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Corporation heads to be changed
Millers flock to Rajasthan for cheaper wheat
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Medical ties with Pak need booster dose: Patil
A patient lies on the floor in the absence of a wheelchair at the medical camp in Badal village of Muktsar. Tribune photo
Lodhinangal wants say in Batalvi memorial arts society
Fresh taxes: Cong MLAs seek special Assembly session
Rs 13-cr solar power plant in Bathinda
Export of more goods to Pak to boost industry
Suvidha centres facing teething problems
NEET will complicate matters: VC
Water level in Bhakra up
Acclaimed film to be screened on Sept 25
Samana resident held for plotting prisoners’ escape
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Corporation heads to be changed
Chandigarh, September 23 The sources said a number of district presidents, who had proved their mettle in the assembly elections, could be appointed board/corporation chairpersons Besides, the SAD wanted to send the right message by adjusting leaders who were strong candidates but had given way and stood by official candidates in the assembly poll. The sources said the party had already rewarded senior leaders Maheshinder Singh Grewal and Amrik Singh Aliwal and that more such leaders could be elevated. The SAD is keen to give responsibility to young blood. However the changes will be made keeping in view regional and caste equations. Legislators will not be considered for these posts. The sources said once board/corporation heads were appointed, the party would concentrate on filling the three vacancies in the Cabinet caused by the forced resignations of Bibi Jagir Kaur, Tota Singh and Gulzar Singh Ranike. There is a feeling in the party that the ministers might not be able to return to the ministry soon and that refilling these posts was the only way out. The sources said that among the frontrunners for the vacant ministerial berths were Scheduled Caste leader Sohan Singh Thandal. He may be a replacement for former Animal Husbandry Minister Ranike. Thandal, a four-time legislator, fits the bill as far as seniority is concerned. He is from Hoshiarpur district which does not have any representation in the Cabinet. The other frontrunners are Hari Singh Zira, who has served in the 1997-2002 ministry. Zira, a Badal loyalist, missed the bus at the time of ministry formation seven months back. He could now get a chance to bounce back. The third aspirant is Mohinder Kaur Josh, who is already serving as Chief Parliamentary Secretary. She is being touted as a replacement for Bibi Jagir Kaur. Besides these three claimants, Gurdaspur legislator Gurcharan Singh Babehali is also in the race. However, his candidature is being opposed by senior leaders of the district who lost the assembly elections. Sant Balbir Singh Ghunas, Des Raj Dhugga and SAD spokesman Daljit Singh Cheema are also eying a place in the Cabinet.
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Millers flock to Rajasthan for cheaper wheat
Chandigarh, September 23 Since wheat under the OMSS is released only to flour mill owners and traders belonging to the state, Punjab millers have tied up with traders in Rajasthan to bid on their behalf and buy wheat at a cheaper rate. The foodgrain is available to millers in Punjab at Rs 1,600 per quintal while the same is available in Rajasthan for Rs 1,510 to Rs 1,520 per quintal. Because of this price difference, the mill owners have been boycotting the auction of wheat under the OMSS. Naresh Ghai, president, Punjab Flour Mills Association, said the millers had already boycotted two auctions held earlier this month. “It is unviable for us to buy wheat under the scheme from Punjab due to the high price,” he said. The Ministry of Food has a common reserve price for wheat under the
OMSS, which at present is Rs 1,285 per quintal, up from Rs 1,170 per quintal last month. However, while allotting tenders, the flour millers and traders are charged the taxes paid by the FCI to the state during procurement. As a result, the price at which wheat is allotted to different states varies according to the taxes imposed on the produce at the time of procurement. Since Punjab imposes high taxes, wheat released here under the OMSS is the most expensive. Because of low taxes imposed on wheat in
Rajasthan, the reserve price of wheat under the OMSS there is Rs 1,330 per quintal as against Rs 1,483.16 per quintal in Punjab. Interestingly, the government has released an additional five million tonnes of wheat to combat the rising prices of wheat flour. The government had initially decided to release 3 million tonnes of the foodgrain this year. But with the prices of flour jumping by over 23 per cent in a year, it decided to pump in more stock into the market. However, millers said though the quantity of wheat allotted under the OMSS would ease the gap between demand and supply, they would purchase wheat from Punjab only after a uniform pricing mechanism was introduced for all states.
