Ludhiana, June 20
The Punjab budget for 2012-13 presented by Finance Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa has proven to be a mixed bag for those residing in the city.

No new tax was included in the budget, which came as a breather for them. The meager 10 per cent austerity measure that was announced might generate revenue of Rs 260 crore. However, industry felt completely ignored as they did not get what they sought. The Finance Minister blamed the Central government for deteriorating situation of the industry in the state.

Meanwhile, agriculturalists were elated at the new budgetary provisions announced today. The state’s effort to invest in research by allocating Rs 189 crore to Punjab Agricultural University, Rs 101 crore for strengthening GADVASU against Rs 45 crore previous year and Rs 50 crore for the modernisation of dairy units in the state were applauded by those in the agriculture sector.

“Taking farmer suicides into consideration, the finance minister announced Rs 2 lakh compensation for the families of the deceased. “The matter is of utmost importance and need to be taken care of,” said Jagdev Singh, agriculturalist from Lalton village.

In addition to this, the austerity measure, including 10 per cent cut in ministers’ allowances and reduction in fuel and office expenses to raise Rs 250 crore, was

appreciated by the public in general. “This measure is appreciable, but the in-house expenses of the government should have been reduced to at least 20 to 25 per cent,” added Kulwinder Singh, a senior citizen.

Students also have something to cheer for. Free tablets to 1.50 lakh students of Class XII were announced, which will cost Rs 110 crore to the state exchequer. Announcement to give employability allowance of Rs 1,000 per month to all graduates registered with employment exchanges for more than three years while students will get allowance of Rs 1,000 per month for pursuing higher studies and vocational courses is an appreciable step taken by the government, added Gurjeevan Singh, a retired teacher.

“The budget misses on infrastructure development and has virtually no money for power generation against the claims of the state to provide round-the-clock electricity within two years,” said Monika Gawri, homemaker. 

• Budget size: Rs 57,648.28 crore
• Opening balance as on 1.4.2012 Rs  (-) 821.61 crore
• Total receipts Rs 58415.92 crore
• Total Expenditure Rs 57648.28 crore
• Closing Balance as on 31.03.2013 Rs  (-) 53.97 crore
• Includes, inter alia contra receipts and expenditure of
  Rs 7,000 crore advance from Reserve Bank of India. After excluding this amount, the effective budget size, receipts and expenditure are Rs 50,648.28 crore, Rs 51,415.92 crore, and Rs 50,648.28 crore, respectively.

Ludhiana, June 20
Industry was completely ignored in the state budget announced today by Finance Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa. Nothing was announced for the industry, which is already passing through a difficult phase and shifting its base to the neighbouring states.

"It is a vision-less budget. It is a budget of a politician not of an economist. Industry is already passing through a tough time, yet no new scheme and incentive has been offered to the ailing industry. The revenue for the proposed funds which were announced today will be ultimately collected from the industry and pressure on industry to yield more will increase," said Badish Jindal, president of Federation of Punjab Small Industries Association. "The need of the hour is to adopt some realistic measures for the industry in Punjab. It is forced to shift its base to the neighbouring states but unfortunately finance minister has not done anything rather than compiling the figures," said Vinay Kansal, an exporter.

Upkar Singh, joint secretary of Chamber of Industrial and Commercial Undertaking, said, "No scheme, no incentive, no fund has been allocated for the industry. We need at least Rs 500 crore to upgrade ourselves to give competition to other countries. The absence of exhibition halls is another major problem,” he said.

Ludhiana, June 20
The local police has registered about a dozen complaints against children of old parents, who have abandoned them at the dusk of their lives. Sore over the “ill-treatment” being meted out to them by their own wards, having no other option, the helpless parents approached the police to intervene. And all these complaints have been registered by the police in the past three to four days.

Expressing shock over the “rude” behaviour of the wards, Commissioner Police Ishwar Singh said it was bad to see these abandoned parents in plight.

“This is new phenomena, which has been observed here. The reason for throwing old parents can be traditional breakdown of the families, lot of transformation in society or unable to bear the burden of parents economically. But these helpless parents have approached the police to seek justice. Some of them are living in gurdwaras while others are putting-up

with relatives and acquaintances,” said the Commissioner. On asked whether the police has powers (under the law) to take action against the “irresponsible” wards, Ishwar Singh said the police tried to send the parents to their children. “But in cases where children refuse to take care of their old parents, we can register criminal cases against them (wards),” he added. Neeta Mehra (name changed), an old woman in her seventies, has been thrown out by her children. The police has registered a complaint number CR 6840 BCR, 1913 dated 12/6/2012 on basis of her statement. Her children own a factory while the old mother is putting-up at Gurdwara Dukh Niwaran.

