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Punjab Govt
April 22, 2008

 

Path breaking initiative on transparency
PUNJAB INTRODUCES QUALITY CONSULTANCY FOR DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS

CHANDIGARH APRIL 23, 2008

The Punjab government today virtually threw the decision making process in government investments in development projects open for transparent and objective scrutiny by introducing external auditing by independent Quality Assurance Consultants. A panel of 22 agencies had been finalized by the Punjab Infrastructure Development Board, which would the nodal agency for the scheme. A decision to this effect was taken at a high level meeting here this morning.

Disclosing this, Media Advisor to Chief Minister Harcharan Bains said the government also decided to introduce the Standard Bidding Document and E-tendering for all major government projects. The move is aimed at ensuring transparency and strict quality control in the development projects in the state.

Each government project would have an inbuilt system of quality assurance and audit by some independent outside agency from the stage of preparation of estimates to actual completion of the project. It was also decided that all the projects with an outlay of Rs.3 crore or above should be assigned to these consultants and small projects would be clubbed together to avoid additional cost of consultancy services.

Of the 22 agencies short-listed for the purpose, thirteen would monitor projects on highways & bridges while nine would be tasked for similar work in water supply, sewerage projects and building projects. Various departments of the government had been asked to finalize the terms and conditions for quality assurance and technical support services as per their specific requirements with in a month.

Referring to the finalization of Standard Bidding Document for procurement of civil works worth Rs.1 crore or more, Mr. Bains said that this document would broadly cover important aspects of bidding and this would be adopted by the departments after approval by the competent authority.

The Punjab government has also approved a proposal to introduce E-tendering for government projects.

The meeting chaired by the Chief Minister was attended amongst others by the Local Government Minister Manoranjan Kalia, Finance Minister Finance Manpreet Singh Badal, Food & Civil Supply Minister Adesh Partap Singh Kairon, PWD (B&R) Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa, Irrigation Minister Janmejha Singh Sekhon, Water Supply & Sanitation Minister Bikram Singh Majithia, Chief Secretary RI Singh, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister DS Guru, Principal Secretary Local Government DS Bains, Secretary Irrigation & Power Suresh Kumar, Secretary PWD (B&R) Karan Avtar Singh, Secretary Housing & Urban Development Arun Goyal, Secretary Water Supply & Sanitation PS Aujla and MD PIDB SS Sandhu.


PUNJAB IAS OFFICERS WIVES ASSOCIATION PIOWA WILL HOLD EVENING BAZAAR FOR DEAF & DUMB CHILDREN

 

Chandigarh April 23 :-

The Punjab IAS Officers Wives Association (PIOWA) would organize an evening bazaar from 25th to 27th April, 2008 (5pm to 11pm) at Vatika, School for Deaf & Dumb Children here in Sector- 19.

According to a spokesman of the association 'bazaar' is being held to raise funds for the education of Deaf & Dumb children studying at Vatika, by Punjab IAS Officers wives. Apart from this, the evening Bazaar would offer a gala of festivities viz shopping, eating in the food court, playing tambola and entertainment.

Bazaar would provide a wide range of suits, sarees, kurties, jutties, phulkaries, ethnic, dresses, cosmetics, silver jewellery, pottery, artifacts, bonsai plants, furniture for the home & garden, durries and food stalls with special attraction of Amritsari Kulchas & Channa.



SONIA OWES EXPLANATION TO PEOPLE OF PUNJAB ON
AMRINDER-BHATTAL ULTRA LINK REVELATIONS - MAJITHIA

Chandigarh, April 23, 2008
Shiromani Akali Dal

Mr. Bikram Singh Majithia, Information & Public Relations Minister and Patron of Shiromani Youth Akali Dal today said that by initiating so called truce between Amarinder and Bhattal, Sonia Gandhi can not sweep the serious revelations of their aiding and abetting terrorism in Punjab.

In a statement issued here today, Mr. Majithia said that these revelations by two former Chief Ministers charging each other of their links with Babbar Khalsa can not be ignored and Union Government should set up a Special Inquiry Commission headed by a sitting Supreme Court judge to probe Congress role in fomenting terrorism in Punjab for their petty political gains. He said that the gravity of revelations of links of these leaders with the hardcore terrorists cannot get diluted with a politically convenient truce. . The Minister said that in this brother-sister spat, the true face of Congress has got unmasked before the public and people of Punjab have understood that Congress was nursery of terrorism that claimed over 25000 innocent lives in Punjab. He said that Shiromani Akali Dal had been crying hoarse since the day one that Congress and Congress alone was responsible for creating a wedge between Hindus and Sikhs by fomenting terrorism in Punjab just to tarnish the image of Punjabis in the country. This was confirmed from the fact that Captain as a Chief Minister chose to speak from Khalistan platform during his visit to Canada. Mr. Majithia said that people of Punjab are owed an explanation from Mrs. Sonia Gandhi on this issue.

