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Patwari case: Five VB officials let off the hook
Duty-bound to punish ‘shamlat’ usurpers: CM
Congress leaders held, let off after Badal’s function
HC questions govt move on contractual recruitment |
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Cops: Bhola used African nationals as couriers
Sukhbir discounts reports on Barnala
Pawan Kumar with his parents in Mohali. Tribune photo
Modest background no deterrent for her
Sanyogta with her parents in Amritsar. Tribune photo
New trade policy will see 1 lakh dealers
off VAT net
Patiala Ayurvedic College gets Rs 75 lakh grant
On anvil: Investment Promotion Bureau
Sukhbir gives grants to 30 panchayats
Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal holds Sangat Darshan at Jandwala village in Fazilka district on Wednesday. A Tribune photo
Probe accident, demands Punjabi Lekhak Sabha
Jalandhar-Amritsar road to be 6-laned Chandigarh to Amritsar train to be flagged off tomorrow
Making it to PCS
Court puts state on notice over
bungling in engg admissions
Day 2: Lawyers block Ferozepur Road
Lawyers protest on Ferozepur Road in Ludhiana on Wednesday. A Tribune photograph
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Patwari case: Five VB officials let off the hook
Patiala, November 13 The Punjab Police has submitted a challan ignoring the Pannu report that had highlighted how the police officers had connived to frame the patwari in a paddy scam. Highly placed sources said that based on the report of an inquiry conducted by the SP (D), Ferozepur, under the supervision of the Deputy Inspector-General (DIG), Ferozepur, Munish Chawla, the police presented a challan in court on Monday. It says no evidence had been found against any police officer except Banarsi Das, SP. This is contrary to the Pannu report that had recommended strict action against the police officers and a further probe. It had said that SSP, Vigilance, Patiala Range, Shiv Kumar Sharma (now retired) had asked revenue patwari Mohan Singh Bhedpur for the revenue record of his land in Fatehgarh Sahib’s Roorki village. Mohan Singh delivered a copy of the record to the officer and asked for a government fee of Rs 20. This is when all hell broke loose. On the orders of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, an FIR was registered against SSP Shiv Kumar Sharma , VB, Joint Director, Surinderpal Singh, SSPs Jaspal Singh and Surjit Singh Grewal, SP Banarsi Dass and Inspector Isher Singh for allegedly implicating Mohan Singh in a paddy scam. A disappointed Mohan Singh told The Tribune that the Punjab Police had saved its officials and a challan had been filed against only one SP-ranked officer. "The challan filed by the police is a bundle of lies,” he said in disdain. One of the police officials given a clean chit is Surinderpal Singh, the investigating officer against the Badal family in the disproportionate assets case, who later turned hostile, leading to the acquittal of the CM and the Deputy CM. Looking Back November 2009: Patwari Mohan Singh demands Rs 20 as fee for land mutation from then
SSP, Vigilance, Shiv Kumar Sharma, which annoys the officer October 2010:
Sharma seeks department approval to act against Mohan Singh; Surinderpal Singh, Joint Director,
Vigilance, gives him the go-ahead August 2011: Inspector Isher Singh writes to revenue officials seeking details on property owned by Mohan Singh Feb 2012:
Vigilance arrests Mohan Singh for paddy embezzlement; Patwar Union members meet
DGP, other officers April 2012: Special Principal Secretary KS Pannu submits report, indicting all six officers July 2012:
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal orders
filing of an FIR against the officers November 11, 2013: Ferozepur police files a challan in court only against SP Banarsi Das
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Duty-bound to punish ‘shamlat’ usurpers: CM
Jalandhar/Sangrur, November 13 He said action, if any, against Congress state chief Partap Singh Bajwa would only be taken after a thorough investigation. He said his government did not believe in vendetta politics even though the Congress government in Punjab had arrested him and his colleagues after coming to power. Taking a dig at the UPA Government, he said the Congress was to blame for militancy in Punjab. Badal said due to the “anti-farmer” policies of the Centre, agriculture no more had remained a remunerative profession. “Hard-working Punjabi farmers who played a pivotal role in making the country self-reliant in food production are reeling under debt. The exorbitant hike in the cost of agricultural inputs coupled with non-remunerative minimum support price of various crops has further distressed the peasantry," he said. Badal claimed once the NDA formed government at the Centre, more funds were likely to be accorded to Punjab. At the state-level function held in Badrukhan village near Sangrur, the Chief Minister paid tributes to Sher-e-Punjab Maharaja Ranjit Singh on his birth anniversary. Regretting non-installation of a bronze statue of the Maharaja in the village, he said the work would be done soon. Badal also gave a cheque for Rs 30 lakh to Badrukhan panchayat for executing development works. It is believed that Maharaja Ranjit Singh was born here at the house of his maternal grandparents. The Chief Minister said the state government had also launched (from today) a project whereby a grant of Rs 5 crore would be provided to each assembly constituency for development works.
