite repeated efforts as their mobile phones were switched off. 

Bathinda, June 17
The exercise connected with preparation of new cards of residents of the Bathinda district under Aadhar, a Unique Identification Number (UID) scheme, was formally started from Bhokhra village, 10 km from here, today.

A battery of officials of district food and supply controller (DFSC) led by inspector Sat Pal Rahi, started making UID cards in Bhokhra village this morning and completed the formalities for preparing such cards for about 190 residents during the day.

The finger prints and colour of eyes of the residents were scanned on computers and their photographs were taken. Information about 30 other things pertaining to the residents was also collected. About five machines were pressed into service today.

Rahi said this multipurpose card would be used for various things by the card holders. After this scheme was fully implemented, the card would be used for certifying the identification for taking ration cards, passport, driving licence, arms licence, gas connection and other facilities, which the government extended to residents.

He added every resident of this district irrespective of his or her sex, age, economic or social status would be covered under the scheme. Even a child in mother’s lap would be extended this facility.

TS Chopra, DFSC, said so far, five machines had been used and about 125 machines would be pressed into service in the coming days to speed up the process of making cards.

He said no deadline had been fixed to cover the district under the scheme. It would, however, be worked out shortly after the exercise became smooth, he added.

Bathinda, June 17
For extending financial help to the cancer patients from the Chief Minister’s Cancer Relief Fund, a district level committee under the chairmanship of the deputy commissioner has been constituted.

The Civil Surgeon has been made vice-chairperson of the committee.

The other members of the committee are a medical specialist, a surgeon and a gynaecologist.

Civil Surgeon Dr Neelam Bajaj said after receiving application form the cancer patient, the committee would approve the estimate of the expenditure, to be incurred on the treatment of the patient, and would sent it to the Director, Health and Family Welfare, Punjab, for granting financial aid.

The Civil Surgeon said that under the scheme, financial aid upto Rs 1.50 lakh could be given which would be directly paid to the hospital, from here the patient would be receiving treatment. — TNS

Bathinda, June 17
The Postal Department, after receiving a dent in the strength of its customers due to the facilities offered by banks, is now ready to roll out its banking services. As part of this move, the department is going to install Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) at the head post offices.

The installation of ATMs is the part of the core banking project of the India Post that will focus on faster transfer of funds and easier withdrawals. As the department is in no mood to delay it further, the locations to install ATMs are being finalised in the state.

In the past couple of years, the postal department authorities were reportedly observing that due to the failure to adopt technology in its services, it had been losing customers to the banks, which were using technology to its fullest.

Finding the step of the banks proving to be of multiple benefits including helping in reducing the rush at their counters and providing their customers with efficient and rapid services the postal department also decided to improve its quality of service and operational efficiency.

Toeing the lines of its competitors (banks), the postal department that still has the pride of having the largest banking network in the country, once it is in place, will also provide 24-hour banking facility to its customers.

The move is being mainly seen as a great relief to all, who have savings accounts in the post offices, from the trouble of standing in long queues for withdrawing and depositing money, making enquiries regarding outstanding balance, etc. Besides, it will also attract new customers.

According to the information available, the postal department has planned 1,000 ATMs as part of the India Post 2012 project.

It has also been informed that the department is also working on issuing debit cards. As per the scheme, for other post offices where the ATMs are not planned, debit cards will be issued to customers who can use the other banks' network of ATMs to withdraw money and access transactions in merchant establishments.

As the head post of Bathinda has also been selected for the installation of an ATM in the first phase, the officials posted here are busy in finding a suitable location as they have to submit the report to the authorities concerned within a stipulated time period.

Confirming the details, the postmaster, head post office Bathinda, Parshottam Dass said, "The department is also going to link up its ATMs with the national network to which the ATMs of all banks are hooked up. After that, the post office customers will be able to enter into transactions at the ATMs of other banks and vice versa."

"We are working at a fast pace to get the ATM installed here and after that the cards will be issued to the customers as per the directions from the higher authorities," he added.

However, the post master could not divulge more details including the withdrawal limits through the ATM and annual service charges for the ATM users.