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Fee hike in medical colleges on cards
‘Influential’ Punjab doctors
work in UT beyond tenure
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Govt fails to select police personnel for CM’s Medal
Govt unclear on implementing food scheme
Minister’s Patiala visit marred by protests
Protesting members of Government Rajindra Hospital Nursing Association (contract) argue with a police officer after blocking the car of Punjab Medical Education and Research Minister Bhagat Chunni Lal in Patiala on Friday. Tribune photo: Rajesh Sachar
Special test for NRIs who missed NEET
E-trip a draconian law to hound traders, says Bajwa
Hepatitis cases on the rise, CMOs told to pull up socks
Pay bill or lose CISF security: Centre
Online services at district offices by year-end
Dalbir Kaur’s husband alleges threat to life
Expedite monetary relief to acid attack victims, HC directs govt
Now on, disclose credentials to file PIL
PCMS doctors' plea quashed
Abducted minor found in Ambala
Robbers' gang confesses
to over 550 crimes
Ropar hospital storekeeper
held with Rs 2.5 lakh goods
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Fee hike in medical colleges on cards
Chandigarh, July 26 Headed by Dr KK Talwar, honorary adviser to the Punjab Government for Health and Medical Education, the panel will meet on Sunday and take a call on the revised fee structure, which has been submitted by the Director, Medical Education and Research. The members of the committee are Vini Mahajan, Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare; Dr Tejveer Singh, Director, Medical Education and Research and Dr SS Gill, Vice Chancellor of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot. The panel has been formed following a persistent demand by private medical colleges for a hike in tuition fee. The demand is to raise the average fee of each seat to Rs 7.5 lakh per year from the existing Rs 2.75 lakh a year. Currently, 50 per cent of the total seats in various colleges are filled through the open quota. The feel in this category is Rs 1.5 lakh per annum. The management quota comprises 35 per cent of the total seats, which entails Rs 4 lakh annual fee. The remaining 15 per cent seats fall in the NRI category, with the per year fee touching around one lakh US dollars (around Rs 60 lakh). The NRI quota seats, however, largely remain unfilled and are shifted to the open quota. Adesh Foundation chairman Dr HS Gill said, “Raising the fee is a must if private medical colleges have to survive. Haryana is already charging an average Rs 5.75 lakh per seat annually. The government should either permit us to charge Rs 7.5 lakh per student per annum or allow us to manage admissions in 50 per cent of the seats according to our own conditions.” Or else, he said, the government should support them financially, as was the case with private government medical colleges. “Only then can the fee remain low. Moreover, the colleges, as per a 2006 notification, were to be allowed a hike every three years,” he added.
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‘Influential’ Punjab doctors
work in UT beyond tenure
Mohali, July 26 “Over 20 doctors, including four senior medical officers, have been serving in Chandigarh for the past 10 years while some others have been working here since late eighties and early nineties,” said RTI activist Roshan Bawa. Rule 10.25 of Punjab CSR Rules, volume 1 part 1, says the initial period of deputation may be extended by up to 5 years by the administrative department concerned. Moreover, in a rare case, the exigencies so required in public interest, such period may be extended beyond five years with the prior concurrence of the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms. “Most medical officers have been getting ‘undue’ extensions because they enjoy political patronage,” said a senior government official on condition of anonymity. He said it was an open secret that the children of several such officers were studying in UT schools or their wives were working in the city. While a majority of senior doctors have been serving in the city, the state is facing an acute shortage of experienced medical officers. Even though the Punjab Health Ministry has rationalised the department and has transferred a number of doctors posted in health centres and hospitals across the state, the state is still short of around 350 doctors. Punjab Health Minister Madan Mohan Mittal said, “A doctor needs peace to be able to carry out his duties efficiently. If the doctors in the UT are doing good work, then there is no point in shifting them back to the state.”