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Medical ties with Pak need booster dose: Patil
Badal (Muktsar), September 23 Patil, who inaugurated the camp in which a large number of people suffering from various diseases poured in for check-up, said such exchange of doctors and other professionals will promote mutual cooperation and people-to-people contact between the two countries. The three Pakistani doctors, Abdul Majid Chaudhary, Abdul Sattar Memon and Abdul Aziz Laghari, were among the more than 300 distinguished doctors from Chandigarh, Ludhiana and other places who attended the camp. Patil said frequent visits by the medical fraternity of both the countries will not only upgrade their medical and diagnostic skills, but would also go a long way in providing quality health care facilities to the people of the sub-continent. Emphasising the need for cordial ties between the two countries, he said people across the border will be immensely benefited from such gestures in which organisations like SAARC could play a vital role. Appreciating the Punjab government for holding the camp, the Governor said the move by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal will benefit the poor as they would get quality health-care services free of cost at their doorstep. He said such camps, to be organised across the state, would help in timely detection of fatal diseases like cancer. Earlier, in his address, Badal said the camp, organised on the lines of Sangat Darshan programme, would revolutionise the state's heath-care sector. He said such camps will be replicated in all districts. Reiterating the commitment of the state government to eradicate cancer from Punjab, the Chief Minister said massive infrastructure coupled with quality health services were in the pipeline to provide relief to cancer patients. Thanking the participant doctors, Badal urged each of them to spare at least a day from their busy routine for treating patients free of cost at such camps. He said such initiatives by the doctors would go a long way in making Punjab a healthy and prosperous state. Among others who spoke were Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Ministers Chunni Lal Bhagat and Madan Mohan Mittal, Chief Parliamentary Secretaries Mohinder Kaur Josh and Navjot Kaur
Sidhu.
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Chaos at free medicine, registration counters
Badal (Muktsar), September 23 As a result, a large number of patients had to face inconvenience. Residents even from far-off districts had arrived to avail of the facility. But, the delay in distribution of medicines, shortage of wheelchairs, lack of testing facilities and mismanagement at registration counters caused a lot of confusion. The major problem was delay in the distribution of free medicines. Till 11:30 am, the distribution had not started and patients were seen waiting outside the designated counter in scorching heat. It was only after Health and Family Welfare Department Secretary Vini Mahajan intervened that the distribution of medicines started. But even then, the single counter failed to cater to the large number of patients. Later, medicine distribution was also started near the stage. Getting wheelchairs was another problem. A number of patients who were bed-ridden could be seen sleeping on the ground in wait of a wheelchair. Surprisingly, there were no arrangements for stretchers and trolleys. A patient suffering from brain hemorrhage, Karamjit Kaur of Lohara village, and her relatives had to wait for almost an hour to get registration done and to find a wheelchair. Till then, she kept lying on the floor near the entrance. Dr JP Singh, Health and Family Welfare Department Director, said, "These problems will be sorted out when we hold the next camp."
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Lodhinangal wants say in Batalvi memorial arts society
Batala, September 23 The development has slowed down the work on the setting up of the auditorium being constructed at a cost of Rs 1.80
crore. The Chief Patron of the society is former Cabinet Minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan while the patrons are former Rajya Sabha MP Bhupinder Singh Mann, Batala MLA Ashwani Sekhri, President of the Punjabi Sahit Academy GS Gill and the iconic writer’s wife Aruna Shiv Kumar Batalvi. The society’s president is social activist and Batala-based surgeon Satnam Singh Nijjar. When the society was formed about two years ago, Lodhinangal was MLA of the neighbouring Qadian assembly segment. The organisers did not deem it fit to include his name in the scheme of things. After he lost the last assembly elections from Batala, the powers-that-be in the SAD adjusted Lodhinangal as halqa incharge. Sources said since Lodhinangal’s writ runs large in this steel township, people close to him thought it prudent to exert pressure on the society to include his name and that of his supporters in the list of office-bearers. “The society members are under pressure and they may be forced to adjust the former legislator as a patron to ensure that work on the new auditorium does not suffer,” said an office-bearer. Dr Nijjar said Lodhinangal’s supporters would be adjusted in the advisory committee of the society while he would be nominated as a patron. “I have met Deputy Commissioner Abhinav Trikha, who is chairman of the society’s managing committee, and apprised him of the latest developments,” he said. The sources said the immediate provocation for Lodhinangal’s demand was the fact that Dr Nijjar attended a Congress rally addressed by PPCC president Capt Amarinder Singh last week. Local residents said the development should not act as an impediment in the construction of the auditorium. “The construction of the auditorium is an emotional issue for us. Hence, politicians should not be allowed to play the spoilsport,” they said.
