Bathinda, April 4
Education Minister Sikandar Singh Maluka has sought details from all government schools in the state about the infrastructure available with them.

The Education Department has been directed to collect the details in data capture forms with set formats and provide it to the minister’s office within the next 15 days.

“We want to bring the government schools at par with the private ones and this is our first step towards achieving that goal,” said Maluka.

He added that a blueprint is being prepared to improve the standard of education in the state for which data is being collected on the instructions of the chief minister. After the data is compiled, the state government would take up the matter with the central government, seeking the required funds and the expertise.

The department is also keenly looking for sponsorships and donations from overseas from the non-resident Indians (NRIs) who have earlier been funding education in the state.

“We just want that the government schools should not be considered as the abode of only the poor students. Education should be within the reach of all,” added Maluka.

Meanwhile, the Education Department today convened meeting in Bathinda at the Government Girls’ Senior Secondary School, Mall Road, where these forms were distributed to the in-charges of all the 46 clusters.

The forms would help in compiling data on the strength of the students from classes I to XII besides aspects like the sanctioned number of teachers, pupil-teacher ratio, surplus teachers and the number of teachers required.

Besides, details relating to the number of class rooms, headmaster’s room, art and craft room, computer lab, science labs, science lab equipment, library room, requirement of library books, kitchen shed, verandah, toilets, drinking water, requirement for RO system, gymnasium, playground, sports material, boundary wall, electricity connection, electrical fittings, requirement of furniture for the students and teachers, main school gate, minor and major repairs required have also been sought.

Fact file
In Bathinda district, information has been sought from all government schools, including 79 senior secondary schools, 92 high schools, 95 middle schools, 18 schools under Sarv Shiksha Abhiyaan (SSA), 17 under NABARD, 268 primary schools, 127 Panchayati Raj Institution schools

Bathinda, April 4
Hairatjit Kaur, 26, a resident of village Kachi Bhucho, has made it to the Indian Forest Service (IFS), securing fifth rank in the general category.

Hairatjit is the only female candidate from Punjab to have cleared the examination. Speaking to TNS over the phone, Hairatjit said being a science student, she was always hunting for different career options.

After doing her MSc in Botany from Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, she took up research as a junior fellow with the coveted Forest Research Institute (FRI), Dehradun. At the FRI, she worked on wood anatomy.

“I started looking for career options that could help me serve the country. Now, I am keen to work for saving the green cover,” she said. She added that she was aware of the challenges that lay ahead in checking the illegal felling of trees, mining and poaching of animals, which is rampant all over the country.

Her father Baljit Singh, programme executive, Doordarshan Kendra, Chandigarh, has been her prime motivator. “My grandfather Kartar Singh Balbir was a leading lawyer at Bathinda,” she added.

Hairajit would now be joining the six-month foundation course at Dehradun starting from August.

Bathinda, April 4
After making the process of withdrawing cash an automated affair by installing Automated Teller Machine (ATMs), banks are now making the process of depositing cash a hi-tech affair too.

Such a machine for depositing cash has come up at the four branches of the Punjab National Bank (PNB) in Bathinda.

Most importantly, the machines are not only drawing the attention of the customers but are also gaining the acceptance of the customers.

“The machine has empowered the customers as it has eliminated the need for filling up of the deposit slip, stand in a long queue and wait for their turn at deposit counters,” said Jagbhushan Sharma, chief manager of the Bank Street branch of the PNB, where a machine has been functioning for the last 15 or more days.

“The process is very simple,” Sharma said, adding there was no need for paper, pen, bank staff, much time and others. “Now, one can deposit cash by just using one’s finger tips,” he added.

“The machine is user-friendly,” he further explained, adding that one has to put his or her account number on the touch screen and his name and other details would be reflected.

“Now, place the currency at the box designated for the purpose and soon one gets the receipt confirming the deposit,” Sharma said.

“Up to 40 currencies of the maximum value of `30,000 could be deposited at a time,” he said. Sharma also said one may deposit a maximum of ruppees one lakh in a day through the machine.