Similarly, PN Sehgal (identity changed), a resident of Urban Vihar, was thrown out of the house by the children, who termed their father to be of “loose character”.

Doraha, June 20
Despite the fact that there has been ample spread of education and awareness among the rural students, there still remains a good number of them who opt for subjects/courses depending upon what their friends choose.

Sukhjeet Kaur, whose BCom II result has just been out, now realises that she is a misfit in commerce and her first love was literature.“How foolish I have been in the choice of my stream. I still remember the day when I opted for commerce, blindly following my friends. I wonder today how I could have committed such a mistake, she said. I threw caution to wind and never for once thought what was right for me at that stage. But all is still not lost as I have decided to do my Masters in English, even though I would be a commerce graduate,” she says.

This not just one example.There are a number of cases where students, especially the ill-informed ones, simply copy what their friends do and later repent for the error.

When asked about the choice of stream, Taranjeet of Kaddon village, who had taken non-medical subjects till class XII, said, “Although I had decided to take BSc (Non-medical), since none of my friends or for that matter nobody from my village is interested in taking this stream, I will go for the arts. Even my parents feel the same."

Ramandeep, a student from Katani Kalan village who has just cleared her class XII and likes the commerce stream, has the same problem. She has to forsake the stream of her liking as she avers that commerce classes get delayed and her friends, all of whom are thinking of getting admission in the arts, will leave early, leaving her behind, and she would have to go back alone which her parents would disapprove of. “My parents cannot afford college transport. Hence I will have to commute to college in a private bus,” she rued.

Jaskiran, a student who has appeared in BA-I exams, says- “I wished to take maths with computer science but none of my friends was interested. So I took the courses they opted for due to the simple reason that I would lack company otherwise. But now I think I will do Part-I again and take those subjects which are of my choice. After all it is a question of my life and career,” she asserted.

“Many a times students insist on taking a particular subject even if they do not have the aptitude for it. A student took English (Elective) as her friends opted for the subject, but had to later change the subject as she could not perform well in the tests,” said Prof Amarjeet Kaur, head of the English department, and in-charge, Girls Wing, Guru Nanak National College, Doraha.

“There are a number of cases where the students compromise or choose subjects irrationally. Although we have constituted various teams of teachers to guide such students and parents by going to their places and counselling, but the students are sometimes adamant, either due to parental pressures or due to immaturity,” expressed Dr Narinder Singh Sidhu, principal, Guru Nanak National College, Doraha.

Ludhiana, June 20
Fire fighting measures seem to be low on the list of priorities of authorities of the Northern Railway authorities at the local railway station. Though on paper, the railway station does have sufficient number of traditional fire extinguishers as well as water hydrants along with hosepipes, but at best these can cope with small fire incidents. In other words, the Railways will have to seek outside assistance if a major fire breaks out at the railway station or in a train.

Attribute it to sheer good luck of the railway authorities that there has been no major fire incident for quite some time. The main issue of the level of preparedness and equipping the Railways with the latest fire fighting equipment having been neglected to some extent is understandable for this reason alone. But the fact remains that the railway authorities, both at the divisional level at Ferozepur and zonal level at New Delhi are compromising with the safety and security of the railway passengers while also exposing the entire complex to fire hazard with their lackadaisical attitude.

Station Superintendent RK Sharma maintains that there are 30 fire extinguishers of traditional variety (Carbon Dioxide type) functional at the railway station. These have been placed at strategic points like the main enquiry counter, booking windows, waiting rooms, reservation centre, parcel office, loco shed, railway platforms and also in some offices of the railway officials.

“We don’t have water storage tank to douse fire, but there are at least 100 hydrants and sufficient number and length of hosepipes, which are normally used for filling water tanks of the coaches and for washing aprons,” he adds while pointing out that with electrification of the Railways on this section, the fire fighting, especially use of water to douse flames has assumed critical significance.

According to Sharma, putting out fire at the platforms or other places in the railway complex with water or fire extinguishers is possible but with overhead high tension power cables on the tracks, fire fighting in a train is no longer possible with the traditional methods because even after cutting off the power supply, the power cables remain live for some time and there is the risk of electrocution.