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Fresh taxes: Cong MLAs seek special Assembly session
Chandigarh, September 23 Jakhar said: “Legislative conventions are being abused and tweaked for political expediency. It is dangerous for democratic traditions and will embolden the SAD-BJP government to take more such anti-people steps in future”. He said the Punjab Congress was duty bound to oppose imposition of taxes on the common man and keep a check on the wasteful expenditure by the government. He said the party would also highlight the indulgence of Punjab ministers in “diversion and siphoning” of central funds and call for an audit by CAG.
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Jobless teachers lay siege to highway, face cane charge
Ludhiana September 23 The protesters were demanding an amendment to the advertised posts of teachers in various subjects. The blockade that started around 1.30 pm was on till the filing of the report. During a scuffle between policemen and the protesters, president of the Teacher Eligibility Test Pass Unemployed Teacher Union Amandeep Singh Phool sustained minor injuries. The protesters alleged that policemen had also manhandled women teachers due to which dupattas of some were torn. Later, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP) Nilambri Jagdale told the teachers that their meeting had been fixed with Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal at Chandhigarh on Monday. But the teachers insisted on meeting Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. They said 2.5 lakh candidates took the TET test in 2011 and around 9,000 cleared it. Phool said the government had advertised 5,178 posts, but the classification of these posts was not suited to teachers. “The government has advertised 443 posts of Punjabi teacher while 2,500 teachers have passed the test for this post. Same is the case with the posts of social study (SS) teacher. Around 5,000 teachers passed the test, but only 1,500 posts have been advertised”. Earlier, the TET teachers had staged a protest in Ludhiana on September 9. The district administration had fixed their meeting with Secretary to the Chief Minister, but the teachers were not satisfied with the outcome of the meeting.
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Rs 13-cr solar power plant in Bathinda
Chandigarh, September 23 Revenue and Non-Conventional Energy Minister Bikram Singh Majithia said the plant had been set up under a demonstration programme whose objective was to connect solar power plants at the tail-end of power grids. The government had taken 54 kanals of land on lease from the Phulokheri village panchayat near the 66 KV tail-end grid substation at Raman Mandi in Bathinda for 33 years, Majithia said.
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DIG: Barapind was in touch with secessionists
Jalandhar, September 23 Addressing a press conference late this evening, the DIG, Jalandhar, Lok Nath Angra, said the search at Barapind's house had yielded a Mauser, six live Cartridges, two wireless sets, seditious literature and two bullet-proof jackets. The DIG said the recovery was a part of the consignment that Barapind had received earlier in May. Investigations had revealed that Sandeep Singh, a resident of Saifabad, had visited Pakistan for training. His links with Barapind and Gurnek Singh alias Neka had been established. Another criminal, Sukhwinder Singh of Rounu Khurd village in Khanna, also had close ties with Barapind. Surinder Singh of Thikriwal in Barnala had been arrested on the disclosures made by Barapind. A countrymade pistol and cartridges had been recovered from him, the DIG said. It was being verified if Thikriwal had gone to Pakistan for arms training. He said Barapind had been in constant touch with pro-Khalisthan elements on his Facebook account. He also had an an e-mail account (yahoo) that had been deleted by his contacts in Australia after his arrest.
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Export of more goods to Pak to boost industry
Amritsar, September 23 Welcoming the decision, Punjab Small-Scale Industry Development Board Director Raman Gupta said at present, Pakistan allowed the trade of just 130 items through the land route. He said till last year, Indian traders were sending less than 24,000 truckloads to Pakistan annually with a major share of exporting commodities being fresh vegetables, soyabean and other eatables. Gupta said if Pakistan allowed trade of engineering goods, it would help nearly 1.20 lakh industrial units in the state, many of which were facing closure due to stagnation. He said these units could be rejuvenated as Pakistan imported a large number of engineering goods from other countries. “On my visit to Pakistan early this year, I observed that they were highly dependent of imports for engineering goods like nuts, bolts, nails, farm equipment etc. There is a huge opportunity for Punjab units having specialisation in engineering goods”. Widening the scope of trade with India would also benefit Pakistan as it had limited success in trade ties with China due to language and distance barriers, he said. Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) National Planning Council member Gunbir Singh said Pakistan must allow trading in items easily available in Punjab. He said units manufacturing sports goods, textiles, food and agro-based items would benefit immensely. He said the total trade between India and Pakistan stood at about $2.5 billion and there would be a substantial growth once more items were included in the trade list.
