BADAL ANNOUNCES BONANAZA OF RS. 65 CRORE
FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF AMRITSAR CITY
Amritsar, June 13, 2008
Reiterating his firm resole to develop holy city of Amritsar
as a World class tourist destination, Punjab Chief Minister Mr
Parkash Singh Badal today announced a grant of Rs. 65 crore, in
addition to Rs. 100 crore already given by the State Government
for the integrated development of the historic city.
Addressing a massive gathering here today in a jam packed Guru
Nanak Auditorium after the presentation made by the technical
experts of the US based Tetra Tech India Limited on Rs. 100 crore
development project of Amritsar, the Chief Minister said that
out of Rs. 65 crore, a sum of Rs. 20 crore each would be spent
on the development of outer wards, solid waste management, lying
of sewer lines and Rs. 5 crore for the plantation of Neem trees
in the city as a part of beautification and clean environment
project.
It may be recalled that the project is likely to be executed
by the reputed firms for which the global tenders had already
been floated.
The Chief Minister also announced that the Government of India
had already cleared the State Government's proposal to set up
a World class University at Amritsar over 700 acres of land, which
was being identified by the district administration for this purpose.
He also mentioned that recently he called on the Union Sports
& Youth Affairs Minister Mr. Manohar Singh Gill at New Delhi,
who agreed to sanction Rs. 3 crore for lying Astroturf in the
Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar and to hold the 14th National
Youth Festival-2009 at Amritsar.
Mr. Badal lamented that even after 60 years of Independence,
the Centre had not been able to provide the basic civic amenities
to our people. He said any society or nation could not progress
without education and health facilities. He said his Government
had embarked and ambitious plan to modernize the Government Guru
Nanak Hospital and Medical College at a cost of 130 crore and
probably it would the one of the best hospitals in the World.
"We owe a moral duty to develop Amritsar as one of the
finest cities across the globe in view its historical and religious
importance. The development of this city can not the quantified
in terms of money rather it is the sheer devotion and faith to
bring spectacular all round development here as lacs of devotees
daily visit Sri Darbar Shaib to pay their obeisance in order to
seek the blessings of Almighty"said Mr. Badal. The Chief
Minister also highlighted significance of over all development
and growth of Amritsar in the context of the improved Indo-Pak
relations which would further give a fillip to the bilateral trade
between two countries in general and Punjab in particular.
The Chief Minister said that the State Government had initiated
concerted efforts towards an integrated development of the Corporate
cities of Amritsar, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Patiala, Mohali and Bathinda
for which the services of renowned planners and architects were
being taken to prepare the master plans of the cities.
Speaking on the occasion SAD President Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal
said that the SAD-BJP Government was committed to develop Punjab
as a front runner State not only on the National but at International
level too. He said that the bold initiatives taken by the Government
in strengthening the sectors like power, infrastructure, education
and health was a step in the right direction to achieve its objective
of ensuring all round development and prosperity in the State.
"Unlike Congress, the SAD-BJP does not believe in tall claims
and hollow slogans but is firmly committed to translate its actions
into reality to cherish the aspirations of the people" said
Mr. Sukhbir Badal.
He further said that it was his and his father's (Mr. Badal)
commitment to develop Amritsar as one of the best cities in the
World even before coming to power and now since the people had
given us a chance to serve we would spare no efforts to full fill
our promise and people's dream.
Local Government and Industry Minister Mr Manoranjan Kalia said
that the Government of India had already approved six out of 13
Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) submitted by the State Government
and the first installment of Rs. 125 crore had already been released
by the Centre for the implementation of these projects. He asked
the Municipal Councillor and Corporater to fully involve themselves
for the timely implementation of various on going projects and
overseeing the quality as per the specifications with their jurisdiction.
Information & Public Relations Minister Mr Bikram Singh
Majithia urged Mr. Badal to formulate a policy for the development
of Amritsar in such a manner to ensure balanced growth of the
city without ignoring the outer wards. He impressed upon Mr. Badal
to allot additional funds for the development of these wards.
