DERA BABA NANAK-KARTARPUR SAHIB LINKAGE-
DESK CLEARED FOR DIRECT INDO-PAK CORRIDOR
INDIA TO SEND EXPERTS TEAM TO STUDY FEASIBILITY
Dera Baba Nanak, June 28, 2008
Desk has been cleared for providing a direct express link between
the holy city of Sri Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan and Dera Baba
Nanak in India. An indication to this effect was available this
afternoon when the Union Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Parnab
Mukherjee assured the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr. Parkash Singh
Badal that the Governments of the two countries were closing in
on a mutually agreeable outcome to the oft raised Sikh demand
for a direct corridor between the two historically and religiously
significant towns divided by the International Border between
India and Pakistan.
Mr. Mukherjee infact went on a step further and told the media
persons that a high powered group of Indian experts and officials
would conduct a feasibility study for the construction of barbed
corridor from Dera Baba Nanak to Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan.
The feasibility study followed by the strategic clearance from
Government of Pakistan would form the basis of locational alignment
of the express link, said he. Mr. Mukherjee was here today at
the special invitation of Mr. Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister
Punjab..
Talking to media persons Mr. Mukherjee said that Government of
India is fully aware and alive to the sanctity and significance
of the issue and the Government of India, he said has already
taken up the matter in full detail with its Pakistani counterpart.
He said that he had personally conveyed Mr Badal's feelings on
the subject to the visiting Pakistani Minister for External Affairs,
Shah Mahmood Qureshi during the meeting in New Delhi. He assured
the Chief Minster that Government would speed up its efforts through
diplomatic channels for an early and expeditious realization of
the dream of the Sikh community for a free access to the holy
city in Pakistan, made immortal by its association with the first
Sikh Guru, Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji.
Mr. Parkash Singh Badal thanked the Union Minister of External
Affairs for his favorable response to the request forwarded by
the entire Sikh Community and was unspeakably gleaming with the
contentment and happiness of a true Sikh whose earnest prayers
for an opportunity to pay obeisance at the holy place that he
has been deprived of has bore fruit. He was accompanied by Mr.
Nirmal Singh Kahlon, Speaker Punjab Vidan Sabha, Mr. Rattan Singh
Ajnala, MP, Mr. Harcharan Bains, Media Advisor and Mr. Kuldip
Singh Wadala, Ex-MLA.
With a green signal from the Union Minister, the proposed corridor
from Indo Border to the historic and holy town of Kartarpur Sahib
in Pakistan, now seems to be a virtual reality, said Mr. Badal.
He informed that he had been repeatedly urging the centre especially
Prime Minster Dr. Manmohan Singh and Minister of External Affairs
to actively pursue the matter with their counterparts across the
border. In his two letters to the Prime Minster early last year,
Mr. Badal had emphasized the importance of the corridor both as
an important artery for religio-cultural tourism as well as economic
prosperity and development of the region.
Mr Badal said that the Punjab Government would go out of its
way to modernize strategic infrastructure in and around Dera Baba
Nanak area. He said that this border segment would be provided
with the State of art super expressway connection with the International
Airport at Amritsar and with the rest of the State. He said that
in view of the expected boost in business and trade activity consequent
upon the realization of the proposed corridor the State Government
would upgrade not only all the vital linkages to the area but
also key services like education and health facilities
Mr. Badal said that he personally regarded the successful resolution
of the people's demand in this regard as his Government's humble
tribute to the everlasting message of the great Gurus. Mr. Badal
disclosed that he had requested the Prime Minister for integrating
this project with the nation wide Guruta Gaddi Divas Celebrations.
He said that subsequently the media had also taken up this issue.
Chief Minister Punjab said that the corridor would be a means
of hassle free pilgrimage for the Sikh devotees as a compared
to the long, strenuous journey through circuitous route via Wagha,
Lahore and Narowal. This, he said, in the long run would help
foster better relations between the two countries and would further
give a push to the on going Confidence Building Measures (CBMs)
between India and Pakistan. "The corridor to the holy shrine
would in time to come turn out to be the corridor for peace and
prosperity", claimed Mr. Badal.
2950 POLLING BOOTHS FOR POLLS IN 95 MUNICIPALITIES
Chandigarh June 28, 2008
The Municipal polls in the state would be held in 95 Municipal
Councils / Nagar Councils including 8 Nagar Panchayats in the
State on June 30 from 8.00 am to 4.00 pm. For the first time the
electronic voting machines (EVMs) would be used in these polls.
Disclosing this here today a spokesman of the State Election
Commission Punjab said that total 2950 polling booths have been
set up and 28 observers have been deputed for free, fair and smooth
conduct of these polls. Around 12000 polling staff have been assigned
duties at the polling centers.
He further added that more than one crore electorates would exercise
their franchise to elect their Councilors from 1527 wards in 87
Municipal Councils / Nagar Councils and 8 Nagar Panchayats. Out
of this, 251 wards have been reserved for Scheduled Castes candidates,
132 for Scheduled Castes women, 352 for women and 97 wards for
Backward Classes candidates. General category candidates were
contesting in 699 wards.
He added that the counting of votes would be held at the polling
centers on the same day in the evening after the voting was over.
The State Election Commission had already directed all the District
Electoral Officers to personally supervise and monitor the poll
process and keep strict vigil to maintain harmony and peace.
