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Interest waiver for PSIDC loan defaulters on cards
Wanted by ED, forex dealer Pabla surrenders
Govt to promote pension scheme among farmers
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Voices for rationalising power subsidy get louder
Fazilka cops recover Rs 44 lakh stolen from ATMs, four held
Capt, Bajwa like my brothers: Bhattal
Dy CM’s view on law and order a joke: AAP
RSS activities highly provocative: Cong
Punish parties that don’t keep word: Mann to EC
Bhagwant Mann in Bathinda
Issue correct minutes of MC meet: Cong MLA
Motor vehicle tax hiked
Daduwal gets bail, security up at Jandalisar gurdwara
State govt flouts UGC norms, relaxes recruitment criteria
Work on Army selection centre to begin soon
Water samples collected in cancer-prone village
2 health centres set up
3 held for theft of guar bags
regularising illegal colonies
2 booked in suicide case
5 cops booked for extortion
2 girls kidnapped, gang-raped in Moga
Man shot at, looted
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Interest waiver for PSIDC loan defaulters on cards
Chandigarh, October 8 The government plans to recover around Rs 500 crore from its defaulters through liquidation and disinvestment of companies owned by the PSIDC and through the sale of some of its fixed assets. The total accumulated loss of this once premiere corporation is estimated at Rs 7,300 crore. The corporation which is facing a default of Rs 2,100 crore in loans extended to industrialists now plans to recover just Rs 295 crore to Rs 300 crore from the defaulters who include some of the top industries in the state such as Abhishek Industries and Indian Acrylics. Sources in the Industries Department told The Tribune that a one-time settlement (OTS) scheme for the defaulters had been sent to the Finance Department for its approval. Under the scheme, the defaulters would be categorised in various groups based on the tangible collateral security given by them at the time of availing loans. While some defaulters will be charged 12 per cent interest (instead of 18-20 per cent) who had given a tangible security, others (who had not given any tangible security) will be charged 7-8 per cent interest. The lower rate is proposed to be charged from the date of disbursal of loan and not from the date when the loan went into default. Sources said this had been proposed to ensure the scheme’s success. The Industries Department is trying to fast track the process to bail out the PSIDC, which has defaulted on the payment of bonds worth Rs 195 crore, including Rs 55 crore as interest. The state-run corporation ran into losses following its failure to recover loans extended to select top industrialists of the state. It had disbursed loans till 1999. The corporation had taken loans from IDBI and refinanced it at a margin of 2 per cent. Earlier it was proposed to mortgage the Udyog Bhawan premises in Sector 17, Chandigarh, to raise Rs 200 crore to clear the default of Rs 195 crore, but the proposal has now been shelved. Other than the Rs 300 crore that the PSIDC proposes to raise through recovery under the OTS, it is also looking at raising another Rs 135 crore through the liquidation of its two companies, Electronic Systems Punjab and Punjab National Chemicals and Fertilisers Limited. Another Rs 50 crore is expected to come through the disinvestment of Punjab Alkalis and Chemicals Limited. The sources said the department was also seeking a special package of Rs 200 crore over a period of four years (Rs 50 crore each year) from the Finance Department so that the corporation could come out of the red. Ailing unit
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Wanted by ED, forex dealer Pabla surrenders
Chandigarh, October 8 The “hawala operator” is believed to have links with the owners of Jalandhar-based Happy Forex from whom the ED had recovered “hawala” money totalling Rs 1.25 crore in 2012. During preliminary investigation, Pabla reportedly confessed that he had procured duplicate copies of the FDs from four banks in Nawanshahr, encashed these and fled along with his family members on September 8. He said he had invested Rs 60 lakh of the money in a property in Hoshiarpur and deposited the remaining amount (Rs 45 lakh) in banks. The ED had raided Pabla’s house and office premises on September 5 and seized the FDs. After Pabla fraudulently withdrew the money from banks, the ED lodged a complaint with the Nawanshahar police and Pabla was booked under Sections 420 and 120-B. The Nawanshahar SP, Gaganajit Singh, sent police parties to trace Pabla as ED sleuths kept a watch on his home. Sources said that Pabla surrendered before the ED after he realised that there was no escape for him. On September 7, Pabla had submitted “false” affidavits in various banks, claiming that the FDs had been stolen from his house and that he was in dire need of the money. On the basis of these affidavits, the banks had handed over the cash to him. The ED had registered another case against Pabla under the PMLA (Prevention of Money -Laundering Act), treating the FDs as “proceeds from the crime”. Pabla’s “hawala” operations had come to light after ED officials scanned documents seized from the owners of Happy
