The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Sluggish health dept loses grant for cancer patients Balwant Garg Tribune News Service Faridkot, September 8 Don't blame the faltering economy of Punjab Government for cancer patients not getting prompt financial assistance for treatment under the Punjab Chief Minister's Cancer Relief Fund. The fault, in fact, lies with the health department as its lackadaisical attitude has resulted in improper utilisation of the state reserve funds. The department is even unable to utilise the central financial assistance of Rs one lakh per patient provided under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS). Under the NPCDCS, a comprehensive scheme launched in 2010, 100 districts across 21 states, including three districts in Punjab, were to be given financial assistance by the Union Government up to Rs one lakh per patient for chemotherapy to treat 100 cancer patients in each district. As the state government failed to disburse and utilise the grants received in the year 2010-11 and 2011-12, no central grant was given to Punjab in the year 2012-13. Because of the long list of formalities, while the Chief Minister’s Cancer Relief Fund is bringing more pain than relief to the cancer patients, the central assistance for cancer patients is also failing to provide much relief because of the lack of interest in the health department in pursuing the cases. Under the Punjab Chief Minister's Cancer Relief Fund, a patient is eligible to get funds for treatment up to Rs 1.5 lakh and that too, only from the date when the patient’s application is approved, not from the date when the patient was affected by cancer and started undergoing treatment. By the time their applications are approved, most patients have already spent a huge amount from their pockets and some are even dead, unable to bear the huge cost of treatment. The tedious and complicated process is enough to exasperate the patients. This is the reason that while Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital, Faridkot, received Rs 12.35 crore as CM Cancer's Relief Fund, it could disburse only Rs 1.36 crore to 556 cancer patients in the last two years. "Over 80 per cent patients died before they got any assistance from the state or central government," said Gurpreet Singh Chandbaja, president, Bhai Kanahiya Cancer Roko Society, a voluntary organisation that helps cancer patients in the area. Under the NPCDCS, Punjab government received Rs 6.09 crore in the last three years but only Rs 77.31 lakh was utilised. Because of this non-utilisation of funds, the Central Government did not give any funds during the last financial year. Under the NPCDCS programme, Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital, Faridkot, received Rs 4.8 crore by way of grant-in-aid from the central government. Dr SS Gill, vice-chancellor, Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS), said as the patients fail to follow the proper procedure to get financial assistance, it causes delay. But most patients complain that the process is so complicated and burdensome that most of them prefer to go without assistance.
	Drugs menace Cops launch ‘fight to finish’ campaign Our Correspondent Abohar, September 8 The district police launched its “fight to finish” drive against narcotics here at a largely attended public meeting in the evening. Speaking on the occasion, leaders representing major political parties assured Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Surjit Singh Grewal that they would never approach the police to take a lenient view of the law against those who are found involved in drug trade. Chairperson, State Social Welfare Board, Vijay Laxmi Bhadoo said the sub-divisional town lags behind in basic amenities like potable water, sanitation and electricity but has maintained its "pre-eminent" position as far as drug trafficking through neighbouring Rajasthan is concerned. Member of the Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) Kaur Singh, district BJP president Sita Ram Sharma, former city Congress president Sudhir Nagpal and former legislator Parkash Singh Bhatti made a strong plea to curb the drug mafia and offered full support for the drive. They said village panchayats and former councillors should also extend cooperation to weed out the drug menace that had given the area a bad name. SSP Surjit Singh Grewal said hundreds of families had been ruined by narcotics smugglers who have prevailed upon them to to work as couriers or small retailers. Assuring strict action against them, the SSP said such rallies would also be organised in other parts of the district. Superintendent of Police (SP) Varinder Singh Brar assured that the sub-divisional police would leave no stone unturned to deal firmly with the drug traffickers. Scores of anti-social elements involved in drug trade have been booked in the last few days, he assured.
	SAD likely to replace Mahla as party’s Moga dist chief Kulwinder Sandhu Tribune News Service Moga, September 8 As the organisational elections are still in progress, the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal is looking for a new candidate as the district president of the Moga unit of the party. The present district unit president, Tirath Singh Mahla, hand-picked by the party about five years ago during the last organisational elections, has not been able to boost the party prospects in the urban areas. He has also failed to control factionalism and project a dynamic and bold face of the party in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls. Moreover, the recent haul of drugs by the police from Nathuwala police post in Baghapurana sub-division amid rumours that he had provided shelter to the cops who were allegedly hand-in-glove with the drug peddlers may prove to be his undoing as the SAD president and Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal, after being re-elected as the party president, has vowed to wipe out the menace of drugs from the state. Just a day after Sukhbir Badal called a meeting of the senior police officials to apprise them of his commitment to wipe out the illegal trade of drugs from the state, Moga SSP KJS Dhillon raided the Nathuwala police post and cracked a nexus between the policemen and the drug peddlers. Two cops, including the in-charge of the post, were arrested while another cop, Devinder Singh Billa, managed to escape. Although the SSP has so far denied the role of any politician in drug trafficking, Billa's relations with Tirath Singh Mahla are an open secret in the district. The in-charge of the police post, ASI Jarnail Singh, also enjoyed cordial relations with Mahla and both these cops, despite their transfers on a couple of occasions, managed to remain at the same police post with the blessings of this Akali leader, revealed a former SSP of the district. The official said once Billa falls into the police net and is interrogated properly, he could reveal many more details about the black sheep in the police department. Most cops against whom criminal cases of drug trafficking were registered in the past and who were dismissed from service, had managed to come back in the job by exploiting their political connections, he added. Meanwhile, Mahla has denied the allegations as baseless, which according to him were meant to tarnish his image at the time of the organisational polls.