In his address local Member Parliament Mr. Navjot Singh Sidhu
said that he would keep his word given to the people of Amritsar
at all costs to develop this historic city on the ultra modern
lines. He said that the development of Amritsar was a pointer
towards the development of not only India but of entire World
as it reflected the cosmopolitan culture and rich heritage binding
the humanity.
President Punjab BJP Mr. Rajinder Bhandari and National Secretary
BJP and Incharge Punjab State Affairs Mr. Balbir Punj also spoke
on the occasion.
Prominent amongst other who were also present on the occasion
included Prof. Laxmi Kanta Chawla, Minister for Health, Mayor
Er. Shwet Malik, Mr. Anil Joshi, Mr. Amarpal Singh Boni, Mr. Inderbir
Singh Bularia (all MLAs) and Mr. D.S. Bains, Secretary Local Government.
SOCIAL SECURITY DEPARTMENT INVITES APPLICATIONS
FOR STATE AWARD
- CH. SAWARNA RAM
Chandigarh, June 13, 2008
the Punjab Government had invited application from physically
handicapped employees, sports person and institution who contributed
for the welfare of handicapped to honour then with state awards.
Disclosing this here today Ch. Swarna Ram Social Security &
Welfare of Woman & Child Development Minister said that applications
should reach to the Director Social Security Department duly recommended
by the Deputy Commissioner on prescribed Performa along with full
biodata on or before 15-7-08.
Minister also said that these awards were given every year on
December 3rd on world Disabled Day. The applications received
after 15-7-08 would not be entertained.
CAMPAIGN TO ADOPT DISASTER MANAGEMENT
PRACTICES
-ROMILA DUBEY
Chandigarh, June 13, 2008
Keeping in view bring awareness among masses regarding Disaster
Management Practices in the State and for disseminating the same
grass root level, Mrs. Romila Dubey, Financial Commissioner (Revenue)
Punjab hold a meeting of Senior Officers of concerned departments
and discussed at length various aspects to implement campaign
effectively.
She said that through this awareness campaign general public
would be educated to how to protect themselves from floods, fire
incidents and earthquakes. For this seminars would be organised
in 10 colleges and – competitions, mock drills and safety
programmes would be organised in twenty schools, one in each districts.
Mrs. Dubey said that necessary material would be made available
by Dr. R.K.Sharma, Associate Fellow Disaster Management Cell,
for the preparation of booklets and posters. She asked Public
Relations Department Punjab to make short documentary film in
consultation with Dr. R.K. Sharma who was also a Nodal Officer.
Mrs. Dubey said to launch campaign effectively short documentary
films would also be shown in cinema halls and on local T.V. channels
in each district and booklets, posters and literature would be
distributed at grass root level. All the concerned departments
were asked to send their proposal this department by or before
17-6-2008. So that this could be discussed in video conference
going to be held 19-6-2008 with the National Disaster Management.
Prominent amongst other include Mr. S.K. Ahluwalia, Commissioner
Patiala Division, Mr. Khushi Ram, Spl. Secy. Revenue, Mr. Jaspal
Singh, Special Secretary Higher Education and Languages, representatives
of Secondary Education, Additional Secretary Home and Director,
Public Relations Punjab.
IMPLEMENTATION OF "RASHTRIYA SWASTHYA
BIMA YOJNA" REVIEWED
Chandigarh, June 13, 2008
Mr. P.Ram, Principal Secretary, Labour today reviewed the implementation
of "Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojna" in Punjab.
It was decided in the meeting that every concerned department
of Punjab Government should make all efforts to make implementation
of this National Scheme a grand success. It was decided to include
more Public Hospitals under the preview of the scheme.
It was decided to launch campaign to educate the workers regarding
benefits of this scheme.
