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Punjab Govt
May 22, 2008

 

SACK PATIL FOR COMPARING AFZAL GURU WITH SARABJIT- TIKSHAN SUD

Chandigarh, May 22, 2008
Tikshan Sud

Senior BJP leader and Medical Education Minister Mr. Tikshan Sud today urged President Mrs. Pratibha Patil to immediately dismiss Union Home Minister Mr. Shiv Raj Patil for his failure to adhere to the oath of Minister to uphold the Constitution of India and for his utter failure to ensure protection to the ordinary citizens of India.

Taking a serious note of Union Home Minister of the largest democracy of the World of ensuring protection from gallows to Afzal Guru preempting the decision on mercy petition to be taken by President of India, Mr. Sud said that by doing so he is not only committed the breach of privilege of Parliament but also denigrated the august office of President of India.

He said that by comparing dreaded terrorist Afzal Guru with innocent Punjabi citizen Sarabjit, languishing in Pakistan Jail, Mr. Patil had not only hurt the feelings of Crores of Punjabis but his foolhardy statement unilaterally branding an innocent citizen a terrorist has put an question mark on his safe release from Pakistan jail. He said that if Sarabjit is hanged by Pakistan Government in future, no one else but Mr. Shiv Raj Patil would be responsible for it.

Taking a dig on Union Home Minister for making India a safe haven for terrorists, Mr. Sud said that appeasement policy of U.P.A Government has given a fillip to terrorist attacks in the country. He said that when Union Home Minister can think of pardoning a dreaded terrorist, who dared to attack temple of democracy, i.e. Parliament with a view to eliminate all elected representatives of the country, he cannot guarantee the right of life to the citizens of country and should be immediately sacked by the President.

Mr. Sud said that if this trend of pardoning terrorist continued, day is far off when Dawood Ibrahim responsible for Mumbai blasts would be respectfully extradited to India, guaranteeing him pardon from gallows as it had already been done in the case of Salim while extraditing him from Portugal.

The BJP leader questioned that can one think of President of USA pardoning Osama Bin Laden? He said Afzal Guru, Dawood Ibrahim and Salim are Osamas of India and no government has any right to pardon them.

Seeking his dismissal from Union Cabinet with immediate effect, Mr. Sud also asked Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to seek apology from nation for purposedely delaying the execution of Afzal Guru.


ELECTIONS TO 6 PANCHAYATS POSTPONED -6 ROs REMOVED


Chandigarh May 22, 2008

The State Election Commission, Punjab today postponed the general elections to six Gram Panchayats in four districts, which were scheduled to be held on 26th May in the state. Besides this, three election officers has been removed.

Disclosing this here today a spokesman of the State Election Commission, Punjab said that the polls to six Gram Panchayats namely Gram Panchayat Nidhanwala and Gram Panchayat Loppon in district Moga, Gram Panchayat Bappiana district Mansa, Gram Panchayat Dharonki district Patiala, Gram Panchayat Chaura Bajwa and Gram Panchayat Nikka The-Therke both in district Gurdaspur have been postponed and fresh election schedule would be communicated separately.

He added that the Commission has also ordered the District Electoral Officer-cum-Deputy Commissioner, Patiala to appoint new Returning Officer in block Nabha immediately and initiate disciplinary action for imposition of major penalty against the erring Returning Officer of Block Nabha, who had committed the gross irregularity by rejecting the nomination papers candidates of Panchayat Dharonki. Thus the election process has been vitiated by the conduct of the Returning Officer.

The Commission has directed the District Electoral Officer-cum-Deputy Commissioner, Moga to remove Returning Officer Block Nihal Singh Wala who has acted in a wrongful and negligent manner and thus eroded the sanctity of election and the election process has been vitiated by the conduct of the Returning Officer. The Returning Officer Block Nihal Singh Wala would be immediately suspended and disciplinary action for imposition of major punishment Wala would be taken against him.

In another case the Commission has also directed the District Electoral Officer-cum-Deputy Commissioner, Moga to remove Assistant Registrar Cooperative Societies, who was Returning Officer Block Nihal Singh Wala. He would be immediately suspended and disciplinary action for imposition of major punishment would be taken against him. He has malafide in rejection of large numbers of nomination papers of village Panchayat Nidhanwala candidates without any legal basis.

The Commission while considering the report of the Executive Officer and the District Electoral Officer, Gurdaspur found that Returning Officer Manjit Singh Naib Teshsildar-cum-Returning Officer Dera Baba Nanak was the custodian of the nomination papers of Panchayat Choura Bajwa candidates and therefore any substitution by replacement could not take place without his connivance or consent. His conduct was extremely suspicion and smacks of malafide intent. The Commission directed the District Electoral Officer, Gurdaspur that he would be immediately placed under suspension and disciplinary proceedings for imposition of major punishment initiated against him. The Commission has come to the conclusion that the election process has been vitiated by the conduct of the Returning Officer.