Forex. About the fraud
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Govt to promote pension scheme among farmers
Chandigarh, October 8 An official of the Punjab Agro said the scheme regulated by the Central Government through the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) was introduced in 2004. He said the objective was to provide old-age pension to members. About 70 lakh persons have enrolled themselves for this scheme with a total contribution of about Rs 56,000 crore. He said the scheme had not been able to attract rural masses due to lack of awareness and proper platform for opening accounts and contributing funds. After signing the MoU, KS Pannu, MD, Punjab Agro, said the rural population in the state could benefit from the scheme. VK Srivastava, GM, UCO Bank, said citizens in the age group of 18-60 years could enroll in the NPS by opening an account with block-level branches of UCO Bank. “Each member will be given a unique permanent retirement account number. A person can contribute Rs 6,000 and above annually in the fund which will be invested by the PFRDA resulting in creation of substantial corpus to ensure regular monthly income when a person turns 60 years. The account shall be transferred to the nominee after the member’s his death,” he said. Dr GS Kalkat, Chairman, Punjab State Farmers Commission, said there was a need to create awareness among the rural population to subscribe for the pension fund for their social security.
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Voices for rationalising power subsidy get louder
Jalandhar, October 8 Speaking to The Tribune, AAP state convener Sucha Singh Chhotepur said: “We are of the firm opinion that rich farmers do not need free power. Only poor farmers should be exempted from paying power bills.” State BSP president Avtar Singh Karimpuri said: “Under the pretext of helping farmers, political bigwigs owning huge chunks of cultivable land are Reliable sources said the BJP had adopted a stiff stand on the issue primarily because there was a feeling in the party that while the Akalis were keeping their rural vote bank intact by popular measures such as power subsidy, the saffron party was at the receiving end as several taxes had been levied on urban voters. First, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley asked the cash-strapped Punjab government to reconsider its power subsidy. Thereafter, Union Minister of State for Power Piyush Goel and then BJP’s Punjab affairs in charge Shanta Kumar reiterated the same. Speaking to The Tribune, state BJP president Kamal Sharma said: “Considering the state's precarious financial health, the government can save money by halting power subsidy extended to rich farmers.” Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Partap Singh Bajwa said his party was not against subsidy but the same should not be used as a cover-up for power theft. “Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has been showing its transmission and distribution losses as excess consumption by the subsidised agriculture sector. This needs to be checked,” he said. What political parties say
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Fazilka cops recover Rs 44 lakh stolen from ATMs, four held
Fazilka, October 8 The thefts were committed by three cash operator executives of a Chennai-based private security agency, ISSSDB Security Services Private Limited, who were assigned the job of putting cash in ATMs. The stolen money was used for the production of a Punjabi film, which was slated to be released by its two producers, who are brothers, next month. Fazilka Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Swapan Sharma, while briefing mediapersons, said Jagsir Singh and Mukesh Kumar of Khui Khera village of Fazilka district and Gurcharan Singh of Khema Khera village of Muktsar district had been working as cash operator executives responsible for filling up seven ATMs of three banks, including the State Bank of India, Central Bank of India and the ICICI bank, of Fazilka and Muktsar districts. The trio had a chance meeting with Punjabi film producers Rupinder Singh and Pavitar Singh of Balamgarh of Muktsar district. They befriended each other. During their interaction, the brothers talked about shortage of funds for their proposed film Kina Karde Han Piyar. They allegedly convinced the executives to arrange about Rs 1 crore, saying they would return double the money after the release of their film. Thereafter, the three executives started taking out cash from the ATMs in such a way that their act remained unnoticed. In a year, they succeeded in stealing Rs 1.15 crore. However on September 19, the supervisor of the private security agency, Jasbir Singh, found that the trio had decamped with Rs 31,53,800. The police was informed, following which a case under Sections 380, 408, 409 and 120 B was registered. The SSP constituted a police team to investigate the case. The Fazilka police nabbed Mukesh Kumar, Gurcharan Singh and film producers Rupinder Singh and Pavitar Singh on the outskirts of Fazilka on the Malout road from an Innova car and recovered Rs 44 lakh and the original prints of the film. The four accused were reportedly going to meet their fifth companion Jagsir Singh. “A hunt for Jagsir Singh has been launched,” said SP Harjeet Singh. The theft from ATMs has exposed lapses in the system of loading these machines. It is said no bank official remains present during the transfer of cash. About the theft
