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AGENDA 2012-17
Agriculture
First session of new Assembly begins
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Khalsa College excluded from private university proposal
No Jalandhar candidate files poll expense details
State’s interests supreme: Jakhar
A moment of disbelief for 45 first-time MLAs
House Potpourri
Charak warns Congmen against indiscipline
Randhawa blames Cong leader from Patiala for defeat
Transparency in Revenue Dept priority: Majithia
Akal Takht Jathedar tells Rajoana to appeal against death sentence
Sikh high priests to meet today
Fearing ‘threat’ to his life, complainant writes to CM
3 judicial officers in dock
3 Pak smugglers shot,
Rs 110 cr heroin seized
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AGENDA 2012-17
Agriculture With geographical area a mere 1.53 per cent of the country, Punjab contributes 60-70 per cent of wheat and 45-50 per cent of rice to the Central pool. Yet, reports of farmers committing suicides are not uncommon. The reason for this is not any problem with farming practices or technology, but the small size of land holdings of a large number of farmers. To revamp the rural economy in Punjab, thus, the need is to better the lot of small farmers. And the consensus among experts as well as farmer organisations is that the solution lies more outside agriculture than in it. The Punjab State Farmers Commission has recommended that small farmers be trained in trades needed by the industry. During the training, they may even be paid a stipend. The proposal, expected to be put up before Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, may take off as early as next month. While this would be a long-term systematic solution to the crisis in the rural economy, Farmers Commission Chairman Dr G.S. Kalkat believes dairy development is the only short-term alternative that can revolutionise farm earnings. The commission, set up in 2005 to come up with diversification alternatives as well as introducing improved farming practices, says modern dairies as well as improvement of the livestock held by farmers can provide them immediate returns. Dr Kalkat says 5,000 dairy farms with livestock of more than 20 Holstein-Fresian (HF) cows each have already been established in Punjab. Owing to paucity of quality livestock, only 8,000 to 10,000 more such farms are likely to be set up in the state in the next five years. While dairy development is an ongoing process, efforts are on to target the small farmer who has between one and three buffalos. The commission wants to improve the milk yield of these buffalos. High-quality semen available at Hisar and Pune can improve the average yield from 1,200 litres per lactation cycle (around one year) to 2,500 litres in the very first generation. Small farmers should also be encouraged to grow vegetables in net houses. The commission has demonstrated low-cost net house cultivation at several places in the state. Kalkat says these should come up close to consumption areas. To address marketability problems of vegetables produced in net houses, the government should allow big firms to set up collection centres, which is permissible under the existing law. Farmers would then have the choice of selling their produce at these centres or taking it to the market. All centres should have a market yard besides washing, grading and cooling facilities. Thus far, 970 net houses have been established in Punjab, for which 40 per cent subsidy is available. The Farmers Commission is aiming at 1 lakh net houses in the next five years.
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First session of new Assembly begins
Chandigarh, March 19 Starting with the leader of the House, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, and followed by Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, the session saw the entire Punjab Cabinet take oath, but not before newly named Congress Legislative Party leader Sunil Jakhar was called to take oath. The women legislators were called first. While Punjabi was the language of choice, Charanjit Kaur Bajwa, Rana Gurjit, Karan Brar and Arvind Khanna took the oath in English. Malerkotla legislator Farzana Alam took oath in Urdu while Seema Kumari from Bhoa and BJP president Ashwani Sharma chose Hindi to take the oath administered by protem Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal. Navjot Kaur Sidhu was the only MLA who missed taking the oath on the first day. Most women legislators were seen wearing bright Punjabi suits on this special day. Even several men were dressed in bright colours to attract attention. Revenue Minster Bikram Majithia wore a pink turban with a matching satin handkerchief tucked in his blazer pocket. SAD’s GS Babbehail wore a yellow tie that stood out from a mile. A majority of the SAD legislators paid respect to the Chief Minister by touching his feet before and after taking oath. In contrast, Congress legislators wished Jakhar, Capt Amarinder Singh and Rajinder Kaur Bhattal with folded hands. Arvind Khanna, Congress legislator from Dhuri, was the only one who got a tight hug from both Amarinder Singh and Sukhbir Badal while on his way to take the oath. Congress legislator from Muktsar Karan Kaur Brar removed her shoes when she entered the House and remained so all through. Legislators, including Rana Sodhi and Ashwani Sekhri, were equally at ease with their Akali counterparts as they were with their own party men. The House will meet again tomorrow to elect the Speaker. Atwal is expected to be elected unopposed. The BJP, meanwhile, has has finalised Dinesh Singh Babbu's name for the Deputy Speaker's post. The BJP conveyed its decision to the SAD through a written communiqué.