The Commission on the report of the District Electoral Officer and the Executive Magistrate, Gurdaspur found that the conduct of the Returning Officer Shri Raj Kumar Bajwa, SDO, UBDC Sub-Division Gurdaspur was highly suspected. His conduct has derailed electoral process to Gram Panchayat Village Nikka The-Therke and vitiated the election proceedings. He would be placed under suspension immediately and disciplinary proceedings for imposition of major punishment be initiated against him.

After due consideration of the report of the District Electoral Officer Mansa, the Commission has come to the conclusion that the election process has been vitiated by the conduct of Returning Officer (BPEO), Bhiki in the manner of wrongful rejection of nomination forms of the complainants of Panchayat Bappiana Block Bhikhi. Even if the corruption charges against the Returning Officer do not stand proved yet he was guilty of negligence, malafide and non-compliance and defiance of the instructions of the Commission that nomination papers accompanied by the affidavit would not be rejected and therefore, disciplinary action for imposition of major punishment would be taken against him.


PIDB EYES A Rs 50,000 CRORE 'NEW PUNJAB ' VISION
PATHANKOT TO BE LINKED WITH AJMER VIA JALANDHAR

 

CHANDIGARH MAY 22, 2008

An eight-lane super-express highway connecting Pathankot with Ajmer via Jalandhar, a luxury train encircling the entire religious artery of the State and covering Mohali, Patiala, Amritsar, Kangra and Anandpur Sahib, sprawling eight-lane ring-roads around Ludhiana, Amritsar and Jalandhar, an IT Tower at Mohali to turn Punjab into the World's new Silicon valley, radio cabs in all major cities and a super express way connecting the Mohali International Airport with Amritsar, by-passing Phagwara and Jalandhar on the way -- these are some of the new landmark projects cleared at the 22nd meeting of the Punjab Infra-structure Development Board (PIDB) here today. The meeting was chaired by the Chief Minister, Mr. Parkash Singh Badal

In all, projects worth Rs. 20,000 crore got the Board's approval to take Punjab into " the Brave New World" of dream infrastructure facility. In addition, the Board approved in principle an infra-structure transformation outlay of additional Rs. 35000 crore that would radically alter the way the world looks at Punjab today. Most of these projects were a part of the 'Vision Punjab 2010' released by MP Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal just ahead of the assembly elections in February last year. The PIDB Managing Director, Mr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu had been specially drafted into Punjab to translate this vision into reality.

Releasing the details of the meeting, Mr. Harcharan Bains, Media Advisor to Chief Minister said that the massive investments approved in today's meeting of the PIDB would put the state in an altogether new and higher orbit of growth. He said that the Board also decided to undertake a special survey of the Kandi area to take it along the new trajectory of development. The Chief Minister was of the view that for the new thrust of the infrastructure development to be sustainable, it had to be inclusive and even distributed over the state. The Chief Minister pressed for the inclusion of the Kandi belt in the new vision of development, said Mr. Bains. Significantly, Doaba and Majha, the two regions that gave an overwhelming mandate in favour of the new regime, are seen to be at the core of the new development projects approved today.

Among the other prominent features of this new vision that found the approval of the Board are an expressway linking the International Airport with the Golden temple and a Nature Walk at Moga.

Similarly, Punjab will now boast of a globally structured Habitat Centre at Mohali. In sheer magnitude and architectural conception, this Habitat Centre is set to mark a new development signature in infrastructure history, possibly surpassing the one in New Delhi .

In a decision of far-reaching implications, the Board gave its approval for engaging the services of two infrastructure developments consultancy concerns - one of international repute to conceive infrastructure projects of world class quality and its implementation in time bound manner and another to increase the revenue of PIDB besides generating resources to make its functioning far more viable and result oriented.

The Punjab Finance Minister and Vice Chairman of PIDB Mr. Manpreet Singh Badal, pointed out at the meeting that Punjab needed an additional investment of at least Rs.30,000 to 35000 crore in terms of global infrastructure projects over next three years besides these projects of Rs.20000 crore

The Board also approved the Lalru-Baddi, Mohali-Phagwara express-way including a link to the Mohali International Airport , with a possible detour to Amritsar from the outskirts of Phagwara. A pre-feasibility study is likely to be undertaken to examine the possibility of by-passing Jalandhar en route Amritsar .

Punjab is also set to move into the era of radio-cabs with the board approving the introduction of this service in the five major towns of the state. A new feature that would distinguish this modern facility from the one even at Chandigarh is that its radius would be extended up to forty kilometers. The Board also approved the introduction of the city bus service at Amritsar , Jalandhar and Ludhiana .