	Pb govt’s move to abolish market fee on basmati hailed Our Correspondent Fazilka, September 8 Farmers, private traders, exporters and commission agents have hailed the decision of Punjab government to abolish market fee on the basmati variety of paddy in the state. The department of agriculture (Mandi Branch), through its notification dated August 26 this year, has stated that no market fee shall be levied on the basmati variety of paddy purchased by a dealer who has obtained a licence under the Act. Notably, Mandi Board charges 2 per cent market fees from the buyer. The government has taken the decision to exempt the market fees with the motive of promoting diversification from the traditional parimal variety to basmati variety of paddy which consumes less water. “Ultimately, the farmers would get a higher price for their produce as the buyer would be in a position to offer a better price after the exemption of the market fee,” said Shriniwas Bihani, president of Aarhtiya Association, Fazilka. Notably, the private traders, rice mill owners and the exporters are the bulk buyers of the basmati variety of paddy. “It is a welcome step. The government should also abolish two per cent rural development fund (RDF) and two per cent Punjab Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF) without imposing further terms and conditions as promised by the ruling SAD in its manifesto,” demanded Ranjam Kamra, a rice mill owner . “It would encourage diversification. After the abolition of market fees, the government should fix the minimum support price of the basmati variety of paddy to save the farmers from exploitation at the hands of private traders. The benefit should reach the farmers with the same spirit with which the market fee was withdrawn,” demanded the Fazilka district president of the Bharatiya Kisan Union, Parduman Kumar Beganwali.
	Digitisation of question papers Poor infra, power supply may play spoilsport Balwant Garg Tribune News Service Faridkot, September 8 The school education department's move to bring about transparency and prevent the leakage of question papers in the half-yearly summative assessment test (SA) in government schools in Punjab has saddled the school authorities with many problems. These tests for classes IV to X will start on September 13 all over the state. To deliver the question papers to the schools in a secure manner, the education department has relied upon the digital question papers this time. These papers would be sent to the school heads an hour before the start of the exam through e-mail. After downloading these question papers, the school head has to get its print and make copies for distribution among the students. The school head has the responsibility to ensure there is no leakage of question papers in this process. But this highly digitised new system of sending question papers to the school is not going down well with the schools, particularly those in the rural areas. With erratic power supply, unreliable internet connections and the absence of photocopying machines in most villages, the school authorities are doubtful of this new system working effectively. In a letter (No. SSA/SS/2013/014147) written to all school heads on August 29, the principal secretary, Punjab Education Department-cum-DGSE said in case of any problem with photocopying the question papers, the questions will be written on the blackboard in the examination halls. In the letter, however, there is no mention of the fail-safe method of receiving and downloading the question paper in case power supply snaps or there is internet failure, which is a common occurrence in the rural areas. While all schools are equipped with desktop computers, laser printers, UPS and internet connections, in the absence of regular power supply and Xerox machines, downloading the papers minutes before the exam and getting its photocopies is not a fail-safe method, said the teachers. There has also been no practice of this method of transmitting, downloading, printing and making copies of the question papers before implementing it. Moreover, if a school head rushes to a shopkeeper to make photocopies of the question paper, there are high chances of it being leaked. "Besides bringing about centralisation, the new method of sending the question paper to the schools in digitised form is aimed at checking leakage and bringing about transparency in the examination system," said Suresh Arora, Additional District Education Officer (ADEO), Faridkot. "We will discuss the problems associated with the new scheme with the higher authorities," he said. In the conventional system, the question papers are printed and sent by the district education department authorities to the examination centres. Edu Dept’s Plan * Digitised question papers will be sent to the school heads an hour before the start of the exam through e-mail. * After downloading the question papers, the school head has to take its print and make copies for distribution among examinees. The school head has to ensure there is no leakage of question papers in this process. * in case of any problem with photocopying the question papers, the questions will be written on the blackboard in the examination halls.