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The ministers and their portfolios
Police officers seen close to Cong sidelined
BJP not consulted on DGP’s appointment: Bhagat
UK-based NRI arrested in Moga passport scam
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Lt Col’s wife found murdered
Capt must go: Khaira
Dr Pramod heads reforms panel
Punjab Cong to be revamped
SGPC resents UP move to ban kirpan during exam
Need to boost livestock industry: VC Taneja
Goindwal thermal plant to start by March next year
Forensic experts ‘must follow’ ethics
Doctors’ body against shorter medical course
Two get jail for selling PDS wheat
to pvt sellers
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The ministers and their portfolios
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Police officers seen close to Cong sidelined
ADGP Rajinder Singh, who enjoyed considerable clout during the 2002-2007 Congress government, has not been promoted as DGP even as three of his batchmates, including Saini, were promoted immediately after formation of the SAD-BJP government. The state now has seven officers in the rank of DGP. The government has moved quickly to revert five PPS officers serving as Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) before the elections. They were shifted from their posts by the Election Commission. Indermohan Singh has been posted SSP Muktsar, Surjit Singh SSP Barnala, Gurpreet Singh Gill SSP Patiala, Snehdeep Sharma SSP Moga and Sukhdev Singh SSP Mansa. The appointment of Saini as the state DGP has resulted in the supersession of 1975 batch officer Anil Kaushik who was given charge of the police force after the retirement of PS Gill in the runup to the elections last year. The government had then followed the principle of entrusting this responsibility to the seniormost officer. Kaushik retires in September this year. He has now been posted as CMD, Punjab Police Housing Corporation. Other DGPs superseded are 1978 batch officer Rajan Gupta, who retires in 2015, and 1981 batch officer GD Pandey, who retires in 2017. Shashi Kant of the 1977 batch retires in June this year. The government has given inconsequential posts to the two officers who were speculated to be in line for the top post in case the Congress returned to power. Rajan Gupta has been posted as DGP of the Punjab Human Rights Commission and DGP Sanjeev Gupta as DGP Security and Vigilance, Punjab Powercom. The department promotion committee (DPC) had cleared Rajinder Singh’s name along with his three batchmates — Sanjeev Gupta, Sumedh Saini and Suresh Arora — in December last. But he has been overlooked for promotion. The Secretary, Home, DS Bains, said the government did not want to make the police force top heavy. He said only three ADGPs had been promoted in keeping with vacancies available during the current year. He said two DGPs had been promoted keeping in view the two vacancies that would arise following the retirement of Shashi Kant and Kaushik in June and September, respectively. Bains said one post of CMD, Housing Board, was available against which the third promotion had been made.
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BJP not consulted on DGP’s appointment: Bhagat
Jalandhar, March 15 In town at the Circuit House today, he said he would take up the matter at the core committee meeting on March 18. Bhagat was accompanied by state BJP secretary Ravi Mahindru and district president Subhash Sood. Manoranjan Kalia and KD Bhandari, BJP MLAs, and Mayor Rakesh Rathour were there to welcome him.
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UK-based NRI arrested in Moga passport scam
Moga, March 15 The special investigation team (SIT) today produced him before Chief Judicial Magistrate Rakesh Gupta who sent him to judicial custody for 14 days. The accused, Avtar Singh of Shahkot in
Jalandhar, allegedly got made his passport by changing his name and address. He changed his name to Balwinder Singh Cheeda and mentioned Guru Ram Dass Nagar as his local address even though he never lived in Moga town. He also managed to get UK’s visa on the basis of his “fake” passport through a travel agent and went to the UK to settle there. When he landed at
Amritsar, the immigration authorities, during a cross-check of his documents, found that his passport was made on forged documents. They detained him and informed about it to the Moga police, after which he was arrested. Last week, the SIT had also arrested a Nawanshahr resident, Balkar Singh, at the Delhi international airport as soon as he landed from Portugal. He was also “involved” in the fake passport scam. He had gone to Saudi Arabia from where he proceeded to Denmark in 2005. When his passport expired, he allegedly managed to get it renewed on a fake address of Baghapurana town in Moga district and went to Portugal. Over 80 persons, including 14 travel agents and 53 others who were issued passports on forged documents, have been arrested so far. Lookout notices have been issued against more than 350 persons who had fled the country on fake passports. The trial of the case is going on at the district and sessions’ court in
Faridkot. The Case file
Modus operandi The modus operandi was that the police employees posted between the years 1995 and 2008 in the passport/security branch in Moga prepared fake documents of police verifications and then by manipulating with the travel agents or employees of the RPO office tampered with the official records, forging the documents of age, education, address proof, marriage certificates and others.