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Capt, Bajwa like my brothers: Bhattal
Jalandhar, October 8 In city in connection with Valmiki Jayanti, Bhattal said both Amarinder Singh and Bajwa were like her brothers and respected party colleagues. Asked if she would do a sisterly act by uniting them, she said, "There is no irresolvable issue between the two. We all stand united and you all will see that in the near future." She, however, said, "Amarinder Singh came to my house to wish me on my birthday a few days ago and we discussed some political issues. There are some points of differences that I will take up at the party platform instead of discussing these in the media." On the issue of summons issued to Jalandhar MP Chaudhary Santokh Singh by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with druglord Jagdish Bhola's case, she said the Akali leaders were badly entangled in the matter and they were now using their clout to drag Congress leaders along. She said farmers were being forced to sell paddy at prices lower than the MSP, but SAD leader had not held any protests in that regard. "The Akalis, who call themselves pro-farmers, have no stand on the issue and they are even justifying levying of higher VAT on diesel. They have no problem with road tax being raised. They have failed to get any financial debt waived or any special package announced for the state. The state government is in complete crisis," she said.
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Dy CM’s view on law and order a joke: AAP
Chandigarh, October 8 “The law and order situation in Punjab is known to everyone. That the police have become slaves in the hands of Akali leaders is too obvious. Here security is only for the Akali leaders and there is not even an iota of security for the common man. If Sukhbir is really serious about what he said, his first task should be to remove policemen deputed in the security of Akali leaders,” said Punjab AAP convener Sucha Singh Chhotepur and senior party leader HS Phoolka.
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RSS activities highly provocative: Cong
Chandigarh, October 8
They pointed out that Punjab had witnessed violence for more than a decade and thousands of innocent persons were killed. The RSS must, therefore, desist from activities that may trigger fresh trouble, they said. They leaders it was now becoming clear as to why RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had been frequently visiting Punjab. They called upon the Chief Minister to explain why permission was given to the RSS to brandish weapons publicly, if such permission had been sought. “In case no permission was obtained by the RSS, action should be taken against RSS cadets who publicly brandished arms, posing a threat to peace,” they added.
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Punish parties that don’t keep word: Mann to EC
Bathinda, October 8 The MP said he would take up the matter with the EC and also raise it in the Winter Session of Parliament, scheduled to be held in November. He was in Bathinda to promote his Punjabi film. He criticised the BJP’s ‘achhe din’ campaign during the Lok Sabha elections this year. Mann alleged the party fooled the voters in order to get votes. He said the BJP had “failed to keep its promise of bringing down inflation”. The MP also accused SAD of working with the Congress to oust AAP from the state. “As part of this nexus, CM Parkash Singh Badal didn’t go to Patiala and Congress leader Amarinder Singh didn’t come to Talwandi Sabo to campaign for their respective candidates during the recent bypolls,” he said. — TNS
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Issue correct minutes of MC meet: Cong MLA
Patiala, October 8 Objecting to one of the recordings, Mahindra has demanded that the correct account of proceedings be issued or he would take necessary action. “Please record my dissent to the fabricated proceedings of this item and issue the correct proceedings immediately failing which I shall be constrained to get the whole proceedings vitiated as per law,” reads the letter. Mohindra has claimed that on the particular issue, all SAD-BJP councillors had raised objections and demanded status quo. Mayor Amrinder Bazaz could not be contacted for comments.
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Motor vehicle tax hiked
Chandigarh, October 8 Punjab Pradesh Congress chief Partap Singh Bajwa described it as yet another "anti-people" measure by the SAD-BJP government. "Most people take bank loan to purchase vehicles. It will be hard for them to bear the additional burden, particularly when fuel prices in the state are going up," he said. Another Congress leader Sanjay Sehgal said: "Earlier, the government put an additional burden on the people by increasing VAT on diesel and now it had hiked the motor vehicle tax. Have they created any infrastructure to ensure commuters' safety? If not, why have they raised the tax," he asked.