Mr. Majithia also called upon Union Government to book Captain Amarinder Singh for sedition and also for compromising the security and sovereignty of the Country by aiding and facilitating the task of an alleged ISI Agent Aroosa Alam.

Mr. Majithia said that acceptance of the fact by the official spokesman of Congress party that Aroosa Alam has a 'Shady past' has now finally confirmed the long held apprehensions of the Indian citizens that Aroosa used the clout of former CM to gain entry Civil-Military Liaison Conference in Western Command to smuggle out classified documents to inimical country.

Calling upon Union Defence Minister Mr. A.K.Antony to reveal to the public the report of Secret Internal Inquiry conducted by Western Command on the visit of Aroosa and demanded the initiation of criminal proceedings against Captain Amarinder Singh for aiding and abetting anti-national activities. He also called upon Dr.Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister to immediately cancel the visa of Aroosa.

Referring to the Road Show of Captain to different parts of Punjab and especially to Majha area, Mr. Majithia said that Captain Amarinder who detested Congress Ministers MLAs and workers except few chosen cronies during his regime, is now begging them to join his road show. He said that Captain under his leadership could not ensure more than 3 Vidhan Sabha seats out of 27 in Majha area to the Congress one year ago, was suddenly claiming "huge following of masses". The Minister said that people of Punjab have seen through the game of Congress and are determined to teach them a befitting lesson. Mr. Majithia said that Captain and his cronies cannot befool the public by enacting road show by hired goons and transporting the same set of crowd at every location of road show for photo ops.



CM of Punjab called for a decisive war on global warming

Chandigarh April 23, 2008

The Punjab Chief Minister today called for a decisive war on global warming and environmental pollution in order to s"save this planet as a home for our future generations."

Addressing a galaxy of distinguished environmentalists, scholars and media luminaries at the Ecology Awards Function organized jointly by The Times of India Group and the JSW Foundation on Environment on the 'World Earth Day' last evening at Hotel Taj, Mr. Badal warned, "The earth faces the greatest threat to its survival ever in the history of the planet, and, unless drastic global steps were taken immediately to correct the situation, the planet could plunge into a deadly darkness for ever. This danger comes not from wild animals or any alien species from Mars but from you and me only. Man has become the greatest threat to life on this planet," he said.

The Chief Minister blamed thoughtless, indiscriminate and ill-planned use of science for the looming disaster and said, "It has taken billions of years for life to evolve on this planet but the blind and unethical application of science for ill-planned development today can wipe it off the face of this earth for ever in just a few more years. Throughout the world, the national budgets for acquiring deadly weapons, bombs and other war machinery is many, many times higher than budgets for health, childcare, education or for fighting poverty, crime etc."

The Chief Minister regretted that while our generation appeared to have acquired immense knowledge, it sorely lacked wisdom necessary for its own survival. He said that it was as if the human kind were in the grip of a fatalistic death-wish, spending billions and billions of dollars on producing instruments of murder and mass destruction at a time when children cried for food and basic amenities for life. "Throughout the world, the national budgets for acquiring deadly weapons of mass destruction was many times higher than the total budgets reserved for health, childcare, education or for fighting poverty, crime etc., he said, adding, " The money spent on acquiring a single hydrogen bomb would be more than enough to meet the entire expenses on opening the most sophisticated and well-equipped schools and hospitals in most parts of the country."

The Chief Minister spoke about the 'proud ecological legacy of India' and said that the wise men from this land had always advocated the basic unity and inter-connectedness of all matter in the universe. This unity and interdependence was the guiding philosophy of all modern concepts of ecology. "Latest theories in science have only confirmed the oldest beliefs of religion that nothing exists in this world independently. The Vedas are full of prayers for preserving the natural environment. Western thinkers used to make fun of our religions for preaching worship of various animals, plants, trees, sun, water, clouds and even snakes. But now the scientists also tell us that each species, ecosystem, gene and culture is important to the future of our planet." The Sikh Gurus, he said, also spoke most forcefully about this subject. In Japji Sahib, Guru Nanak Dev-ji described air, water and earth as our spiritual guide, father and mother respectively

Mr. Badal asked the media to set the political, social, economic, educational, cultural and environmental agenda of the country and said, " Media must move away from political sensationalism which pollutes our moral and spiritual ecology. It was Media that set the agenda for the Freedom of this country from its White Yoke. It should now set the agenda for a Cleaner, Greener India and lead the movement for saving our Green and Beautiful planet," concluded the Chief Minister.


PUNJAB TO ADD 100 MORE AC BUSES-MASTER MOHAN LAL

Chandigarh, April 23, 2008
H.S.Grewal

The Punjab Government would add 100 more AC buses in its existing fleet of Punjab Roadways and Pepsu Roadways Transport Corporation (PRTC) from this month after finding successful running and profitable operations of existing eight integral AC coaches on various routes.