On the preparedness of the railway employees in case of any eventuality, he said the employees were being sent to Ferozepur and Chandausi to get training in fire fighting and rescue operations on regular basis. “A private company running ambulance service for the state health department had recently organised a mock drill in rescue operations and fire fighting at the railway station, which was attended by a large number of railway employees,” Sharma added.

Ludhiana, June 20
People got furious as condom vending machines (CVM), installed under a project of National AIDS Control Society at 50 places in the city, go out of stock.

The CVM were installed this month that deliver a pack of three condoms when one puts a coin of Rs 5 in it. The machines although have been installed by National AIDS Control Society, the responsibility of refilling condoms have been handed over to a private company called HLL Life Care Limited.

Paramjeet Singh, programme officer for Condom Promotion of HLL Life Care Company, said, “Each of these machines has a capacity of carrying 22 packets of condoms and each packet has three pieces in it. We fill these machines twice a week. When it is out of stock, the word "Nil" is displayed on its screen and do not accept any coin.”

The machines, which have been installed on trials-basis, received overwhelming response from the public. However, when these machines go out of stock, people lose patience.

Programme Officer said, “People become destructive when these machines display the word "Nil" on the screen."

At Transport Nagar and Subhani Building area, out two machines have disappeared. However, at some other places we have observed that on showing the word “NIL" people break these machines and throw them away. Some miscreants even break the locks to steal the coins from it. I want to make a request to the people that these machines are for them, so handle these with care. If these show “Nil”, it means these are out of stock; do not break or destroy these."

He further said CVMs are being installed in three other cities, including Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Jalandhar. At present, Ludhiana is only city to have these.

Ludhiana, June 20
People residing in the city could be seen guzzling various kinds of soft drinks these days due to unrelenting heat. But, of late, a large number of youngsters have started drinking traditional drinks not only to quench their thirst but also as a healthier alternative.

“As Baba Ramdev says soft drinks are not good for health, particularly the carbonated ones. Thus, I prefer healthier and traditional homemade drinks rather than colas, which are high in sugar and caffeine content and can cause health problems,” says Chintesh, a BA student.

“Nothing can beat the homemade ‘lassi.’ It is healthy, energy giving and amazingly cool drink. Sometimes, I just take ‘thandai’, which works wonders in the summer season. Traditional drinks have developed over the years,” he adds.

For Deshupkar, who completed his Bio Tech this year, juices are healthier and most preferred choice as soft drinks. “Although, I do take soft drinks at times, but whenever available, juices for me are much better option. I love ‘sharbats’ and shikanjwi,” he adds.

Summer without mango “panna” is incomplete for Avneet, a student. “Sharbats” are better choice as drinks, as they as natural coolants, he says. Sugary and aerated drinks although seem tastier, but are not even able to quench thirst. These can even harm the body if taken in excess, he says.

During summers Mango “pannas”, “brahmi” and “sharbats” are most popular drinks, according to Manoj Parsad, a chef working with a restaurant in a city-based hotel.

According to Dr R Vatsyayan, an Ayurvedacharya, traditional drinks like “sharbats”, “kachi lassi”, “chati lassi”, “khas khas sharbat”, “khas sharbat” and “shikanjwi” not only add taste but offer an array of health benefits. But these sadly are disappearing from our houses.

Ludhiana, June 20
The local police in association with GLADA has installed two CCTV cameras at two major entry points of the city-Hambran Road and Kohara Chowk. The police has been able to get live footages of all activities going on at these points with the installation of these cameras.

Deputy Commissioner Police, Ashish Chaudhry, said these cameras were installed at two places on trail basis. The project of installing the cameras was being executed by Electronic Corporation of India (ECI) while Rs 2 crore would be provided by GLADA.

The DCP added that these CCTV cameras would help in early detection of crime. “We are getting the live footages of the activities on these points. Once we are convinced, more CCTV cameras will be installed at Gill Chowk, Pakhowal Road, Ferozpur Road near Octroi post and at Sahnewal. The police will be able to crack the whip on the culprits if they try to escape from the city after committing the crime,” he added.

The city police decided to create a web of CCTV cameras across the city after biting the dust in the double murder case. These cameras can read the number plates of vehicles from 500m. The cameras have been connected directly with the police control room to check visuals.