Mohd Sadique opts for traditional attire
Chandigarh, March 19 “Charda”, a traditional Punjabi wear, staged its comeback in the assembly after many years. In the 1980s, Harchand Singh Fattanwala used to come to the assembly wearing “chadra”, which was part of the normal dress, especially in the rural Malwa three decades ago. These days, there is hardly any politician who wears it. Most of them prefer stylish white kurta and churidar pyjama.
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Khalsa College excluded from private university proposal
Amritsar, March 19 The Khalsa College Governing Council (KCGC) has found a way out to allay the fears of its teaching fraternity who apprehended threat to their jobs in the event of the college turning into a private university.
KCGC honorary secretary Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina said, "We have decided to keep the main Khalsa College out of our private university proposal. The proposed university will have other institutions that will be run by the Khalsa College Charitable Society." He, however, said they would be applying with the UGC this week for an autonomous status for the college. "The proposal is expected to be passed by the college managing committee tomorrow. The move will have no bearing on the grants being received by the college from the UGC and the state government. The college will get an additional grant of Rs 20 lakh from the UGC on account of its autonomous status," he said. Chhina said the Khalsa College students will continue to get their degrees from the Guru Nanak Dev University. He said they thought of applying for autonomous status for the college after the UGC came out with this offer for old colleges functioning in the country. He said the move will not affect the service conditions of the college teachers. About the proposed university, Chhina said the proposal was lying pending with the state Cabinet. "At present, we are waiting for the Cabinet nod. Once it is through, we will take a call on the location and other aspects of the university." The proposal had sparked protests a year ago. The teachers were on the forefront of the agitation and the discontinuation of grants, worth around Rs 5 crore, was their main concern. Among the protesters were the college alumni and Kot Khalsa village residents who claimed to have donated land for the college. The college governing council is headed by Sukhbir Badal's father-in-law Satyajit Singh Majithia.
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No Jalandhar candidate files poll expense details
Jalandhar, March 19 District Electoral Officer Priyank Bharti has asked all such candidates, including three ministers Bhagat Chunni Lal, Sarvan Singh Phillaur and Ajit Singh Kohar, to submit their expenditure details within 30 days of declaration of results. Among the prominent candidates who were issued notices by the DEO included Pargat Singh, Manoranjan Kalia, Gurpartap Singh Wadala, KD Bhandari, Pawan Tinu and losers Chaudhary Jagjit Singh, Amarjit Samra, Satnam Singh Kainth, Jagbir Brar and Avtar Henry. “The candidates have to match their poll expenditure details with the funds given to them by their respective parties. Some parties gave funds to their candidates, while others spent from their pockets. So, they are consolidating details and will submit these with the EC within the stipulated period,” said Ashwani Gupta, a chartered accountant working for many candidates in the district. Additional Deputy Commissioner Parneet Bhardwaj said a total of 79 candidates had contested the polls in all the nine constituencies in Jalandhar district. “The maximum number of 11 candidates contested each in Kartarpur, Jalandhar (Central) and Adampur constituencies,” said Bhardwaj.
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State’s interests supreme: Jakhar
Promising to lead a vigilant and constructive Opposition, Jakhar has said that he will go all out to help the ruling alliance take Punjab forward, but the Congress will thwart all attempts to benefit some at the cost of the state. Spelling out his agenda as Leader of the Opposition, he said he was grateful to Congress president Sonia Gandhi for bestowing trust in him and he would go all out to live up to this responsibility. “The Congress needs to do some introspection and look at the reasons for the party’s defeat despite securing more votes in terms of percentage,” he said.