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Congress leaders held, let off after Badal’s function
Sangrur, November 13 Badal was in Badrukhan village near here for a state-level function to mark the birth anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Led by Punjab Youth Congress state general secretary Poonam Kangra, the protesters reportedly had plans to gherao the Chief Minister. The protesters raised slogans against property tax and the Punjab Government, demanding its withdrawal. Kangra said the state government had “burdened” the people of Punjab with several taxes, property tax and advance power tariff being a few of these. She said the Youth Congress would continue its agitation till such taxes were not withdrawn. Station House Officer Harinder Singh said the protesters were detained for over two hours and released as soon as the Chief Minister departed.
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HC questions govt move on contractual recruitment
Chandigarh, November 13 The query by Justice Tejinder Singh Dhindsa came in connection with the recruitment of medical laboratory technicians on contractual basis. But the issue has far reaching repercussions as Justice Dhindsa has observed that the present recruitment process in their case was opposed to regular selection process, which was in conformity with Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution of India. In his detailed order, Justice Dhindsa asserted: “Respondent number one, the State of Punjab, shall justify the insistence on the part of the State Government in resorting to a process of outsourcing for filling up of the post of medical laboratory technician, Grade-I, on a contractual basis as opposed to taking resort to a regular selection process in conformity with Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution of India.” The issue was brought to the High Court’s notice by Kamal Kishore and other petitioners. In their petition filed through counsel Puneet Gupta in 2009, medical laboratory technicians, grade-II, had challenged the filling up of 26 permanent vacancies of grade-I laboratory technicians on contract basis. Taking up the matter, the High Court on December 14, 2011, had directed the Secretary, Department and Research and Medical Education, to file his affidavit with directions that “before the process of selection of medical laboratory technician, grade I, is initiated, the State shall clarify its stand to the court”. The High Court had also expressed anguish on the manner in which the posts had been filled up by personnel provided by a detective agency. Despite the lapse of nearly two years, the affidavit of the secretary concerned was not filed on at least six dates. Instead, the affidavit of the Joint Director, Research and Medical Education, was filed. As the case came for resumed hearing, Justice Dhindsa asserted for “reasons best known to the State”, an affidavit only by Joint Director (dated August 24, 2012) has been filed. “Since the matter is of substantial significance and relates to appointment to the post of medical laboratory technician, grade-I, it would be imperative for the director himself to respond to the observations contained in the order dated December 14, 2011”. “Such affidavit would also disclose the total number of posts of medical laboratory technician, grade-I, and the handicap existing with the state government in not adhering to the draft rules that find a mention written statement filed on behalf of the State, where under a quota of 25 per cent has been earmarked for direct recruitment and 75 per cent by way of promotion from amongst in service medical laboratory technicians, grade-II”. The case will now come up on February 7, next year.
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Curtailing road Casualties
Chandigarh, November 13 The report has said that too many agencies were involved in the task. Some of these were the State and District State Road Safety Council, Assembly Committee on Road Safety, Punjab State Transportation Society, PWD, Punjab Infrastructure Development Board, Punjab Road and Bridges Development Board, Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority, Punjab Mandi Board and Market Committees, Local Bodies Department, Punjab Municipal Infrastructure Development Company, State Transport Authority, Regional Transport Authority, Punjab Roadways, Punjab State Bus Management Company, Punjab Police (Traffic), Punjab Infrastructure Regulatory Authority and Punjab State Health Department.