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Govt fails to select police personnel for CM’s Medal
Patiala, July 26 Police sources said the government had asked for a list of officers from the Punjab Police. Strangely enough, it was sent only one name. However, till date there had been no official word from the CMO on the 2012 awardee. The police had recommended the name of a senior PPS officer for the medal. The file was lying with the Chief Minister’s office. The Chief Minister’s Medal was instituted only a few years ago. "Despite the fact that several officers have shown dedication to duty, none has been named for the 2012 award,” said a senior officer. He said many policemen had lost their lives while working on important cases. Yet their names had not been considered for the award. Principal Secretary, Home, DS Bains said the file from the police headquarters was sent directly to the CMO and his office had no role to play in the matter. Additional Director-General of Police, Administration, MK Tiwari said a file had been moved for the 2013 medal and was expected to be cleared soon so that the winner could be awarded on August 15. “As for the 2012 medal, I cannot say much," he said. A spokesman for the Chief Minister's office said he would look into the matter.
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CM: Hooda’s claim on Chandigarh absurd
Bathinda, July 26 Indirectly joining the debate over New Chandigarh, the Chief Minister said Chandigarh was an integral part of Punjab and any construction around it was only part of necessary development. Answering queries at a function here, the Chief Minister said Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda's claim over Chandigarh was laughable. He said Hooda was trying to score brownie points and he may even claim that "Punjab belongs to Haryana." Badal said Hooda must not forget that Haryana had been carved out of Punjab. "So there is absolutely no substance in his claim over Chandigarh.” Asked to comment on the Food Security Ordinance, the Chief Minister said it was an irony of fate that the Centre had never made any effort to store grain. The Central Government was deliberately lingering on proposals on extending scientific storage facilities to Punjab despite the issue being taken up by him with the government time and again, he alleged. To another query on the alleged misuse of funds by Punjab Technical University, Badal said the law would take its own course in the matter.
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Govt unclear on implementing food scheme
Chandigarh, July 26 A meeting under the Food and Civil Supplies Minister was held here today to discus modalities to implement the Centre's food scheme. There were deliberations on how the two schemes could be run alongside. Since the Centre has reportedly not sent guidelines for rolling out the food scheme, the state government is unclear on the disbursal of money for implementing the scheme. Under the national food security programme, 5 kg of wheat is to be provided to each beneficiary at Rs 2 per kg. Under the state's atta-dal scheme, 5 kg of wheat per person (a maximum of 25 kg for a family) is being provided at Rs 4 a kg besides 500 gm of pulses per person (a maximum of 2.5 kg per family) for
Rs 20 a kg. While the number of beneficiaries (with an income of less than Rs 30,000 per annum) under the state scheme stands at 15.40 lakh, state estimates show that the number of beneficiaries under the Centre's programme will swell to 1.82 crore. Officials say the issue of how the two schemes can be run simultaneously and the payment modalities will have to be worked out with the Union Food Ministry. Punjab spends Rs 20 crore per month on the atta-dal scheme. It distributes 27,000 tonnes of wheat and 3,100 tones of pulses among the poor every month. Sources say the state will reiterate its demand that the Centre should pay salaries to the ration depot-holders (Rs 10,000 per month) so that the distribution channel for implementing the scheme is strengthened.
The modalities * The issue of how the state can implement its atta-dal scheme alongside the Centr’s food scheme and payment modalities will have to be worked out with the Union Food Ministry * The number of beneficiaries under the state scheme stands at 15.40 lakh * The number of beneficiaries under the Centre's programme will swell to 1.82 crore * State to reiterate its demand that the Centre should pay salaries to ration depot-holders
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Minister’s Patiala visit marred by protests
Patiala, July 26 Members of various factions of the employees and other associations obstructed the Minister’s way while protesting against the manner of functioning of hospital authorities and state government officials concerned. After the Minister inaugurated the facility at the TB Hospital, the representatives of the Aam Aadmi Party obstructed his way seeking action in the Rs 2 crore medicinal herb scam. Members of the Rajindra Hospital Bachao Sangharsh Committee also handed over a memorandum to Bhagat for various reforms in the hospital, including keeping OPD timings on the pattern of the PGI, Chandigarh, holding all medical tests in the hospital itself and filling of vacant posts of doctors, nurses and other employees for smooth running of the hospital. The worst came in the form of a protest by members of the Contract Basis Nursing and Paramedical Staff Association, following which the Minister had to make a back-door exit from the hall where he was holding a press conference. Perturbed over non-regularisation of their services even after three-and-a-half years and non-disbursal of their salaries for the last five months, the contractual employees gheraoed the Minister’s car for almost half-an-hour.