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Daduwal gets bail, security up at Jandalisar gurdwara
Bathinda, October 8 More than 100 policemen have been deployed outside the gurdwara and on the road leading to the shrine. The road has been blocked for traffic. The police have put up barricades near the gurdwara and no one is allowed to go beyond that point. Sources said the police were expecting that after coming out of the jail, Daduwal and his supporters would come to the shrine, his headquarters where he had been putting up before being arrested. SGPC member Amreek Singh Kotshamir along with his supporters had allegedly taken over the gurdwara. They have been staying at the gurdwara since the arrest of Daduwal on August 22. Amreek Singh said he had gone to Kaliawali in Haryana to campaign for the SAD candidate, but he returned this morning after learning about police deployment at the gurdwara. A police official said security had been tightened as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order. Daduwal along with his eight supporters was arrested on August 22 from Jandalisar gurdwara in a six-year-old murder case. The Sikh preacher had played a key role in the formation of the HSGMC and
its taking over of the Guhla Cheeka gurdwara in Haryana. His tirade against Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda followers had led to clashes in Punjab in 2009. He was booked for attempt to murder, but was given a clean chit.
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State govt flouts UGC norms, relaxes recruitment criteria
Patiala, October 8 As per the UGC norms amended in 2010, only candidates, who have either cleared the UGC/NET or obtained a PhD degree as per the new guidelines, can be considered for the post of lecturer/assistant professor. The new guidelines stipulate that a candidate should have enrolled for PhD after clearing an entrance test; must have finished a six-month regular course work before doing his/her PhD; and should be evaluated by an external examiner. Though the universities in the state started conducting the entrance test and got the students evaluated externally, they ignored the guidelines laid down for holding fresh recruitment. Various universities, including Punjabi University, recruited around 55 teachers in the past four years as per the old norms. Following this, the Audit Department had even refused to clear the salaries of these new faculty members. This recent notification of the state government has irked several senior professors at various universities. They allege the government and the universities relaxed the norms to recruit their “favourites”. The Delhi HC had upheld the UGC 2009 norms during a verdict in December 2010, stating that the regulations were issued to serve as a common yardstick. Prof (Dr) Jaspal Singh Sandhu, UGC Secretary, could not be contacted. Registrar Dr Devinder Singh said they relaxed the norms keeping in view the fact that many teachers had either completed their PhDs or were on the verge of finishing these before the new guidelines were issued. The issue at hand
New UGC guidelines
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Work on Army selection centre to begin soon
Ropar, October 8 On the initiative of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, 203 acres at Bada Phool village in the district were transferred to the Ministry of Defence to establish a selection centre in north India. The facility is likely to help residents of the area join the armed forces. The construction work at the site will start next year. The three other such centres are set up in Bengaluru, Bhopal and
Allahabad.
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Water samples collected in cancer-prone village
Abohar, October 8 The team, led by Civil Surgeon Baljit Singh, organised a camp for residents of Shergarh and the neighbouring Pattisadiq village. Blood samples of 13 people with symptoms of cancer have been sent to the medical college at Faridkot for tests. Mass Media Officer Anil Dhamu said residents were scared as three villagers had died of cancer in less than a week. A woman doctor from Waryamkhera village has been told to look after the health sub-centre in Shergarh village to treat women. Medical awareness camps would be held in nearby villages soon, Dhamu said. Officials inspect tanks
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2 health centres set up Fatehgarh Sahib, October 8 One community health centre has been set up at Chanathal Kalan village, while the other has come up at Khera village. Rs 10 crore has been spent on the setting up of these centres. The expenditure on setting up 19 sub-centres has been around Rs 95 lakh. Deputy Commissioner Arun Sekhri said the community health centres had been equipped with modern laboratories, X-ray machines and other necessary equipment.