The report, prepared by Navdeep Asija, technical adviser to the state Transport Department, says that in the absence of inter-departmental coordination, a number of agencies were wasting money on similar programmes. Quoting official figures, the report says of the total number of challans issued from 2008 to 2011, at least 99.3 per cent were on account of black films or wrong parking. Chairperson of the Punjab State Governance Reforms Commission Parmod Kumar said the proposed policy had recommended an integrated approach envisaging road safety database management, road design standards, recognising non-motor transport and strengthening public transport. The policy document would be submitted next week, he said. The proposed policy has underlined the need for procurement of road safety gadgets like alcometers and speed guns. It has recommended fresh recruitment in the traffic police and a check on over-speeding. The policy has suggested a Graduates Licensing System (GDL), e-challan, driving test facilities under centrally sponsored schemes and a special enforcement mechanism for school kids.
Some suggestions
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Cops: Bhola used African nationals as couriers
Patiala, November 13 “The names of some politicians have come up but it is too early to say anything as yet. We are yet to corroborate the claims of the accused,” the officer said. The recently held editions of the World Kabaddi Cup saw the participation of several NRI players and organisers who brought their teams for the event. Many players tested positive for drugs. Police teams today grilled Bhola at the CIA police station in Patiala in the presence of HS Mann, Patiala SSP. Bhola reportedly told the police that he used African nationals (Robert, Joe and David) as couriers for transporting consignments from Chandigarh to New Delhi. He said he wanted to invest the drug money in the hotel business in
Goa.
Cong wants CBI probe Chandigarh: The PPCC today demanded a CBI inquiry into alleged links of some ruling party politicians with drug smugglers arrested by the Patiala police and druglords operating from Canada and other countries. Congress MLA from Dera Baba Nanak SS Randhawa said close relations of arrested druglord Bhola were supporters of the SAD. Randhawa said it had been reported that Jagdish Bhola had links with an NRI who promoted a kabaddi club in Canada and extended hospitality to visiting Akali leaders. The Congress leader said the SAD leadership had been flaying the BSF for its inability to stop smuggling from across the border whereas synthetic drugs were being manufactured in Punjab and smuggled out of the country.
— TNS
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Sukhbir discounts reports on Barnala
Barnala, November 13 He was here to lay the stone for works to reline the Handhiaya minor. The Deputy CM said he had laid the stone for projects worth Rs 164 crore to ensure irrigation water to the tailend of distributaries. This would benefit 280 villages. The work would be completed in two months after which 20 per cent more irrigation water would be available to
fields. — TNS
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Making it to PCS
Mohali, November 13 Pawan said his father used to earn a meagre Rs 5,000 per month to sustain the family of seven. “Despite low earning, he sent all his children to school. What I am today is because of his support and encouragement,” he said, adding that he was proud of his father. Pawan took inspiration from his elder brother Sunil Kumar, who had cleared the PCS exam last year. He is posted as ETO in Jalandhar. Pawan served as a teacher at Government Senior Secondary School, Khiwa village in Nakodar. “I got married last year. But there was no distraction. I was determined to achieve my goal,” said Pawan, who had taken one-month coaching from Ambedkar Institute of Careers and Courses at Phase 3B2 here to prepare for his interview. He said he studied in an ordinary school as his parents could not afford the fee of a good school. “After graduation, I did B.Ed and MA in mathematics from Panjab University,” he said. An admirer of Sufi music, Pawan said he wanted to become an IAS officer. “Nothing is impossible in life. Just remain focused and do hard work,” he added.
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Modest background no deterrent for her
Amritsar, November 13 Sanyogta said: “This was my first attempt. I did not take any coaching. I prepared on my own and focused on meeting the standards of the mains examination”. She said she had consulted the candidates who had unsuccessfully appeared in the PCS and studied books recommended by them. She said there were some difficulties in the beginning as she was a medical student, but she overcame it with persistent studies. An ardent reader of The Tribune, she credited the newspaper for helping her in the general studies examination. She said she had been reading the daily thoroughly for the past two years. Before that the family never subscribed to any newspaper. Her father Sardari Lal, who works at a sweets shop, felt that the long spell of their sufferings would now come to an end. He said he along with his wife Joginder Kaur had toiled hard to see their four children educated and settled in life.