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Lt Col’s wife found murdered Amritsar, March 15 She was alone with her two-year-old daughter Bindu, who was sleeping in the adjoining room, at the time of the murder. The incident came to light when her maid servant arrived at the house in the morning. She was strangled to death with a room heater wire, which was found near the body. Santosh Wankhede was away to Faridkot in connection with a training camp. On being called by the Army authorities, he came back in the afternoon. Senior Army and police officials, including the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Sat Pal Joshi and ADCP Mohan Lal reached the spot. Robbery could be the reason behind the tragedy as almirahs in the house were found open, sources said. ADCP City-II Mohan Lal said investigations were on.
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Capt must go: Khaira
Jalandhar, March 15 Attacking Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, he alleged that the latter had “broken” the oath of office by inducting Bibi Jagir Kaur as minister and appointing Sumedh Saini as Punjab DGP. “It amounts to giving a clean chit to the two who are facing serious cases in various courts,” Khaira said. Khaira said Bibi Jagir Kaur was the main accused in the Harpreet murder case pending before the CBI’s Special Court and her inclusion in the Cabinet was an effort to influence the course of justice. “The government has violated SC directions that say a state DGP must be from among the three seniormost officers,” he said.
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Dr Pramod heads reforms panel
Chandigarh, March 15 Highly placed sources said the commission would devise ways and means to check corruption and to end the harassment of the common man. Dr Pramod Kumar, former chairman of the Governance Reforms Commission, will be the chairperson of this commission. A known social scientist, he is the architect of the Right to Services Act, touted by the SAD-BJP alliance as their biggest achievement in the just concluded assembly elections. Other members of the commission are Prof sociologist Dipankar Gupta, Prof KK Talwar, chairperson, Medical Council of India, Prof Atul Sood, economist from Jawaharlal Nehru University, RN Gupta and JR Kundal, retired IAS officers, and Prof SP Singh, former Vice Chancellor of Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar. The term of the commission is five years. Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal had expressed his desire to make the commission a nodal agency to devise a strategy and monitor implementation of welfare schemes to ensure that these reached the poor without hiccups. The mandate of the commission would be to make suggestions and co-ordinate implementation of the second generation reforms, including policy recommendations in education, health, public health, social security, environment, urban development and
co-operatives. The commission will also monitor and evaluate the implementation of the first generation reforms like the Right to Service Act and suggest mid-term corrections. The commission will be assisted by various task groups. To make its functioning harmonious with that of government departments, department secretaries will act as member secretaries of the respective task groups. The commission will submit periodic reports and an empowered committee chaired by the Chief Secretary will submit the action-taken report to the government and the commission within a stipulated period. The commission will be notified in the next few days. It will have its headquarters at Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Public Administration, Sector 26, Chandigarh. The institute will also as a resource organisation for the commission. The SAD-BJP Government won the elections on the twin issues of development and improved governance. Hence, the government is keen on the second generation reforms.