This was disclosed by Mr. Mohan Lal Transport Minister Punjab in a meeting with department officers here today. He added that state government had already formulated a transport policy aimed at providing best public transport services at affordable rates. He advised the officers to work hard in order to make the transport a profitable venture.

The Transport Minister further added that in order to provide comfortable, hassle free and convenient services to the passengers in the state, the SAD-BJP government during its stint in one year had added 258 more new buses into the Punjab Roadways and PRTC. He also asked the officers to add more kilometer scheme buses in the state on viable routes in both the state transport operators.

Master Mohan Lal has directed the officers to draft the rules regarding insurance of Roadways and PRTC buses at the earliest. For this a committee has been constituted to place a report within week. He directed them to initiate checking drive to curb the mence of illegal bus operations by private transporters in the state.

Among others Mr. D.S. Jaspal Principal Secretary, Mr. R. Venkatratnam State Transport Commissioner, Mr. Mandeep Singh Director Transport and Mr. R.S Bal, Managing Director (purchase) PRTC Patiala were also present in the meeting.



PUNJ DEMANDS CBI PROBE FROM PRIME MINISTER

Chandigarh April 23, 2008
Rajni Gupta

Mr. Balbir Punj, Member Rajya Sabha, today demanded probe by a central agency like CBI from Prime Minister of India, regarding the links of two former Congress Chief Ministers of Punjab with the Babbar Khalsa International a banned terrorists outfit.

Mr. Punj said that captain Amarinder Singh former Chief Minister quoted a book "Bikhra Painda" written by the wife of a Slain Terrorist had alleged that Mrs. Rajinder Kaur Bhattal former Chief Minister and leader of apposition provided shelter to Sikh terrorists and in counter attack Mrs. Bhattal said that Capt. Amarinder had close links with Babbars.

Mr. Punj said that these counter attacks proves that congress party was mother of terrorism and was responsible for innocent killings in the state as the truth was revealed by Bhattal and Amarinder in their press statement.

Mr. Punjab demanded immediate through proble and Mrs. Bhattal should resign from the post till she was proved not guilty by the CBI


WORLD CLASS CENTRAL UNIVERSITY AT AMRITSAR

CHANDIGARH APRIL 23, 2008

The Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India has cleared the Punjab government’s proposal to set up a ‘World Class Central University’ at Amritsar.

A decision to this effect has been conveyed by Union Human Resource Development Minister Mr.Arjun Singh through a letter to the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal.

Disclosing this, Media Advisor to Chief Minister Mr. Harcharan Bains said the Government of India had agreed to set up this university in or around Amritsar. The land for the purpose would be provided by the state government. The premium institution would be in addition to the central university proposed for the state.

It may be recalled that Mr. Badal had lobbied hard with the Center for securing this university for Punjab. An Indian Institute of Management (IIM) had already been allotted to the state. The Punjab government also proposes to set up a Police Universty near Maharaja Ranjit Singh police training academy at Phillaur.

No.CMO-08-116

 


PUNJAB ALL SET TO CROSS THE MARK OF 90 LAKH MT OF WHEAT PROCUREMENT

CHANDIGARH APRIL 23, 2008

Wheat procurement in Punjab, which appeared to be a source of anxiety for the country for sometimes, is likely to touch the record figure of 90 lakh Metric tones. This was stated by the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal here this morning.

Talking to media persons here, Mr. Badal said that despite the delay in the start of the procurement operations because of inclement weather, a total of 44 lakh MT of wheat had already been purchased till last Tuesday evening. Significantly, 68% of the total wheat arrived in the mandis had already been lifted and payment had been made for 69% of the wheat procured.

Mr. Badal attributed the relative drop in purchase by private agencies to the strict vigil being kept by the government against hoarding and black-marketeering tendencies. 'In addition, as per the new regulations, any private player who bought more than 10,000 MTs of wheat was now required to file a return with the government and government's prior permission was also required for the purchase more than 15,000 MTs of wheat, said Mr. Badal.

The Chief Minister pointed out that the government agencies were fully geared to pick up and clear the entire stock from the Mandis. The logistics coupled with the supervision by the Administrative Secretaries deputed by the Food & Supplies department had further streamlined the entire procurement process across the state.

On the issue of relief to the farmers whose crop had suffered damaged due to fire, Mr. Badal said that crop over 1230 acres had suffered total lose. Out of this 798 acres had been destroyed due to the short circuit in electricity wires while crop on 432 acres suffered damage by fire for other reasons .

The Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) would pay Rs. 5000 per acres as a relief to the crop loss due to short circuit to the affected farmers and the state government would provide relief of same quantum for the crop loss on account of fire due to other reasons.

 

 

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