The machine does not process further in case of incorrect entry of the account number. Soiled and counterfeit notes are also not accepted by the machine. The machine also helps the bank as it saves manpower.

Though `20 per transaction is deducted for depositing the money through the kiosk, automated money depositing system is gaining popularity with each passing day among PNB customers as it saves time, sources said, adding that 80 to 100 customers per day are using the facility at Kikar Bazaar branch of PNB and kiosks installed at other branches have been witnessing an increase in the number of customers.

Hassle free banking

* One has to put his or her account number on the touch screen and his name and other details would be reflected.

* Place the currency at the designated box and soon one gets the receipt confirming the deposit.

* Up to 40 currencies of the maximum value of `30,000 could be deposited at a time.

* One may deposit a maximum of ruppees one lakh in a day through the machine.

* Rs 20 per transaction is deducted for depositing the money through the machine.

* Soiled/counterfeit notes are not accepted by the machine.

Bathinda, April 4
Ranjit Singh Jalal today became the president of the District Bar Association. Jalal was victorious with 332 votes, while competitors Jasvir Singh and JR Khattar got 243 and 227 votes, respectively.

Sunil Tripathi was elected as the vice president of the association. Tripathi got 456 votes and his opponent, Sandeep Bansal, got 332 votes.

Gurwinder Singh Mann was elected the secretary of the association. He got 422 votes. Mann defeated Vikramjit Singh Ahluwalia who got 371 votes.

Manpreet Singh Brar was elected the joint secretary who got 396 votes, Rahul Jhumba got 221, Rohit Sharma got 52 votes and Nishant Mehta got 118 votes.

Returning Officer in the election, Bharpur Singh Khatra said 8.04 votes were polled out of which eight votes were cancelled.

He added that earlier Surinderpal Singh Khokhar was elected the unopposed treasurer of the association.

Chander Mohan Ruby, secretary of Punjab Law Forum, congratulated all the newly-elected members of the District Bar Association. 

Bathinda, April 4
The Mazdoor Mukti Morcha (MMM), Punjab today gave a call to the labourers for building up a strong revolutionary labour movement in the state for ending the political, economic, religious and social discriminations, being made against them in the society.

The morcha also planned to launch a big agitation to revive the honour of the labourers and equal land rights for them.

This call was given by the leaders at the third state- level convention of the MMM which concluded at the Teachers' Home here this afternoon.

The newly-elected state secretary of the MMM Harwinder Singh Sema said they had been fighting against the system for the past many years to get the demands of the labourers accepted and implemented, but the successive state governments had done a little so far due to which the labourers were organising rallies, dharnas and demonstrations.

Sema said the main demands of the labourers included 10 marla plots to the houseless labourers, due honour to the labourers in the society, enhancement in the daily wage of NREGA workers to the tune of Rs 300, free domestic power supply to all poor labourers, requisite supply of essential commodities to poor through public distribution system, regular job opportunities for workers, availability of potable drinking water and free education to the wards of labourers at all levels.

State president Bhagwant Singh Samao said the Dalit labourers had been facing various types of problems due to the “wrong and anti-labourer” policies of the government. He said for the revival of honour of the labourers the MMM Punjab would intensify its struggle.

State president of the Lal Jhanda Bhatha Mazdoor Union Punjab Harbhagwan Bhikhi said the labourers were the backbone of the society so the welfare of the labourers was a must. He said there was a need to make the labour movement strong enough politically and organisationally.

Among others who also addressed the convention included state secretary of the CPI (ML) Liberation Rajwinder Singh Rana, Nikka Singh Bahadurpur (Mansa), Gobind Singh Chhajli (Sangrur) and Makhan Singh Ramgarh (Barnala).

At the convention the elections to the state body of the MMM Punjab were also held.

According to information Bhagwant Singh Samao has been elected state president and Harwinder Singh Sema state secretary.

The names of other office-bearers are Gobind Singh Chhajli - senior vice president, Makhan Singh Ramgarh - treasurer, Birbal Singh - press secretary and Gursewak Singh Mann - office secretary. 