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New trade policy will see 1 lakh dealers
off VAT net
Chandigarh, November 13 The new trade policy will pave the way for
single-stage taxation on most items by imposing VAT at the
manufacturing stage itself. With this, VAT on goods will be payable by
the manufacturer, who in turn would collect the VAT share from
wholesalers and distributors. Over the past two months, the trade and
industry sector has been up in arms against the Punjab Government for
imposing advance tax and bringing in e-TRIP besides imposing property
tax. These policies have been introduced despite the objections
raised by a section of the BJP that fears that the measures will wean
urban voters, especially traders, away from the party. The issue was
discussed at Cabinet meetings and those between leaders of the SAD and
the BJP. The new trade policy is targeted to please the BJP and
urban voters by simplifying the taxation regime. Describing it as a
major step to end Inspector Raj on small and medium
businessmen/traders, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal told
The Tribune that Punjab would now be the only state in the country to
impose single-stage taxation on most items. “This simplification
of the tax structure is the main thrust of the new trade policy. Once
the policy comes into effect from December 1, we will ask all major
manufacturers (pharma companies, FMCG manufacturers, white good
manufacturers et al) selling their wares across Punjab, to charge the
entire VAT component from the distributor itself,” he said. It is
learnt that of the 2.25 lakh registered VAT dealers in Punjab, only
900 pay more than Rs 1 crore as VAT in a year. A large number of
dealers do not pay any VAT at all by not accounting the sales in their
books. "While small traders, who sell non-branded goods, will
be out of the VAT purview, it will stop tax evasion by big traders to
a large extent. As a result, the state will get additional
revenue," said Madan Mohan Mittal, Industries Minister.
Single-stage taxation
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Patiala Ayurvedic College gets Rs 75 lakh grant
Patiala, November 13 The money will also be spent on providing free medicines to the patients at the hospital. During her visit to the college today, Vini Mahajan, Principal Secretary of the Health and Family Welfare Department, Punjab, said the college had not been allowed to enrol new students for the past two years due to shortage of teachers and few patients visiting the OPD. On June 3, 2013, a three-member team of CCIM had visited the college and submitted a detailed report to the Department of Ayush. The college is yet to be granted permission to enrol students for this year. “We have decided to address these shortcomings in order to ensure that the college gets permission to conduct admissions in the coming session,” she said. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Department of AYUSH, had not granted the college the permission to enrol new students based on the basis of the Central Council of Indian Medicine’s (CCIM) report. Vini further said, “We are trying to fulfil the requirements. We have already filled almost all the vacant posts of teacher on a contractual basis.”
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On anvil: Investment Promotion Bureau
Chandigarh, November 13 The draft will now be discussed with the ministers concerned after which it will be put up at the Cabinet meeting for approval. The sources said the draft had been prepared on the directions of Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal in view of the investors' summit scheduled to be on December 9 and 10 at Mohali. The objective of setting up the bureau is to replace the single-window clearance system that is actually dysfunctional. Investors will have to send their project report online for clearance to the bureau. An administrative secretary said it appeared to be a good move. He said as of now, 27 clearances had to be taken from nine departments to set up a project in the state. "There is a cut-throat competition among states to attract investment. Hence, it is must for the Punjab Government to facilitate the investor at every step and ensure that he does not face harassment at any level", said a senior officer.
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Sukhbir gives grants to 30 panchayats
Fazilka, November 13 Speaking to mediapersons after completing his Sangat Darshan that he had to abandon on November 7 due to heavy rain, Sukhbir said the CBI was the same agency that the Congress-led UPA Government had been allegedly using for its vested political interests. He alleged that now while expecting a change of guard at the Centre, the Congress was “cornering” the CBI by challenging its authority. “The Congress is afraid of consequences to be faced for its wrongdoings if the NDA comes to power. It is, thus, publicly issuing warning to the CBI,” he said. Sukhbir distributed cheques of grants to more than 30 panchayats for development works. He also inaugurated a 66 KV sub-station at Pakka Kalewala village in his Jalalabad assembly constituency.
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Probe accident, demands Punjabi Lekhak Sabha
Amrtisar, November 13 Talwinder's son Sumeet Singh and his wife Rupinder Kaur were injured in the accident. They are recuperating in a private hospital. In a joint statement issued here, Bhupinder Singh Sandhu and Dev Dard of the Lekhak Sabha urged the government to bear the expenses for their treatment. The accident occurred on the
Amritsar-Attari bypass when the family was returning home in Majitha after attending the marriage function of a relative.