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Special test for NRIs who missed NEET
Patiala, July 26 The first preference, both in graduation and post-graduate courses, however, would be given to those NRI students who had appeared for the NEET. The test would be conducted by Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot. In Punjab, around 375 (15 per cent quota) of the total 2,500 MBBS and BDS seats are reserved for NRI students. Vini Mahajan, Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, said as not many NRIs had appeared for the entrance earlier, a large number of seats would remain vacant if the NEET was a criterion for filling the medical and dental seats. Earlier, the NRI students had the privilege of admission to the 15 per cent seats reserved for them without appearing in any entrance test. After the Central Board of Secondary Education conducted the first-ever national-level medical NEET — the results were declared in June — the Punjab Government issued a notification, thereby making the NEET the basis for admissions to medical colleges in the state. As such, the NRI students who did not take the test were declared ineligible. The state government’s decision was criticised by the NRIs. Seeking its immediate rollback, the affected students approached the NRI Sabha, which got in touch with Punjab Medical Education and Research Minister Chunni Lal Bhagat and NRI Affairs Minister Bikram Singh
Majithia.
Admission scramble * Punjab has 15 per cent quota in its medical colleges for NRI students * Of the 2,500 MBBS and BDS seats, around 375 are reserved under the category * As these admissions are being held on the basis on the NEET, the NRI students who didn’t appear in the test have been rendered ineligible * Not holding the special test would mean keeping a number of seats under the NRI category vacant
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E-trip a draconian law to hound traders, says Bajwa
Jalandhar, July 26 Stating this while addressing a gathering as part of the party's mass contact programme, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Partap Singh Bajwa said, "The SAD-BJP government was allegedly bringing deceptive ideas for harassing traders rather than rationalising the tax regime and taking austerity measures to manage the state's bad economy." The Punjab Government has brought cotton, mustard, plywood, iron and steel (excluding scrap), yarn and vegetable oil (edible and non-edible) under the e-trip system to check tax evasion. The PPCC president also took a dig at the BJP while accusing it of failing to safeguard the interests of the trade and industry and alleged that the BJP ministers in the government supported tax on urban properties, an exorbitant hike in power tariff and hefty fees imposed on regularisation of illegal colonies. "BJP ministers were compromising with public interest for their self gains and the notification for e-trip system was issued without consulting traders," Bajwa said. He said it would put an extra burden of over Rs 3,000 crore on the businessmen at a time when most of the industry and big business houses were shifting base to other states due to an "atmosphere of hostility" in Punjab. Claiming that no Illegal colonies existed in the state, he demanded a high-level probe by a sitting Punjab and Haryana High Court Judge to find out as to who was behind the mushrooming of such settlements in the last one decade. "Lakhs of people have settled in 5,500 colonies, which have suddenly been pronounced Illegal by the state government. They have paid taxes and most of them have already got their building plans sanctioned from the civic authorities concerned. This burden is like imposition of "jazia" on people," he added. Ludhiana: Punjab traders on Friday held a massive protest here and warned that they would go on an indefinite fast from August 1 if the "anti-tax evasion" measure was not rolled back.
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Hepatitis cases on the rise, CMOs told to pull up socks
Ludhiana, July 26 The CMOs have been asked to hold awareness programmes with the help of paramedics, medical colleges, both private and government, and schools on the disease. Dr Deepak Bhatia, State Surveillance Officer, Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme, said: "A large number of hepatitis-B and C cases have been reported from Muktsar, Barnala, Moga and Mansa districts. At a screening camp at Kalala village in Barnala last week, we came across 148 suspected cases of hepatitis-C, of which 78 have tested positive. "The civil surgeons have been asked to hold workshops and seminars in schools to spread awareness about the disease." He said hepatitis patients suffered from liver psoriasis that could lead to liver cancer. The Health Department had decided to hold a survey on the number of hepatitis patients in the state. It had set up a 22-member committee for the purpose. "A random survey conducted last year had detected 387 cases of hepatitis-C," Dr Bhatia added.
