Jalandhar, September 19
Issuing clear-cut instructions to the business establishments falling in their jurisdiction, the Employees Provident Fund regional office today issued strict instructions to the employers to open bank accounts of their employees before October 15,otherwise prosecution will follow.

Under the jurisdiction of the EPFO , four districts fall, including Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Nawanshahr and Hoshiarpur. Sources said in these districts, around one lakh employees have been working without having bank accounts.

Sources said on September 16, 2014, the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India, had issued directions under Para 78 (1) of the Employees Provident Funds Scheme, 1952, making the submission of bank accounts by the members mandatory in order to facilitate the allotment of Universal Account Number (UAN), proper implementation of the Employees’ Provident Funds Scheme, 1952, and the removal of the difficulties in the matter of the payment of the accumulations in the fund to members after they cease to be such members.

Accordingly, the Central PF Commissioner, New Delhi, in the exercise of powers conferred under Para 78(3) of Employees Provident Funds Scheme 1952, circulated an order (copy with The Tribune) to all Regional Provident Fund Commissioners to implement the directions by October 15 this year.

Dheeraj Gupta , Regional PF Commissioner, while confirming the development, told The Tribune that every employer henceforth would have to provide the core banking account number with the IFSC code of the bank branch in respect of every new member on joining the fund. “The employer will also furnish the information regarding the core banking account number with the IFSC code of the bank branch in respect of existing members by October 15 and in respect of previous members under its employment, the employer would have to submit the bank account by October 31,” Gupta added.

The PF Commissioner said that bank account details would also be accepted from the members who were presently not employed in any establishment covered under the Act along with their last provident fund account number.

“Now after the issuance of the order by the Government of India, all employers are duty bound to submit bank account number in respect of their both present employees and ex-employees also. Getting bank account in case of ex-employees should not be a problem for employers because after leaving job, the employee will either submit his claim form for settlement or for transfer through employer only and bank account is essential for the settlement of claim, otherwise where will the EPF office send the PF amount of that ex-employee,” Gupta said.

Gupta said that even after repeated reminders through e-mails, SMSes and phone calls, the Jalandhar office had not received the bank account details of about one lakh employees presently working in the Jalandhar office jurisdiction. He said after the launch of the “Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY)”, the opening of bank account should not be an issue for anyone, still if somebody faces problem, he/she may contact the PF office for help.

Jalandhar, September 19
In an alleged road patchwork scam in which Senior Deputy Mayor Kamaljit Singh Bhatia and Deputy Mayor Arvinder Kaur Oberoi launched a tirade against the Municipal Corporation (MC), Bhatia today met Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Vigilance, Jalandhar, and submitted some important documents pertaining to the alleged scam.

Notably, last year when the MC had put up a budget in this regard in the house, they had showed around Rs 13 crore spent on patch work and repairing of roads. Later, several councillors had raked up the issue and questioned the mayor that despite spending such a hefty amount on patch work of city roads, roads were still full of potholes and bumps.

Several councilors, led by the then senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor, had then taken on the MC and had termed a patch work scam. Oberoi had then said, “I know if I would spend the amount on patch work on city roads, you would not find a single hole on the road and here the roads are too bumpy even after having spent the amount. We are not blaming the mayor for it, but the Vigilance must hold an inquiry and see where the amount has actually gone.”

In May this month, both mayors had submitted a complaint to the SSP, Vigilance, and had demanded a fair probe into the issue.

Sources said today the Vigilance had called Bhatia and Oberoi to record their statements on the issue and the department had also told them to submit documents pertaining to the complaints.

Sources added that the statement of Bhatia was not recorded by the Vigilance Department. “The Vigilance had only taken documents pertaining to the complaint and Bhatia will again be called to record his statement,” a source said.

Jalandhar, September 19
Hue and cry raised over the kidnapping of a boy by his parents at Baldev Nagar turned out to be fake. Notably, the boy named Rajat, whose kidnapping complaint was filed at the police station division number eight by his parents, was already apprehended by the rural police for drug peddling.

Oblivious of the status of the boy, his parents filed a complaint at police station and pressurised the police to trace the boy.

Mohinder, father of Rajat, along with other local residents had filed a complaint at the police station division number eight regarding kidnapping of his son. "My son had gone to buy milk in the market but didn't return home. When we contacted him on phone, he said, he was roaming with his friends and will soon return home. An hour later, his phone was found switched off which raised suspicion that he might have been kidnapped," Rajat's father told police yesterday night. He had also apprised the police that no ransom call was received by him.