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A moment of disbelief for 45 first-time MLAs
Chandigarh, March 19 Quite a few of the 45 first-timers elected to the Assembly this time said it was a dream come true for them as they had never thought the electorate would make it possible for them to share the floor of Assembly with big names such as Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and former CMs Capt Amarinder Singh and Rajinder Kaur Bhattal. “I used to hold them in high esteem whenever I used to look at their pictures. But I was seated just a few metres away from them today. I was happier today than the day when I was announced elected. It was an out-of-the-world experience for me to be a part of the Legislative Assembly,” said an excited Congress MLA from Fatehgarh Sahib, Kuljit Singh Nagra, soon after taking oath today. A beaming Seema Devi, a BJP MLA from Bhoa, had a similar view to echo, “I didn’t know they would elect me to be their representative in the Assembly. I could not believe my eyes today when I saw the heavyweights seated in the House. It is indeed a dream come true for me.” For Karan Brar, a first-timer from Muktsar, it was a moment of pride mixed with grief. She was declared victorious a few days after her husband Kanwaljit Singh Brar lost his life to cancer. “I was grateful to the people for electing me and at the same time I was overcome by deep grief that I was here because I had lost my husband,” she said with tears welling up her eyes. For the SAD rebels, Balwinder Singh Bains and Simarjit Singh Bains, two siblings who were elected as independents from Ludhiana, it was indeed a journey from a small locality of Ludhiana to the Punjab’s Assembly. “People have posed immense trust in us. We couldn’t have asked for more,” said the duo in unison. “We will support the issues and not the party on the floor of the House,” they said. SR Kaler, a bureaucrat-turned-politician, who has been elected from Jagraon said it would be a one of its kind experience.
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House Potpourri
The oath-taking ceremony was held in a relaxed atmosphere. It was a different show today from the previous two occasions (in 2002 and 2007) when the relationship between the Badals and Capt Amarinder Singh was bitter.
Unusual bonhomie
The day witnessed an unusual bonhomie between the treasury and opposition benches. Cutting across party lines, the MLAs exchanged greetings, wished each other and had a hearty laugh on several occasions.
Language no bar
While Punjabi was the language of choice, Charanjit Bajwa, Rana Gurjit, Karan Kaur Brar and Arvind Khanna took the oath in English. Farzana Alam took the oath in Urdu; Seema Kumari and Ashwani Sharma chose Hindi.
Political hues
Most women MLAs were seen wearing bright Punjabi suits. Even several men, including BS Majithia and GS Babbehali, were dressed in bright colours.
Pious place!
Congress MLA from Muktsar Karan Kaur removed her shoes when she entered the House and remained so all through. (Contributed by Sarabjit Dhaliwal and Naveen S
Garewal)
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Charak warns Congmen against indiscipline
Chandigarh, March 19 In a statement issued here today, Charak said on his arrival here, he came across various newspaper reports in which certain party leaders had gone public and crticised the party leadership. He said that the party leaders were welcome to meet him or any other concerned AICC leaders and raise the issue with them, but they must not go public about these. However, he warned, "Going public on the issue amounts to gross indiscipline and anti-party activity, which will invite action against such leaders under the party rules." Charak said the party rank and file must put up a strong and united front to maintain and boost the morale of the workers who really worked very hard during the elections. He said, "Our leaders should perform the role of an effective opposition as is expected of them by the party and their supporters in fighting against the anti-people and anti-state policies of the Akali-BJP government."
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Randhawa blames Cong leader from Patiala for defeat
Rajpura, March 19 Talking to mediapersons here today, Randhawa said, "Despite my repeated complaints to the AICC observers and the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president, a fellow senior Congress leader continued my opposition in the polls." He said that the party leaders, who had worked against the official candidates, must be taken to task. Randhawa had contested four Assembly elections from Ghanaur constituency, winning two and losing two. During the 2007 Vidhan Sabha polls, Randhawa lost by about 1,400 votes to Independent candidate Madan Lal Jalalpur, who later joined the Congress. "I would work as a loyal party soldier, but it is necessary that the AICC must take note of the ground realities so that the party could be strengthened for the future," he said.