Prominent amongst those who participated in the meeting included
Secretary Health Mr. T.R.Sarangal; Special Secretary Finance,
Mr. D.K. Tiwari; Special Secretary Social Security Mr. V.K.Sharma;
Administrative Officer, Information & Public Relations Mr.
Puneet Goyal & representatives of Cooperation, Rural Development
& Panchayats Departments and also of Punjab Health System
Corporation.
MSP; SUKHBIR TO MEET PM
SAD DESCRIBES CENTRE'S DECISION AS WHIMSICAL
Chandigarh June 13, 2008
Member of Parliament and Shiromani Akali Dal President Mr. Sukhbir
Singh Badal today came down heavily against the Union government
for its whimsical decision to raise the paddy minimum support
price to just Rs.850 as against Rs.1000 recommended by Commission
for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP). Mr. Badal would seek
an appointment with the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to put
forward a case for raising MSP to Rs.1400 per quintal for Common
variety Rs.1500 for Grade 'A' variety. He said that even this
would be hardly enough to absorb the shock of the unprecedented
price rise, inflationary pressure and the demand and supply scenario
in the county.
In a statement here, Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal further said that
the hike announced by the government of India in the prices of
petroleum product, apart from the escalation in the prices of
farms inputs, have already broken the back of the peasantry. The
need of the hour was to come up with some incentives for the farming
sector in the interest of ensuring food security for the nation.
The farmers were looking forward to the government announcing
an MSP conformity with market realities, keeping in view the need
for preventing a dependents on foreign countries for our food
requirements.
Mr. Badal said that the Union Finance Minister's statement about
the states demanding a lower MSP is misleading and incorrect.
"No paddy producing state has demanded a price lower than
Rs.1000", said Mr. Badal.
SHIROMANI AKALI DAL RAISE PADDY MSP ELSE
YOUTH AKALI DAL TO GHERAO SONIA-MAJITHIA
Chandigarh, June 13, 2008
Mr. Bikram Singh Majithia, Patron, Youth Akali Dal & Public
Relations Minister today threatened that Youth Akali Dal would
gherao UPA Chairperson, Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, if the Union Government
failed to raise the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Paddy to Rs.
1300/-.
In a statement issued here today the Youth Akali Dal Patron said
that by announcing MSP of Paddy much lower than the recommendations
of Rs. 1000/- of Central Commission of Agricultural Prices (CCAP),
anti-Punjab face of UPA Chairperson Mrs. Sonia Gandhi has got
unmasked. He wondered that on one hand Mr. P. Chidambram, Finance
Minister had conceded last week at Rajpura that Nation could save
Rs.
10,000 Crore because of bumper crop of wheat produced by Punjabi
Farmers on other hand he was trying to push them deeper into debt
trap by cosmetically revising MSP. Mr. Majithia said that Sonia
has ridiculed Punjabi farmers by lowering MSP who were already
suffering from double-digit inflation.
The Minister said that the Akali Dal had been pleading to link
MSP with Wholesale Price Index (WPI) so that farmers should not
made to suffer because of ever increasing prices of Agricultural
inputs. He said that it was matter of great regret that Union
Government even chose to ignore recommendations of its own body
CCAP that had recommended MSP of Rs. 1000/- for paddy.
Mr. Majithia said that Congress had always adopted anti Punjab
Policies to ensure stagnation of growth of this enterprising,
prosperous State and this lowering of MSP was to discourage hard
working Punjabi farmers. He said that Mrs. Sonia Gandhi was working
with a set agenda of Gandhi family to crush Punjab and make it
a pauper state and this was one of such steps initiated at her
instance. He said that so called debt waiver announced by the
Union Government would hardly benefit any Punjabi farmer.
Mr. Majithia said that Youth Akali Dal was determined to you expose
anti-Punjab and anti-national face of Sonia Gandhi and would gherao
the 10-Janpath, where all anti- Punjab Policies are given final
shape.