Taking the complaint seriously, the police sent wireless message across all the police stations in the district. "Today, we received a call from the Patara police station, falling under the rural police jurisdiction, that boy was not kidnapped rather he was arrested by them in a drug peddling case," said the SHO, police division number eight, adding that boy was caught by the Patara police with 15 gram intoxicant powder while he was on his way to supply the drugs to his clients near Jandusingha village.

Sources said boy's mother had also apologised before the Patara police for filing fake kidnapping case with city police.

Jalandhar, September 19
The Excise and Taxation Department here today caught five loaded trucks which were transporting goods without carrying any bills or paying the required tax.

The trucks were unloaded at godowns owned by two transportation firms, Ex-Servicemen Cooperative Society Limited and Punjab Freight Careers, said Sarojani Gautam Sharda, Deputy Excise and Taxation Officer.

These were carrying various sorts of goods, including tyres, hosiery material, handtool products and certain other goods items. The vehicles had 502 kinds of parcels.

Jalandhar, September 19
Teachers of the Punjab Aided School Teachers Union today burnt copies of the Punjab Government notification dated July 25, 2014, in protest against the 60 per cent vacant seats and the policies of the state government towards aided schools.

In protest against the state government, the aided school teachers have been demanding the merger of aided institutions with government schools and the filling of vacant posts in aided schools for a long time.

The teachers today complained that even as the government lifted the ban on recruitment in aided schools recently, the policy was formulated in a manner which was going to be detrimental to aided schools in the long run.

Representatives of the Punjab Aided School Teachers Union met the Deputy Commissioner in this regard this morning and burnt the copies of the latest government notification.

Union member Manish Aggarwal, speaking on the occasion, said, “Even as the latest notification issued by the state government on July 25, 2014, proposed the lifting of the ban imposed on recruitment in aided schools, the notification ignored the problems of and the ground reality of aided schools.”

Members said the provisions of the policy as proposed in the notification, were contrary to the Punjab Privately Managed Recognised School Employees (Security of Service) Rules, 1979, and the Punjab Privately Managed Recognised Schools Employees (Security of Service) Rules 1981.

Jalandhar, September 19
On the call of the Computer Teachers Joint Front, computer teachers across the state have been asked to participate in a huge rally in Mohali on September 21, which will mark the beginning of a fast unto death by computer teachers, to get their various long-pending demands agreed to by the government.

District Computer Teachers Union members and leaders in a joint press release issued here today stated that while they had boycotted clerical and non-teaching work for a long time now, the fast unto death will mark their angst against the government for failing to recognise their needs.

A hunger strike is already on at Mohali and the computer teachers across the state have boycotted clerical work at schools. Across the state, computer teachers have boycotted non-teaching work due to which official work of schools has greatly suffered. Computer teachers have given the written information to headmasters and principals of their respective schools about their boycott. Schools heads are giving reports regarding this to their DEOs every day. The computer teachers unions have also apprised DEOs and DGSE about their strike in written.

Leaders said, "Government Teachers Union, Adhyapak Dal Punjab, ETT Teachers Union Punjab, Government Teachers Union Punjab, have joined hands to support the endeavour by the computer teachers to demand being brought under the education department and to relieve them of the burden of excessive non-teaching work. Some political parties like AAP and BSP have also backed the teachers. Computer teachers said they are made to do additional work in schools on the pretext of shortage of people in clerical posts in government schools. Due to the boycott the education department is extending the date for scholarships and sending of posts time and again."

Teachers also added since they were handed notifications with false promises of regularising them in 2011, they will now not relent until the government hands them regularisation letters.

In a mark of protest and in support of the aforesaid demands, computer teachers are converting their hunger strike into a fast unto death from September 21.

District leaders said computer teachers would now only heave a sigh of relief after they are regularized, until then they would continue with the agitation.

Jalandhar, September 19
Vancouver Lions roared over the Royal Kings and registered a narrow win of 54-51 over them in the first match of the third weekend of World Kabaddi League that commenced in the city on Friday. The two North American teams, which have been somewhat slow to start with gave a tough fight in the first match of the evening.

While Gagandeep Singh of Vancouver Lions was adjudged man of the match and best raider of the match consecutively, Jairo Chavez of Vancouver lions was adjudged as the Best Stopper in the game.

In the second match between Lahore Lions and California Eagles, the latter won the match.

Punjabi renowned Sufi Singer Hans Raj Hans who happened to have come to witness the tournament ended up giving a brilliant live performance to the jam packed stadium.