Panel objectives l
To devise ways and means to check corruption and end the harassment of the common man l
To monitor the implementation of various welfare schemes in the state l
To co-ordinate implementation of second generation reforms
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To evaluate implementation of the first generation reforms like the Right to Service Act Members: Other members of the commission are sociologist Prof Dipankar Gupta, Prof KK Talwar, chairperson, Medical Council of India, Prof Atul Sood, economist from Jawaharlal Nehru University, RN Gupta and JR Kundal, retired IAS officers, and Prof SP Singh, former Vice Chancellor of Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar. The term of the commission is five years |
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Punjab Cong to be revamped
Chandigarh, March 15 He said the Congress would play the role of a responsible Opposition in the state and urged the Congress activists to “maintain peace and harmony.” He said the Congress had suffered reverses in the past too but had always bounced back, re-energised. Senior Congress leaders have been pressing for a change in the state leadership. Partap Singh Bajwa, Varinder Kataria, Ripjit Singh Brar, Avtar Singh Brar, Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and Sukhpal Singh Khaira are among those to have voiced their concern about the party’s defeat in the state. In a letter to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Raj Pal Singh, vice-chairman of the publicity committee of the Punjab Congress, has reportedly said that the party had suffered heavily because of gross mismanagement and wrong distribution of the party ticket. Raj Pal, who held a meeting with close party associates before writing to the high command, said the party failed to maintain its secular image while nominating candidates from
various communities. The party president and top leadership was not accessible to party workers during the elections. Raj Pal Singh said the high command should investigate the role of the party affairs incharge in Punjab because he had “misguided” the high command.
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SGPC resents UP move to ban kirpan during exam
Amritsar, March 15 The SGPC chief, Avtar Singh Makkar, said he had received a call from a Sikh organisation in UP, which informed him about the UP education board’s order. He said the move had been enforced for the examinations that were beginning from tomorrow. Makkar said it was unfortunate that the Sikhs had to face this situation in their own country. He said he would take up the matter with the UP government and seek its resolution at the earliest. However, Inderjit Singh Chugh, Gurdwara Singh Sabha member from Saharanpur in UP, said he had no idea about any such order issued by the education board. “Our Singh Sabha runs two schools that are aided by the UP government. But, we haven’t received any order in this regard,” he added.
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Need to boost livestock industry: VC Taneja
Ludhiana, March 15 The livestock sector was growing at an average annual rate of 4 per cent for milk and 6 per cent for eggs. With a per capita income growth of around 6 per cent, India would require 176 million tonnes of milk, 4.3 million tonnes of eggs and 7.4 million tonnes of meat. "The growth rate of the livestock sector can be enhanced through sustainable production systems and exploiting regional strengths while addressing the questions of food safety, quality and environment," said Dr Taneja. He said in Punjab, where the net sown area had remained stagnant over "During this period, there has been a big increase in the availability of milk in Punjab, which is directly related with the increase in the availability of cereals," the VC said. He said an analysis of the livestock vs wheat-paddy system suggested that the returns against variable costs with five milk buffaloes and five cross-bred cows was Rs 84,000 and Rs 52,000 per year, respectively. In contrast, a farmer adopting the wheat-paddy system earned Rs 38,000 per acre and those following the wheat-paddy-potato system Rs 47,000 per acre. Diversifying to livestock was the best alternative to the declining economics of the wheat-rice pattern and to maintain the water table and soil health in the state. Inspite of the fact that dairy and fishery were profitable enterprises than the regular wheat-paddy cycle, a large shift from crop farming to livestock farming had not taken place. This was on account of stable production with low production variations of
the wheat and paddy crops, assured marketing and price support in the form of MSP. "There is a need to boost the livestock industry. The government should take steps to solve the marketing problems because of the short shelf life and perishable nature of livestock products," Dr Taneja added.
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Goindwal thermal plant to start by March next year
Chandigarh, March 15 Raddy informed the Chief Minister that the ongoing work on the Plant would be completed within the stipulated time period and the plant would start generating power in the next 12 months. He also assured the CM that they would be expanding the existing capacity of the project for which a requisite extension in the MoU with the state government would be made soon. He apprised Badal of the problem faced by them for getting the coal linkage for the proposed project from the Ministry of Coal after which Badal assured him that they would raise the matter with the Union Government. Earlier, in a separate meeting with Sukhbir Badal, Raddy informed him that the work on the project was in full swing and more than 60 per cent of it had already been completed. Secretary Power Anirudh Tiwari and Chairman of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) KD Chaudhary were also briefed by
Raddy.