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Pay bill or lose CISF security: Centre
Chandigarh, July 26 The CISF was given the responsibility of guarding the civil secretariat after the assassination of the then Chief Minister Beant Singh in 1995. The assassins had infiltrated the security force guarding the secretariat at that time. Since then a battalion of 1,000 CISF personnel has been guarding the secretariat. The bill for the same is required to be shared in the 60:40 ratio by the Punjab and Haryana governments Sources say the total bill of Rs 29 crore includes Rs 9 crore which the Ministry of Home Affairs claims is previous shortfall. It says the Punjab Government has been paying only 50 per cent of the total bill and not 60 per cent for several years now. The remaining money includes dues pending since long as well as service tax and penalty charges. The sources said this was the fourth such notice sent to the Punjab Government and the Punjab Government was in talks with the Central Government. It has been years since peace returned to Punjab. Former Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal had suggested that the Punjab Government should depute its own security personnel at the secretariat to save precious money. Despite a fiscal crunch, his proposal was rejected by the government.
Pending arrears * The CISF guards the Punjab and Haryana civil secretariat in Chandigarh * The bill for the same is to be shared in the 60:40 ratio by both Punjab and Haryana governments * Punjab has not pay arrears totalling Rs 29 crore to the Centre * This is the fourth such notice sent to Punjab * Former Finance Minister Manpreet Badal had suggested that Punjab should depute its own security personnel at the secretariat to save money.
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Online services at district offices by year-end
Chandigarh, July 26 Reviewing the implementation of the e-district plan during a meeting on governance reforms here today, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said the project would entail a total back-end computerisation of district and tehsil-level offices. The Deputy CM issued instructions to link all services to the central data server for proper integration of all services. Sukhbir said the e-district project had covered 47 high-volume citizen services. These were earlier delivered manually through Suvidha Centres. "The e-district project has ensured a faster, simplified, cost-effective and convenient over-the-counter delivery of services," he said. Issuing directions for online application of 47 services, Sukhbir said by November this year, every citizens in the state could avail of services online related to ration cards, birth/death registration, pensions, arms licences, marriage certificate, certificates for residential proof and government dues. Stressing the need for total transparency, Sukhbir asked the Secretary, Governance Reforms, to incorporate SMS services under which an applicant would get an SMS indicating the date the service would be delivered. Reviewing the success of the pilot project in Kapurthala and Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, the Deputy CM was told that Punjab was the first state to implement the highest number of (47) services among the states selected for implementing this project. He was informed that more than 75,000 service requests had been processed electronically and to deliver these services efficiently, more than 200 offices in the two districts had been connected with Punjab Wide Area Network. More than 300 digital signatures had been issued to designated officials for approval of certificates. C Roul, Secretary, Governance Reforms, said the new system had raised the level of transparency and quality of governance and service delivery had improved. He said that all output certificates were digitally signed by the competent authorities and the new automated system under the e-district project had improved the status-tracking system. Sukhbir said reports to the last level of service delivery should be made available so that pendency of applications could be tracked till the last level of service delivery. He said funds to the tune of Rs 53.34 crore had already been approved for implementation of the project in the remaining 20 districts of Punjab.
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Dalbir Kaur’s husband alleges threat to life
Amritsar, July 26 Hundal has marked an inquiry to Superintendent of Police (D) Harwinder Singh Sandhu. “We may ask Dalbir Kaur to join investigations to get to the truth,” he said. A copy of the complaint has been sent to the Punjab police chief and the IG, Border Range, Amritsar. A couple of days ago, Dalbir Kaur had filed a complaint against her husband with the Chabal police, alleging harassment. Baldev Singh, a native of Manan village in Tarn Taran, has sought police security, alleging that his wife wants to get rid of him as she fears he will "expose" her designs to "garner" the money that Sarbjit's family has received after his brutal death. Dalbir Kaur, when contacted, maintained that her husband had no right over the money received by Sarabjit's family from the state government and charitable
organisations.