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regularising illegal colonies
The state government had initially constituted a committee comprising ministers Bikramjit Singh Majithia, Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, Anil Joshi and Chief Parliamentary Secretary Som Parkash to review its existing policy on the issue. The committee comprising ministers discussed the matter in the “larger public interest and decided to reframe the policy so as to make it simple and understandable”. Punjab Governor then notified the new policy for regularising the colonies in the state. The High Court has already directed that “all regularisation of unauthorised colonies/buildings/structures pursuant to the Punjab As the issue came up for resumed hearing, Justice Rajan Gupta asserted: “Instead of enacting a law as a safeguard against illegal constructions or unauthorised colonies, the state enacted the Punjab Laws (Special Policy) Act, 2013, to regularise all unauthorised colonies, buildings etc….. “In the affidavit filed on behalf of the state, it has been admitted that thousands of illegal colonies/structures have been regularised till the deadline prescribed in the Act, April 16, 2014. “Important questions, therefore, arise regarding the validity of the enactment and policy promulgated thereunder. In the objects and reasons of the policy, it has been stated that a committee of Cabinet ministers was constituted pursuant to a representation received by the Punjab Colonisers Association. “The committee, thus, formulated a policy for regularising unauthorised colonies, plots and buildings. It, thus, needs to be examined whether the policy framed within the avowed object of providing succour to residents of unauthorised colonies actually benefits the colonsers; whether the enactment is a colourable piece of legislation. “These issues need to be considered in the light of various Supreme Court judgments. The matter would, thus, require consideration by a larger Bench." Justice Gupta, on a previous date of hearing in the case, had asked the state to explain the conflict between the policy and the provisions of the Punjab Apartment and Property Regulation Act which calls for criminal action in case of unauthorised colonies.
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Fatehgarh Sahib, October 8 The police said the victim’s brother Kartik Kalia had complained that Chanderish’s wife Neetu and her parents used to harass him, which had forced him to take the extreme step. — TNS
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5 cops booked for extortion
Batala, October 8 They have been identified as head constable Joga Singh and constables Sukhdeep Singh, Saranjeet Singh, Naresh Kumar and Gurjit Singh. A senior police officer said action would be taken against more police personnel who had been found guilty of harassing residents. Manminder Singh, SSP, said Tarundeep Singh of Thakriwal village complained to him that some policemen had detained him illegally and forced him to pay Rs 25,000 for his release. — TNS
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2 girls kidnapped, gang-raped in Moga
Moga, October 8 Inspector Gurvinder Singh, Station House Officer of Mehna police station, said an FIR under Sections 363, 366-A, 376 and 506 of the IPC had been registered against Ajay Grewal, a resident of Jagraon in Ludhiana district, and his four friends, who were yet to be identified by the police. The girls, who are students of Class IX, were on the way to their school when they were allegedly kidnapped. As per the statement of one of the girls, the accused came in an Innova car and forcibly pulled them inside. They were allegedly administered some intoxicant. The youths took them to an isolated location and both the girls were allegedly gang-raped. Later, the youths allegedly dropped them outside the village on a link road, from where they reached their homes themselves. The accused are yet to be arrested even as a raid was conducted at the house of Ajay in Jagraon. Preliminary investigation revealed that one of the girls was earlier studying at Jagraon and the accused could be known to her. The girls were admitted at the District Hospital. Man held for rape
Abohar: Lakhbir Singh of Danewala Satkosi village has been arrested for the rape of a differently abled girl. He allegedly took her to his house and raped her last week. A medical examination of the girl confirmed the crime. The court has remanded the accused in judicial custody. Three get life term
Abohar: A court in Sriganganagar, 40 km from Abohar, in Rajasthan on Tuesday sentenced three persons to life imprisonment for the kidnapping and rape of a college girl. On August 29, 2013, the girl, on her bicycle, reached a police station in Ramsinghpur segment and told policemen on duty that three persons were chasing her. As the miscreants had fled by then, the police told the girl to report the next day if she was harassed again. Next day, she was accompanied by her parents to the police station. She said the three miscreants, who were chasing her, had kidnapped and gang-raped her on June 14. She said as got scared, she maintained silence, but the accused had been harassing her since that incident. The police then arrested Faquir Ram Nayak, Mani Ram Nayak of Chak 59GB village and Mukh Ram of Chak 66GB village. The court has also imposed a fine of Rs 15,000 each on the convicts.
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Man shot at, looted
Abohar, October 8 The driver, who sustained bullet injury on his left foot, was taken by his assistant Chaina Ram to the Civil Hospital, Bhadra. Preliminary investigation reportedly indicated that the accused used a sky blue-coloured car with a Haryana registration number, two of them had pistols, the third one carried a small gun and the fourth kept sitting in the vehicle during the crime. The truck was transporting cotton oil cake loaded at Udaipur for the poll-bound Fatehabad town of
Haryana.
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Jalandhar, October 8
Bathinda, October 8
Bathinda, October 8
There is no irresolvable issue between the two
(Amarinder Singh and Partap Singh Bajwa). We all stand united and you all will see that in the near
future.
Chandigarh, October 8