Bathinda, April 4
Punjab Beopar Mandal has extended its support to the jewellers who are protesting against the union government's move to increase customs duty and other taxes. The jewellers have been protesting against the rise in taxes since March 17.

Clearing its stand on the issue, the Punjab Beopar Mandal head, Ashok Kuamr Dhunike, Wholesale Traders Association Dhuri head Pawan Garg and the heads of the various associations said the jewellers had been short shrifted at the hands of the union government considering India earns a lot of foreign revenue through its gold trade.

The Mandal said the price of gold has risen by almost 300 per cent in the last two months.

It further added that earlier custom duty at the rate of Rs 200 per 10 grams was levied on the gold being imported. This was increased to two per cent last month and the new budget increased it further to four per cent.

The increase in the custom duty led to an increase in the rate of gold by almost Rs 1,000 per 10 grams.

The increase in the rate of gold has had a negative effect on not on the jewellers but also the common man, the Mandal maintained, further adding that the jewellers protest against the increase in customs duty would be supported by it.

On March 17, around 200 jewellers in Bathinda had started a three-day-long bandh following a national call for the same by the Swarnkar Sangh and the Sarafa Association against the proposed increase in customs duty and other taxes.

The bandh was later turned into a five-day bandh.

Bathinda, April 4
Regional Polytechnic College and RPC Degree College is organising its fourth annual function, 'Spark 2012', at its Behman Diwana, Bathinda, campus on Thursday. MLA of Bathinda (Urban) constituency, Sarup Chand Singla will be the chief guest on the occasion.

Principals of various colleges and heads of the adjoining villages will be present on the occasion.

A star night will be the main attraction of the annual function as popular Punjabi singer Amrinder Gill will perform in the evening. Minister of Education and Languages, Government of Punjab, Sikander Singh Maluka will be the chief guest at the star night.

Bathinda, April 4
A Ludhiana-based couple and a woman have been booked by the police for cheating a resident of Bhucho Mandi on the pretext of sending him abroad. The accused have pocketed Rs 3 lakhs from the complainant and neither returned the money nor sent them abroad.

In his complaint to the police Vijay Kumar, a resident of ward number eight said the accused promised to send him abroad and pocketed the amount.

Despite repeated requests and reminders the accused did not bother to answer any of the queries made by the complainant.

A case under sections 420 and 120-B of the IPC has been registered in this connection at Nathana Police Station. The investigation was conducted by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Punjab police.

Bathinda, April 4
An inmate of the Bathinda jail, who was convicted in a rape case, hanged himself to death in one of the toilets of the jail today. The deceased has been identified as Jogpreet who was brought to Bathinda jail from Kapurthala in January last year.

As per warrant officer Bhupinder Singh the inmate was visibly upset for the past long time and it seemed that he could not cope with the atmosphere of the jails.

He remained silent all the time and refuse to get involved in activities in the jail, he said.

He added that the court announced seven years imprisonment for him in July 2010.

Jail superintendent Prem Kumar Garg said the family members of the deceased would be informed after completing the paper formalities.

The family members would be informed by police station of his residence address.

Bathinda, April 4
District Magistrate Kamal Kishore Yadav has imposed a ban on harvesting of wheat crop from 7 pm to 8 am with combine harvesters in the district. Besides, he has also imposed a ban on burning of wheat straw in the district. These orders will remain in force from today to May 31, 2012. 

Ban on straw burning too

y The adminstration has also imposed a ban on burning of wheat straw. The orders will remain in force till May 31 this year

Bathinda, April 4
The district unit (Urban) of the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) will celebrate Foundation Day of the party on April 6 at Seth Kirorrimal-Chhajju Ram Dharamshala on Santpura road here.

District press secretary of the party's unit Umesh Sharma said the BJP was founded on April 6, 1980, so the district unit had decided to celebrate the occasion on that day. He said in this programme the party workers of all levels would take part.

Meanwhile, the district president of the BJP (Urban) Gulshan Wadhwa said the BJP opposed increase in the import duty and excise duty on gold, made by the Central government recently.