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Expedite monetary relief to acid attack victims, HC directs govt
Chandigarh, July 26 The case hovers around acid attack on Mandeep Kaur and father Shamsher Singh on July 11. They were on their way to the Moga District Courts to attend the hearing of a case when the attack took place. As the matter came up for resumed hearing before the Division Bench of Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Augustine George Masih, investigating officer-cum-SHO of Ajitwal police station Arvind Suri asserted that the police would file a challan in the case within 15 days. He also disclosed that four accused had been arrested and remanded to judicial custody. Expressing concern on increasing incidents of acid attacks, the Chief Justice verbally observed in open court that he intended to fast track such cases pending in the courts below. “We have called for information from districts regarding pending cases involving acid attacks,” observed the Chief Justice. Despite directions, the Punjab Government did not file a status report. A short reply narrating the sequence of events by Moga SSP Surjeet Singh Grewal was, however, handed over to advocate-cum-secretary of Poor Patients Relief Society, HC Arora, after the conclusion of the proceedings. Arora asked the court to issue appropriate directions to the government to release monetary assistance to the victims for their treatment. He said the two victims were getting treated in Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana, and not in a government hospital The Chief Justice verbally observed the issues pertaining to amount of compensation, and inter-relation of compensation, if any, with expenses of medical treatment, would be sorted out possibly during next hearing on August 23.
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Now on, disclose credentials to file PIL
Chandigarh, July 26 He is also required to specify what he does for living, and what public interest he has been expounding. The Bench headed by the Chief Justice also made it clear that merely writing that the person was is residing in the State and was public spirited is not enough. Registry must ensure strict compliance with the rules and would return petitions styled as public interest with objections in case of failure to do so. The Bench also made it clear that petitions based simply on newspaper clippings with research were more in nature of publicity than public interest and were wasting precious judicial time. The directions come just over two years after the High Court issued detailed instructions. The High Court then also made it clear that an affidavit was required to be furnished while filing a petition in specifically disclosing the credentials of the petitioner and his direct or indirect personal motive or interest involved in the matter.
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PCMS doctors' plea quashed
Chandigarh, July 26 They were seeking directions for quashing a clause in the Punjab government notification of April 4, prescribing experience of rural service for admission in postgraduate courses under the 60 per cent seats for the in-service candidates. The order dismissing the petition with exemplary costs to be quantified later came after counsel for the in-service PCMS doctors Gurminder Singh contended that the plea was an abuse of the process of law. He said the petitioners had filed a case before the high court in their individual capacity for the same relief earlier also. They were also the appellants before the court. He said a look at the list of members was enough to reveal that they were the petitioners in the earlier plea. A Single Judge had earlier ruled that the rural medical officers working with the zila parishads in Punjab could not be equated with the PCMS in-service doctors. The ruling was significant as the rural medical officers are, as such, not entitled to be considered for 60 per cent seats in postgraduate degree/diploma courses in the health sciences institutions. These seats are to be filled up by the eligible in-service doctors. The ruling by Justice Rameshwar Singh Malik came on a bunch of six petitions. After hearing the arguments, Justice Malik had dismissed the petitions ruling, “These writ petitions are bereft of any merit. Thus, these writ petitions must fail. No case for interference has been made out.”
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Abducted minor found in Ambala
Moga, July 26 Preliminary investigations suggested the youth lured the girl while promising to marry her. A case has been registered against Manjinder and three women who allegedly helped him abduct the girl. — TNS
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Robbers' gang confesses
to over 550 crimes
Patiala, July 26 The Patiala police found that the gang members had snatched gold and money from over 300 persons in several districts of the state. HS Mann, Patiala Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), confirmed the accused had confessed to several crimes. The accused were held with gold ornaments worth Rs 10 lakh, a Nano car and a motorcycle yesterday. The arrested were identified as Prabhdeep Singh and Manpreet Singh of Jamalpur, Ludhiana, Jaswant Singh of Rama Mandi, Jalandhar, Satnam Singh of Tanda Hoshiarpur. A jeweller named Pardeep Kumar of Hoshiarpur was also arrested for buying the loot from the accused.
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Ropar hospital storekeeper held with Rs 2.5 lakh goods
Ropar, July 26 In the raids yesterday, 300 kits of copper-T worth Rs 1.5 lakh were recovered from Baweja Multi-Speciality Hospital. The kits belonged to the government. — TNS
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The visit of Punjab Medical Education and Research Minister Chunni Lal Bhagat to the city to inaugurate state-of-the-art machinery at TB Hospital and the newly renovated emergency ward at Rajindra Hospital was marred by protests.