PUNJAB CM, SUKHBIR BADAL AND MAJITHIA
CONDOLENCES
THE SAD DEMISE OF SATYAPAL BAGHI
Chandigarh June 28, 2008
Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today mourned
the sad demise of a renowned freedom fighter and celebrated columnist
of his times Mr Satyapal Baghi who died of massive heart attack
in a private hospital at Ferozepur this afternoon. In a condolence
message, the Chief Minister described Mr. Baghi as a true patriot,
noble soul and above all a great freedom fighter. His crucial
role in the Indian freedom struggle would be ever remembered by
one and all.
Badal also expressed his hear felt sympathies with the members
of the bereaved family and prayed to Almighty to give strength
and courage to bear this irreparable loss and grant peace to the
departed soul.
Meanwhile Member Parliament and SAD president Mr. Sukhbir Singh
Badal also condole the death of Mr. Baghi and said; "he was
an eminent social activist and an educationist who tersely worked
for the uplift of the downtrodden and spread of education in every
nook and corner of the state".
Information & Public Relations Minister Mr. Bikram Singh
Majithia also shared his condolences on the passing away of Mr.
Satyapal Baghi and said the real tribute to him would be to follow
his footsteps as he was a man of rare interact with the qualities
of head and heart. Besides a fine Journalist who could feel the
pulse of the people.
Union Minister for External Affairs, Mr
Parnab Mukherjee inaugurates
the passport office in AMRITSAR
AMRITSAR, JUNE 28, 2008
Punjab's dream of having a full fledged passport office in this
holy city became a reality with the Union Minister for External
Affairs, Mr Parnab Mukherjee inaugurating the facility here this
afternoon.
The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal who had been
pressing for a Regional Passport Office, along with a visa centre
here was also present on the occasion. Later, talking to media
persons, Mr. Badal expressed the hope that the Centre would take
up with its counterparts in other countries especially Pakistan,
Afganistan, Iran, The Middle East and West Asian Countries, Europe,
The USA, Australia and New Zealand the issue of opening visa centres
here. This he said, has become necessary in view of the high volume
of traffic to these countries from the belt which Amritsar Passport
Office will cater to. He said that the opening of the new Passport
Office at Amritsar would fulfill the aspiration of the people
in the districts of Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Gurdaspur, Faridkot,
Ferozepur and Muktsar in having an exclusive passport facility
of their own. The Amritsar Passport Office is equipped with the
latest IT technology including the facility to issue a computer-generated
receipt to the applicants on submission of an application. The
receipt will facilitate tracking of the status of the application
on the internet. The Office is fully air-conditioned to ensure
comfort of the passport seeking public. The Office will start
functioning from Monday. Mr. Amar Jit Singh will be the first
Passport Officer here.
During 2007, the Regional Passport Office in Chandigarh and
the Passport Office in Jalandhar together issued over 3,50,000
passports to applicants from Punjab. In the first five months
of this year, about 35000 passports have already been issued to
the people of the six districts that will be covered by the Amritsar
Passport Office. By the end of 2008, the number of applications
received by the Amritsar Office is likely to reach around 1, 00,000.
To cope with the annual demand of nearly 1.5 to 2 lac passsports,
the Amritsar Office will also have, attached to it, six District
Passport Cells and nine Speed Post Centres that collect passport
applications.
Addressing the gathering at the function, Mr.Pranab Mukherjee
said that about 50 lakh passports were issued last year all over
India by the Central Passport Organization, compared to 22 lakhs,
seven years ago. The total demand for passport is expected to
grow to over 80 lakhs in 2010. The Minister explained the various
steps taken by the Ministry of External Affairs to simplify the
passport issuance system and make it applicant-friendly. The simplified
system seeks to balance the needs of security with those of citizens'
comfort.
The Minister of External Affairs said that while the Amritsar
Passport Office will greatly facilitate employment opportunities
abroad for people in the region, it is important not to lose sight
of the fact that there are a number of unscrupulous agents who
exploit innocent people by giving false hopes of lucrative employment
abroad. He assured the Chief Minister of his full cooperation
to the efforts of the Government of Punjab in taking action against
such activities.
The Minister of External Affairs said that his Ministry has
already initiated the Passport Seva Project for introducing better
and latest IT solutions, further simplification of procedures
and reducing paper work to the barest minimum, with a view to
maximizing the comfort levels of passport applicants and achieving
the best international standards. The project, which is expected
to be implemented in a time frame of 19 months, will result in
the issue of passports within three days and in cases which require
police verification, within three days after the completion of
the verification process. Tatkal passports will be issued on the
day of submission of the application. The Passport Seva Project
envisages opening of 68 Passport Facilitation Centres all over
the country, where the non-sovereign functions, involved in the
passport issuance process, will be performed by a service provider
to be selected through an open bidding process. Police verification
will be expedited through electronic linkage of the Passport Facilitation
Centres with the police authorities in State Capitals. This centre
would also start issuing e-passports, also known as biometric
passports, in the diplomatic category, said he. Issue of e-passports
in the official passport category will also commence soon. The
Ministry of External Affairs has drawn up a programme for the
full roll out of e-passports in the ordinary passport category
by September, 2009. The e-passports will be much safer against
forgeries and will facilitate their movement through the border
points equipped with e-passport reading facilities. With the National
Launch of e-passports in New Delhi on June 25 by the President
of India, India has become the first major developing country
to issue such passports.
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