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Transparency in Revenue Dept priority: Majithia
Devigarh (Patiala), March 19 Speaking to The Tribune at Abdulpura village, Devigarh, Majithia said that the task of computerisation of the revenue records had already been achieved during the previous SAD-BJP tenure. "Now, my main focus would be to eradicate corruption, particularly from the Revenue Department, so that people do not have to grease the palms of employees to get their genuine work done." He said that anyone found indulging in illegitimate practices or corruption in the Revenue Department would be taken to task. "Because of the good governance and the employment provided by the SAD-BJP regime during 2007-12, people of the state have given a thumping mandate. Our government is not only committed for the all-round development of the agrarian state, but would also ensure that youth of Punjab get employment." Taking a dig at the Congress, he said that whatever had happened during the recent Vidhan Sabha elections, the fate of the Congress in the state would remain same in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
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Akal Takht Jathedar tells Rajoana to appeal against death sentence
Patiala, March 19 Gurbachan Singh asked Rajoana to reconsider the issue of filing a petition against the death penalty. The meeting lasted for about half-an-hour. Kamaldeep Kaur, Rajoana’s foster sister, who was also present, said Rajoana had told Gurbachan Singh that he would not file any appeal. Gurbachan Singh presented two bottles of water taken from the Golden Temple sarovar to Rajoana. “Before his execution, Rajoana will take bath with the holy water. The Jathedar also gave Rajoana some clothes which the latter would wear on the day of hanging,” said Kamaldeep. Meanwhile, the deadlock continues over the execution of Rajoana by the Punjab Police on March 31 as has been announced by a Chandigarh Court. Sources said the Patiala jail authorities had returned the death warrant, stating that the case in which Rajoana had been awarded death penalty belonged to the Union Territory of Chandigarh. “The decision to return the death warrant was taken after deliberations with legal experts and state government officials,” said the sources.
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Sikh high priests to meet today
Amritsar, March 19 Prior to the meeting of the Sikh clergy, Baba Harbans Singh of Delhi will be given Panth Rattan award posthumously for his contribution in the field of "kaar sewa". — TNS
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Fearing ‘threat’ to his life, complainant writes to CM
Patiala, March 19 In the letter, Kamaljit alleged, "Ever since Bibi Jagir Kaur became a Cabinet Minister, police and Akalis have started intimidating and coercing me. My life and my family is in danger. In case any untoward incident takes place, it would be the sole responsibility of the state government." Officials of the CBI, the prosecuting agency in the case, said the court of Special Judge (CBI cases), Balbir Singh, has fixed March 30 as the date for the judgment in the case. Now, with less than two-weeks left, Kamaljit has once again claimed that there was a threat to his life. During the 11-year case trial, Kamaljit had turned hostile and changed his statements many times in the court. Kamaljit said, "Already I have been implicated in two false cases in order to pressurise me, so that I do not tell the truth to the court. I was booked in a false case on July 13, 2011, whereas another case was registered against my mother and I on February 11 this year in Kapurthala district. Both the cases are false and part of an attempt to pressurise me." Kapurthala Senior Superintendent of Police SS Mann said that the cases were registered in accordance to legal procedures and based on evidence. "I can only say that the law will take its own course and there is no question of falsely implicating anyone", he added.
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3 judicial officers in dock
Chandigarh, March 19 Taking cognisance of her petition, Justice K. Kannan of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has not only issued notice of motion to the Sessions Judge, but also stayed the operation of the orders placing her services under suspension. Describing herself as a widow, Anita Seth, in her petition filed through counsel Anil Chawla and Monica Chawla, has asserted she was posted as additional peon in the Court of Amritsar's then Additional Civil Judge (Senior Division) Hira Singh. On the very first day, she was asked to work at Hira Singh's residence. The petitioner alleged Hira Singh asked her whether she knew massage. Reacting to her refusal to massage his legs and feet, Hira Singh threatened her with adverse remarks in her ACR. Seth further alleged that Hira Singh was transferred to Baba Bakala in July 2011 and his judicial officer wife Ranjit Kaur took the charge. She too started compelling Seth to work at the residence. Her refusal saw Ranjit Kaur harassing her. Seth said that on July 15 last year, "against the sexual harassment by Hira Singh and against the indifferent and harassing attitude of his wife Ranjit Kaur, she gave her complainant through the proper channel to the District and Sessions Judge, Amritsar". Just about five days later, the Sessions Judge called her to his office. At that time, Ranjit Kaur was also present. Before she could utter a word, the Sessions Judge scolded her for not wearing uniform and refused to "listen to a word regarding sexual harassment by the judicial officer, Hira Singh". Two days later on July 22, 2011, "a notice was served to the petitioner by the Sessions Judge for not wearing the uniform". Again on July 30, 2011, she furnished a written complaint regarding sexual harassment to the authorities, including the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Her counsel added that the petitioner's services were subsequently placed under suspension and a chargesheet was issued for not wearing a uniform and for directly complaining to the higher authorities. They were "even trying to conclude the departmental inquiry against the petitioner without taking any action on the complaint regarding sexual harassment," her counsel concluded.