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Suvidha centres facing teething problems
Touts or agents working at different Suvidha Kendras are learnt to be fleecing people.The time limit for services is not being adhered to. The feedback is being tabulated on the instructions of Revenue Minister Bikramjit Singh Majithia.The Public Relations Department will submit a report based on a detailed feedback from different district headquarters in this regard. Agents are reported to be working at the kendras in Patiala, Rajpura, Samana and Nabha besides several other places all over the state. A number of facilities have not yet gone online. At certain Fard Kendras, land records have not been updated because of shortage of tehsildars. It is reported that for procuring papers for sale of second-hand cars and those related to land, agents and patwaris are demanding a bribe. On the working of Saanjh Kendras, which facilitate police-public interaction, an officiating SSP said: "Work on the Saanjh Kendras is on. As of now, all districts have yet to go online and there is no facility for downloading
FIRs."
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NEET will complicate matters: VC
Ludhiana, September 23 Vice Chancellor Dr SS Gill while talking to the Tribune said, "With the implementation of NEET, the states will have to look towards the centre at every step. At present the university has to get in touch with the state government for every notification but once the exam becomes central the process will become lengthier as the state would then have to contact
the centre." When asked why Guru Gobind Singh Medical College, Fariodkot, which is run by the varsity lags behind, Dr Gill said, "It is the geographical location of the college. Lack of road and air connectivity is another reason why people prefer to go to hospitals in Ludhiana rather than Faridkot. Moreover we do not have any super specialities at our institute. A patient prefers to go to PGI which is equipped with the latest technology and runs super specialities in almost every field. We need massive funds to upgrade our facilities. We have already put up our papers with the state government for the same." The Vice Chancellor said he had already taken up this issue with Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal who advised him to improve the undergraduate courses of the varsity. "Now we have improved the UG courses and will focus on postgraduate courses and super specialities," he added. He said soon Guru Gobind Singh Medical College, Faridkot would start 33 new courses for technicians.
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Water level in Bhakra up
Patiala, September 23 As per the latest figures, on September 21, the water level in the Bhakra was recorded to be 1655.83 feet, whereas on the same day last year it was 1680.51 feet In the Pong dam the figure stood at 1390.59 feet on September 21 last year, and it stood at 1385.48 feet this year. On August 7 this year, the water level in Bhakra dam was just 1,588.11 feet and in the Pong dam it was 1,321.4 feet. Weather experts said the revival of monsoon this month has helped raise
the water level.
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Acclaimed film to be screened on Sept 25
Patiala, September 23 It had its world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival and is the first Punjabi film to have travelled to 15 international film festivals including the London Film Festival and Busan International Film Festival. —TNS
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Samana resident held for plotting prisoners’ escape
Patiala, September 23 Police have allegedly recovered a Chinese pistol and some literature from the accused and have booked him under the Arms Act and the Explosives Act. Deputy Superintendent of Police, Samana, DS Malhi said Bagicha Singh had earlier been acquitted in a case in 2008. Police had alleged that he was closely in touch with Bakshish Singh, the main accused in an attack on Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmat Ram Rahim Singh some years ago. “We have procured a five-day police remand after he was arrested yesterday,” Gill added. Sources said, “Two accused in the Shingar Bomb blast case and Bakshish Singh, who were lodged in various jails in Punjab, were being helped by Bagicha Singh in their bid to escape.” A senior police officer said Bagicha Singh was in constant touch with some of the prisoners. “After monitoring his activities for some time, a case was registered against him and he was arrested at a naka yesterday,” he added. An FIR has been lodged in Samana Police station under sections 153-A, 216, 212, 505, 120-B, 124 of the IPC, 25/54/59 of the Arms Act and 3, 4, 5 of the Explosives Act against Bagicha Singh. The arrest follows the recent raids on the Maximum Security Jail in Nabha, which houses dreaded terrorists, and other jails across Punjab. Police had suspected the prisoners were trying to escape through a tunnel and had carried a two-day search operation. Bagicha Singh’s family has rubbished all allegations
levelled by the police.
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Badal (Muktsar), September 23
Parkash Singh Badal and other dignitaries through his shooting skills at Dashmesh College for Girls in Badal village. Patil twice hit the mark with a rifle at the college's shooting range. He scored six points in the first attempt and when Badal asked him to take another try, the Governor hit nine points. The shooting range has produced several shooters, including Olympian Avneet Kaur Sidhu. — Archit Watts
participate in the medical camp. They said they had never earlier participated in a camp organised on such a large scale. The doctors, Abdul Majid Chaudhary, Abdul Sattar Memon and Abdul Aziz Laghari, who have travelled to several parts of the world, appreciated the initiative. Dr Chaudhary said the first state-of-the-art SAARC hospital would come up either in Jalandhar or Amritsar. — SP Sharma
Chandigarh, September 23