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Forensic experts ‘must follow’ ethics
Patiala, March 15 Dr Jaspal Singh, Vice Chancellor of the university, while inaugurating the seminar, called upon the forensic experts to work exclusively to prevent, check, control, identity and locate any and every act of crime to make society crime-free. He said practically, the forensic people had to deal with examination of all material exhibits connected with various natures of crimes covering all sections of the IPC and other relevant acts and laws. "Unlike other research and analytical materials, forensic scientists are required to work with limited quantity and amount of materials generally left behind or carried away by criminals," he added. Dr Rakesh Kumar Garg, chairman of the seminar, said 200 delegates from various universities and institutions were participating. Dr Rakesh Mohan Sharma introduced the theme of the seminar. On this occasion, the Vice Chancellor honoured Dr BR Sharma with the lifetime achievement award. He also announced that a new building for the university's forensic department would come up soon.
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Doctors’ body against shorter medical course
Patiala, March 15 The shorter course of three-and-a-half years with six months' internship is being planned for the doctors who would work in the rural areas. Dr DC Sharma, president of the federation, alleged that on one hand, the government was contemplating to increase the duration of already long course of MBBS from five-and-a-half years to seven years and on the other, "it is planning to introduce an 'inferior' course for medicos who would serve rural patients as if they do not need quality medical treatment". "This course will be imparted in the district hospitals instead of medical colleges. It will not be possible for the already overburdened doctors of district hospitals to spare time for teaching. Besides, is there no guarantee that such doctors will ultimately work only in the rural areas. The government has failed miserably to keep tabs even on quacks. Who will keep a check on rural doctors?" he said. He alleged that the rural masses were already being neglected in the matter of health services and now the government openly wanted to discriminate against them. "The Docsfed will move the court if the government goes ahead with its plan". Meanwhile, the federation has advocated that the government should give incentives to MBBS doctors both in the public and private sector who wish to serve in the rural areas.
Direct recruitment opposed PATIALA: The Punjab State Medical and Dental Teachers' Association (PSMDTA) has expressed resentment over the decision of the Department of Medical Education and Research to conduct direct recruitment for professors, associate professors, assistant professors and lecturers in government medical and dental colleges. It has demanded that the government should fill all vacant posts through the Departmental Promotion Committee. Dr Gurmet Singh Bhagowalia, general secretary, said the teachers were being denied promotions for the past many years. Most of them become ineligible for direct recruitment due to delays in the DPC procedures. Therefore, they should be given a priority," he added. — TNS
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Two get jail for selling PDS wheat
to pvt sellers
Faridkot, March 15 The police had registered a criminal case in August 2009 against Gulshan Kumar, his son Mukesh Kumar and four other persons for misappropriating 68 bags of wheat and selling them to a private flour miller. While the duo were held guilty, the buyers were acquitted, giving them the benefit of doubt.In another case, the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate sentenced an assistant manager in a cooperative bank to three-year rigorous imprisonment for the offence of cheating the bank of Rs 2 lakh.
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With livestock revolution on the rise in Asia, India will be a major provider of milk, meat and eggs, said Dr VK
Taneja, Vice Chancellor, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University
(GADVASU), here today. The livestock sector was growing at an average annual rate of 4 per cent for milk and 6 per cent for eggs. With a per capita income growth of around 6 per cent, India would require 176 million tonnes of milk, 4.3 million tonnes of eggs and 7.4 million tonnes of meat.
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SAD legislator from Lambi 
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SAD legislator from Jalalabad 
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SAD legislator from Dharamkot 
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BJP MLA from Jalandhar West
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SAD legislator from Bholath 
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SAD legislator from Sunam 
Portfolio Public Works Department 
Portfolio Irrigation 
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BJP legislator from
Ropar 
Portfolio Education, Higher Education and Languages 
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SAD legislator from Samana
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SAD legislator from Kartarpur
Portfolio Food & Civil Supplies; IT
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SAD legislator from Majitha 
Portfolio Transport; Legal & Legislative Affairs; Elections 
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BJP legislator from Fazilka
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SAD legislator from Attari 
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BJP legislator from Amritsar North
Chandigarh, March 15
An FIR under Sections 420, 465, 468, 471 of the
IPC, Section 2/8 of the Passport Act and Sections 13 (2), 88 of the Prevention of Corruption Act was registered in July 2008. Three policemen, Jaswinder Singh, Ranjit Singh and Gurdial Singh; Ranjit Singh, an employee of the Municipal Council; Om
Prakash, a postman and Didar Singh, former employee of the RPO, Chandigarh, were the kingpins.