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Advance tax challenged in HC
Chandigarh, November 13 Taking up the matter, the Division Bench of Justice Rajive Bhalla and Justice BB Prasoon has put the State of Punjab and other respondents on notice for January 21 next. In its petition, Shri Balaji Processors have argued that the State and its functionaries were collecting tax on the import of goods at the entry point in the State of Punjab on the presumption that the goods would be sold in future. The charging of the tax in this manner was not within the competency of the State as it was allowed to levy tax only on the sale or purchase of goods, which was yet to take place. Singla further argued that in a number of cases there would be no tax liability at all even in future. Moreover, “the provision levies tax on inter-state purchases or consignments of goods, which is within the sole preview of Parliament”. Elaborating, he said tax had been imposed on the import of goods, "which was within the sole purview of the Union of India…. The state government by way of charging the tax on the import of goods is transgressing its powers, which is clearly violative of Article 14 of the Constitution, which has provided for clear separation of powers between the Union of India and the state government." Citing the petitioner’s example, Singla asserted the manufacturing unit applied for exemption from advance tax being charged on the yarn as it had to be used for preparing cloth, a tax-free item. But the respondents issued a certificate for reduced payment of entry tax at the rate of 2.75 per cent on the condition that the goods were required to be used in the manufacturing of tax-free goods only, failing which penal action would be initiated. “The effect of the certificate is that the petitioner is required to deposit advance tax at the rate of 2.75 per cent even for goods on which no tax would accrue to the State of Punjab…. “This has resulted in collection of tax even on goods which would not yield any tax to the State of Punjab even in future as cloth is a tax-free item and the petitioner would be entitled to a refund of the
amount”.
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Court puts state on notice over
bungling in engg admissions
Chandigarh, November 13 Taking up a petition filed by Capt Joginder Singh Kular and other alumni of Ludhiana-based Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College, the Division Bench of Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Augustine George Masih issued notice for January 8. Referring to information obtained under the RTI Act, the petitioners alleged the total intake of students for academic year 2010-2011 was 793. Out of the total, 419 seats were filled through centralised counselling by PTU. No less than 374 seats were left to be filled by the GUNDEC through direct counselling. But only 339 seats were declared by GUNDEC to be filled through direct admission. Another 35 seats were kept under wraps to be given arbitrarily to undeserving and non-meritorious candidates. They further alleged 35 seats were given to non-meritorious candidates, who were admitted even before the date of direct admission prescribed by Punjab Technical University for their specific categories.
Alleging irregularities
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Day 2: Lawyers block Ferozepur Road
Ludhiana, November 13 District Bar Association president Parupkar Singh Ghumman, vice-president Gurdeep Singh Salh, secretary Rustam Pal Singh led the procession to Ferozepur Road. Lawyers expressed anguish over the attitude of the state government. They said the government had ditched them. “We were assured that the notification will not be issued to appoint Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) as the authority to deal with
the cases between the landlord and the tenant. They have now replaced judges,” they said. Ghumman said they would continue their struggle in the interest of the general public and declared to continue the strike tomorrow. Senior lawyer Ashok Bhakri said the judiciary and the executive were separated in the year 1964 for a reason. With this new Act, the business of land grabbing would flourish, he said. The district bar association has also decided to start a signature drive soon. Later, Parupkar Singh Ghumman, Hari Om Jindal, finance secretary, district bar association, Parshant Kumar, joint secretary, Gagandeep Singh Lamba, Kushagar
Kashyap presented a memorandum to Deputy Commissioner Ludhiana. The work in courts remained suspended.
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Sanyogta (30) has emerged as a role model for the residents of
Haripura, a locality infamous for rampant drug addiction. She has secured 11th rank in the PCS (SC category).
Talking to The Tribune, Sanyogta said she belonged to a family of
labourers, but her parents had worked hard to provide education to their children. A BSc medical student, she cleared the PCS with public administration and sociology as her choice of subjects in the mains.
Fazilka, November 13
The city lawyers today blocked the Ferozepur Road near the Mini Secretariat in protest against the recently notified Punjab Rent Act that replaced the East Punjab Rent Restriction Act.
District Bar Association president Parupkar Singh Ghumman, vice-president Gurdeep Singh
Salh, secretary Rustam Pal Singh led the procession to Ferozepur Road.