Ludhiana, June 20
More than 40 members of Chamber of Industrial and Commercial Undertaking (CICU) attended China International Machine Tool and Tools Exhibition in Beijing, China. The exhibition was held between 12 and 16 June. Upkar Singh, Joint Secretary, CICU, said the main purpose of the visit was to source innovative products, especially high precision and high-tech machine tools and low cost auto-motion machinery, at competitive rate.

These are required for improving manufacturing efficiency and the growth and development of MSMES in Punjab. — TNS

Lushiana, June 20
Health experts have described the health budget as ‘not patient friendly’. The doctors say that here is a lot of thrust on infrastructural development than increasing manpower, improving drugs and testing facilities.

Talking to The Tribune, Dr Hardeep Singh, State President of PCMS Association (The Punjab Civil Medical Services Association) said, “Health budget is not sufficient for the well-to-do state like Punjab where people are more concern about their health. The budget does not fulfil public demand. The budget focuses on infrastructural facilities, but where is the manpower to cater to the sick and needy? The facility of caesarean section has been provided at all Community Health Centres, but posts of anesthesiaists are yet to be sanctioned.�

The state president further said, "Maternal and childcare sections should have been provided in all district and sub-divisional level hospitals and not only in five district hospitals.� He said it is good that Sick Neo-natal Care Units (SNCUs) will be set up in all district hospitals. Paediatricians should been made available at every CHC and doctors should also be appointed on regular basis.

Deputy Medical Commissioner, Ludhiana, Dr AK Handa said, “The budget is very small for health, which is an important segment of life. More Jan Aushadhi centres should be opened at sub-divisional level. The government supplies us very less medicines in Jan Aushadhi stores. There should have been provision for supplying more medicines to these stores, so that the poor could get the benefit.�

Shiv Ram Saroiy, member of Rogi Kalyan Samiti, Lord Mahavir Civil Hospital, Ludhaina, said, "Patients who come to government hospitals will not be benefited from this budget. They need more testing faculties, more medicines and need specialist doctors. There are very less doctors to cater to indoor patients. The government should have increased budget of generic drugs as without the help of NGOs the poor remains helpless in getting prescribed drugs."

Ludhiana, June 20
The promise made by the government to give laptops to the youth will be finally realised now. While presenting the budget, Finance Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa announced to give Tablets to all 1.5 lakh students of class XII.

Gurkirat Singh, studying in government school, Samrala, said the announcement has made the students happy. "Now I will also have my own tablet. I cannot afford to buy expensive gadgets, though they are a necessity in the present world. I am waiting for the announcement to be implemented," he said.

Gurminder Kaur, principal of Government College for Women, added that the government has allocated Rs 115 crore for upgrading the infrastructure; and the establishment of computer labs in 48 government colleges is also a welcome step. "The responsibility of the college does not end by providing computers to students. They also need to be upgraded at regular intervals. The announcement made by the Finance Minister will help the students," she said.

Wi-fi in all government senior secondary schools, and an additional central assistance Rs 100 crore for upgrading of ITIs and polytechnics is the best that a Finance Minister can give to the students of the state, added Pritpal Kaur, a government school teacher.

• Tablets to all 1.5 lakh class XII students at a cost of Rs 110 crore.
• Wi-Fi in all government senior secondary schools.
• Rs 115 crore for upgrading infrastructure and establishment of computer labs in 48 government colleges.
• 4 degree colleges to be completed at Mansa, Talwara, Jalalabad and Amargarh.
• Rs 100 crore Additional Central Assistance for upgrading of ITIs and polytechnics.
• Establishment of an Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) at a cost of Rs 128 crore at Kapurthala.
• Punjab Institute of Food Technology and Research (PIFTR) at Barnala.
• Punjab Institute of Textile Technology and Research (PITTR) at Ludhiana to be set up by PTU.
• Employability allowance of Rs 1000 per month to unemployed graduates registered for three or more years with the employment exchange for pursuing higher studies and vocational courses.

Ludhiana, June 20
To stop black marketing, the prospectus at SCD Government College was today sold from principal's office. The decision was taken by the principal of the college after it came into light that a class IV employee was indulging in black marketing of the college prospectus.

The management of SCD Government College has also set up an enquiry committee against the class IV employee who was allegedly indulging in black marketing of the college prospectus.

The college prospectus that is priced at Rs 100 was allegedly sold between Rs 100-500 in black. "The incident came to our notice and we have set up an inquiry committee which will investigate the matter. The said class IV employee has also been shifted from his responsibility," said Gurminder Kaur, who has the additional charge of principal at the SCD Government College.