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3 Pak smugglers shot,
Rs 110 cr heroin seized
Amarkot (Tarn Taran), March 19 Rajesh Gupta, DIG BSF, and RPS Jaswal, DIG (G), said the incident took place between the border posts 137/10 and 137/11 at 12.45 am when the jawans observed some suspicious movements at the spot and saw with night vision cameras that three persons were coming towards Indian border using a long plastic pipe. "They were just 10 yards away from the barbed border fence when the jawans challenged them and asked them to surrender. However, the smugglers opened fire," said Gupta. In retaliation by the BSF jawans, the three sustained bullet injuries. During a search in the wee hours, the BSF recovered bodies of the three smugglers and 22 packets of heroin worth Rs 110 crore, three mobile phones, Rs 200 of Pakistani currency, besides a country made single-barrel gun, 10 live cartridges and one empty cartridge, he said. As many as 30 rounds were fired by the BSF jawans while the Pakistani smugglers fired four rounds, he added. All the deceased were in their late twenties or early thirties. "We have informed the Pakistani Rangers about the smuggling attempt during the flag meeting of lower rank officials while the issue would also be raised during another flag meeting of senior officials of the two border guarding forces," he said. The smuggling attempts have seen a spurt in the last couple of months with the thinning for Pakistani Rangers at the border.
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14th Vidhan Sabha came into being today with all MLAs, barring one, present to take the oath of allegiance to the Constitution as a legislator on the opening day of the Budget Session.
Starting with the leader of the House, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, and followed by Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh
Badal, the session saw the entire Punjab Cabinet take oath.
Patiala, March 19
Cow economics
Economist Dr Ranjit Singh Ghumman says agriculture development is not possible in isolation. It must be integrated with processing and manufacturing industries, and incentives for that could be given to the private sector. For this, we need a status survey of various areas, identification of the work force available, and creation of employment opportunities near villages. He also advocates the creation of a fund for research by Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) by levying a 50-paisa cess on all market produce.
Bharti Kisan Union (Rajewal) president Balbir Singh Rajewal says Punjab would be fighting a losing battle if it continues to depend on the wheat-paddy cycle, as paddy cultivation has gone up in many states, including Bihar, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and Jharkhand. The Centre would no longer be dependent on Punjab for this commodity. Punjab needs to focus on increasing the area under sugarcane, cotton and maize. He says special zones could be earmarked for all three crops and farmers growing them should be given incentives to ensure long-term diversification.
Punjab can increase the area under basmati, and yet continue to contribute the same amount of paddy to the Central pool. This initiative, if it materialises, would allow the state to arrest the falling water table — as basmati needs less water — besides ensuring better returns. PAU is testing a high-yielding variety of rice that should be available in two years. This would allow farmers to produce the same amount of common rice for the Central pool, even as some area is diverted to basmati. Collection centres mooted by the State Farmers Commission should also be allowed to purchase basmati, for which there is no minimum support price, directly from farmers.
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Create skill-training centres for small farmers as per needs of the industry.
The government will work to raise the income of small farmers, so that their debt burden could be reduced. Subsidies on power and canal water will continue. We will promote the cooperative system, which could lend out equipment such as tractors and paddy transplanters. The state would take up with the Centre the issue of subsidy on fertilisers and raising the MSP for various crops. Efforts would be made to strengthen PAU to develop crop varieties to minimise the use of water and pesticides. The government would prepare a comprehensive agriculture policy focusing on research, along with a push to allied agricultural practices. 
Chandigarh, March 19