After Ludhiana and Bathinda, Jalandhar is the third city in Punjab to host the matches, which are played every weekend. Last two weeks have seen triple headers with matches on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Wave WKL matches have been scheduled be to played in five cities of Punjab, namely, Ludhiana, Bathinda, Jalandhar, Mohali and Amritsar. The Punjab leg will have 30 matches spread across 5 weekends.

After the Punjab leg, Wave WKL will move to United States and Canada and then return to Indiaonce again for the final stages.

The league is based on the Formula 1 touring sports format and is being played across 3 continents across 5 countries, i.e., United Kingdom, USA, Canada, Pakistan and India.

Jalandhar, September 19
The film's tagline and trailors might claim her (or so we presume) to be 'A Royal Misfit', but there was something undoubtedly regal about its lead pair. As Bollywood actor Sonam Kapoor today stepped on the campus of Lovely Professional University here on Friday, she looked charming yet childlike dressed in high-end designer kitsch.

She was accompanied by Fawad Khan, who has already garnered popularity for sending ripples down the hearts of women in the sub-continent, for his intense acts for television.

In Jalandhar to promote their upcoming film Khoobsurat, the chemistry between the duo was evident even during the press outing, the film in turn, certainly seems to hold promise.

The press conference took off with a pretty-in-neons, sleekly styled Sonam leaning gently onto Fawwad and playfully brooding over the end of the time together. Later in the day, the charming duo wowed crowds of doting students at LPU shaking a leg to the already hit film numbers 'Engine Ki Seeti' and 'Party'.

The Khoobsurat released today.

On feeling responsible as an actor and fashion icon.

Sonam: The responsibility I feel is to not do so something which would make girls emulate me in the wrong way. I don't want to be someone who sets a bad example. Always want to have a an opinion, and want to be a feminist. It is very important for young girls, especially in India, to have a certain idea of 'self'. But as far as fashion is concerned, I do not take myself seriously. I want to tell young girls to just have fun with it. That's most important. Wear clothes that make you feel 'khoobsurat'. Don't wear them to follow a certain actress or model, but because it makes you feel beautiful and nice about yourself.

On Khoobsurat's legacy and the legendary Rekha

Sonam: The films is not at all similar. But when you carry the baton forward, you always have the responsibility to reach the finish line with a lot of dignity and grace. I tried to do that with this film. And at the same time, I tried to have fun and tried to not feel pressurised. Rekha ji has been extremely supportive of me since my childhood. She was the first one to see the film yesterday and she was very proud of Rhea (Sonam's sister) and me.

She loved the film. I haven't had a chance to speak with her since my phone is out of service, but my sister said she's been trying me for two days. So as soon as I get back to Bombay I will talk to her.

On being a misfit

Sonam: I'm certainly a misfit. I think every girl should be a misfit. We should never try to fit in, we should always try to stand out and stick to our sense of individuality. Young people should actually follow that.

On experience in India

Fawad: Great. For the first day that I landed here, to November when the shoot ended to now there has been a lot of warmth here. Lot of people were not aware that I was an actor. From a persosn on the road to my crew at the shoot or Bolyywood itself, I have found a lot of hospitality in India. It has only got better with time. Bollywood itself is the largest film industry in the world, but it still has a lot of room - be it, in people's hearts or to accommodate new talent.

On Bollywood happened or planned

Fawad: Someone once said, you have managed to Forest Gump your way through life. So I have never planned anything so far. Everything just fell into place. But I guess it's just about taking the right opportunity. I came to such a beautiful lot of people and met such a talented bunch. I feel privileged.

On any plans to sing for Bollywood

Fawad: I don't know. Depends on audiences. 'There are no plans as of now, but if the opportunity arrives, I'd love to oblige.

Jalandhar, September 19
Punjabi Community Health Services (PCHS) Canada, a Canada-based organisation organised its first anti addiction seminar at the local DAV College Jalandhar here today. The organisation which has been working for the past 25 years in Canada and the past six years in Mohali intends to create an anti-addiction mechanism in the state to counter the problem of addiction and promote mental health, family programme and settlement programme.

Speaking to the press here today, the NGO activists said they had been holding awareness programmes against addiction and given the state of addiction in the state, they initiated plans to branch out to Jalandhar this year.

Their first camp held at the DAV College today was titled 'Individual and Collective Responsibility to Address Drug Misuse in Punjab'.

The second camp of the NGO this year shall be held at the Desh Bhagat Foundation Group of institutions, Moga on September 22 and 23rd and the third camp shall be held at Punjabi University Patiala (Department of Social Work) on September 24.

Meanwhile, members of the NGO also shared that it's other long term plans in the state included holding exchange programme for students studying social work and providing them training in Canada with arrangements being made for the students' free boarding and lodging there.— TNS