Further, college superintendent Anil Sandhir said that another employee from the clerical staff has been shifted due to the malpractice. "Someone from the staff even pointed finger towards me alleging that I was keeping prospectus with me and selling them at higher prices. But these are all rumours. Since I am the superintendent of the college, I have the charge of all such responsibilities and never indulge in overcharging for prospectus."

Vocational courses: Early Childhood care and education, Advertisement, Sales and Promotion

Ludhiana, June 20
Since the admission season is going on, radio jockeys in Panjab University and the local Guru Nanak Girls College, Model Town, have started an initiative to help applicants with admission-related information through their radio stations.

PU’s radio station Jyotirgamya is available at FM 91.2 and GNGC's radion station "Community Radio" at FM 90.4. PU's Shiksha Ke Anek Aayaam, an exclusive programme for students looking for career options, is a hit among the students. The programme is being aired four times a day. While GNGC’s programme “Student’s Career” is aired three times a day.

While those who missed to tune into the radio need not worry as there is a provision of accessing eight episodes in one go at the university website where all the recordings are available," said a faculty member from the School of Communication Studies, PU.

Charanjeet Mahal, principal of Guru Nanak Girls College, said that experts answer the queries posed by the students related to career, and guide them to choose a career suitable to their subjects and interests. “A lot of students tune into the programme to know the best possible options available to them in their streams,” said Mahal.

"The programmes are not just restricted to PU courses, rather information regarding all subjects and courses is given at the PU radio station. The radio station is quite a hit on Facebook too as a lot of listeners continue to post interesting comments online and share their views about the programme,” said Harleen Kaur, a student.

A host of experts from the industry give tips to students about various career prospects - be it graduate courses, MA or PhD. The best part is that the listeners can tune in to the programme all seven days in a week," adds Sunil Sharma , technical head of the radio at PU.

Ludhiana, June 20
“Motive, men, method and material are the foundation stones of technological education,” said Dr Kawaljeet Singh, director, University Computer Centre, Punjabi University, while deliberating on the topic “Benchmark Leading to Profile Sketching of Technical Education” at the PTU-sponsored faculty development program on “Emerging Paradigms in Professional Education" organised by the GGN Institute of Management and Technology (GGNIMT).

Dr Kawaljeet shared successful teaching techniques in the current scenario with the delegates and stressed on open book exams, case studies, hands-on practice, projects, presentations, model making and broad based education as effective tools for learning. The concluding session of the day was addressed by RC Chopra, former director, Ministry of Small, Medium and Micro Entrepreneurs (MSME). Chopra highlighted the reasons for gaps in academics and the industry and suggested measures to bridge it. He encouraged the teachers to train students for the real world so that education does not become a short span phenomenon, but stays as a part of one’s culture and behaviour.

Ludhiana, June 20
A large number of aspirants attended the trials organised by the Ludhiana District Swimming Association at the Municipal Corporation Swimming Pool, Rakh Bagh, today.

The trials were conducted to select the swimmers (junior boys and girls) born between 1995 and 1997 (group I) and those between 1998 and 1999 (group II) to take part in the Punjab State Junior Swimming Championship slated to be held at Mahindra College and NIS Swimming Pool, Patiala, on June 23 and 24.

The panel comprising Apinder Singh Grewal, Wasakha Singh, Amanpreet Kaur, Saurav Sharma and Amar Pal have selected 29 swimmers to represent the Ludhiana district in the upcoming championship at Patiala.

The names of the selected boys and girls are (boys group-I): Manavdeep Singh Bal, Akshit Bawa, Prabhdeepak Singh, Nawab Bir Singh Kang, Yashu Passi, Saksham Kapoor, Varun Goyal, Manmeet Singh, Sushant Gupta, Rahul Garg and Gurdesh Singh Boparai. Boys (group-II): Roshan Chirag, Ravneet Boparai, Prabhjot Singh, Subraj, Robinveer Singh, Ekam Singh Grewal, Jagpreet Singh, Gaurav and Jasmilan Singh.

Girls (group I): Kanwalpreet Kaur, Shubhkarman Dhaliwal and Ishpreet Kaur. Girls (group II): Mani Mehtab Dhaliwal, Sarman Grewal, Jasman Grewal, Kriti Monga and Tamanna Jindal. Performance during this two-day championship will be taken into consideration while selecting the Punjab contingents for the Junior National Aquatic Championship scheduled to be held from July 10 to 15 at Chennai.