Sanction was accorded to the setting up of one Institute of Hotel Management at village Boothgarh near Mohali and another at Sirhind adjacent to the Floating Restaurant, , modern Bus terminals at Mohali, Bathinda, Patiala and Hoshiarpur, high level bridge at Chaki Nadi near Pathankot, Computerized Integrated Check Post, Multi-specialty hospital at Mohali and Bathinda, five star hotel & parking-cum-commercial complex at Bathinda.

Among the other projects reviewed by the Board were pilot training institutes at Ludhiana and Amritsar, up-gradation and beautification of urban roads of five major cities namely Amritsar, Bathinda, Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Mohali, , sports cum-commercial complex at Mohali, Amritsar Airport Expressway, Nature Walk Moga, Polytechnics at Rahon and Nanowal, Fruit and Vegetable market at Mohali, upgradation operation and maintenance of Neem Chameli Tourist Complex at Attari-Wagah border Amritsar, Pincassia Tourist Complex & Water Lilly Resorts, Ropar, opening of fast food counters at Khatkarkalan, Kurali and Morinda, development of hotel Amaltas Ludhiana and construction of high level bridges at Makhu, Chola sahib and Sarai Ka Pattan.

The meeting was attended by Local Government Minister Mr. Manoranjan Kalia, Medical Education & Research Minister Mr. Tikshan Sood, Education Minister Bibi Upinderjit Kaur, Tourism Minister Jathedar Hira Singh Gabria, Transport Minister Master Mohan Lal, PWD (B&R) Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa, Chief Secretary RI Singh, Principal Secretary Finance and Member Secretary PIDB DS Kalha, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister DS Guru and Managing Director PIDB Sukhbir Singh Sandhu.


Regarding Gram Panchayat General Elections 2008.

Hon'ble Punjab and Haryana High Court in CWP No.8448 of 2008 and other connected Civil Writ Petitions has directed that the petitioner(s) shall approach the State Election Commission, Punjab who shall decide the matter by 24th May, 2008. The question raised in the writ petition is whether the nomination paper of the petitioner(s) has been validly entertained or rejected or otherwise and other issues related to Gram Panchayat elections. The decision(s) taken by the Returning Officer under section 41 of the Punjab State Election Commission Act, 1994 at the time of filing/ scrutiny of nomination papers have been disputed. It is relevant that the record is also available with the field officers spread all over Punjab. There are number of writ petitions of a similar nature in respect of places all over the State. The directions by the Hon'ble Punjab and Haryana High Court for deciding the matter by 24th May, 2008 shall be very difficult to implement, if all the relevant records are summoned by the State Election Commission because these Officers are currently engaged in the conduct of Gram Panchayat elections scheduled to be held on 26th May, 2008 and therefore, summoning them to the State Election Commission with the relevant record and ensuring their presence at State headquarters shall definitely adversely impact the conduct of elections.

The Deputy Commissioners and the Additional Deputy Commissioners (Dev.) are concurrently District Electoral Officers and the Additional District Electoral Officers respectively, therefore, it shall be appropriate and feasible to direct the District Electoral Officers to summon the relevant record from the Returning Officer and conduct a summary enquiry and decide upon the issues raised in the representation/ Civil Writ Petition by the petitioner(s). It shall be open for the District Electoral Officer to obtain report from the Additional District Electoral Officer or Additional Deputy Commissioner (General), or Sub Divisional Magistrate-cum-Sub Divisional Electoral Officer or Tehsildar-cum-Additional Sub Divisional Electoral Officers. After perusal of the record and the District Electoral Officer shall decide the matter.

Since the District Electoral Officers shall be very busy with the conduct of Gram Panchayat Elections scheduled for 26.05.2008 and the number of writ petitions of this nature may be large in a district, therefore, it shall be permissible for him to direct the Additional Deputy Commissioner (Dev.) or the Additional Deputy Commissioner (Gen) to enquire into the matter as mentioned above and decide on the lines indicated above. For immediate action, this order shall also be sent by FAX to the concerned Deputy Commissioner and copy given to the petitioner for approaching the Deputy Commissioner and the petitioner can also directly approach the concerned Deputy Commissioner alongwith the order and Civil Writ Petition of the Hon'ble High Court. In case the District Electoral Officer or the Officer so nominated by him, concludes that the purity and sanctity of the election process has been vitiated or violated, he shall have the authority to countermand the poll. The State Election Commission shall accord ex-part-facto approval since the paucity of time and the imperative of implementation of the decision of the Hon'ble High Court, does not permit all such cases to be decided by the Commission directly. This order issues in exercise of the powers vested with the State Election Commission under section 3 of the Punjab State Election Commission Act, 1994 and Article 243k and 243N of Constitution of India.

( A. K. Dubey )

State Election Commissioner, Pb.


PUNJAB TO ISSUE ORDINACE ON ANDHRA PATTERN TO PROTECT
DOCTORS AND NURSING HOMES

CHANDIGARH MAY 22, 2008

The Punjab Government today decided to introduce legislation on Andhra Pradesh pattern to provide protection to the doctors and nursing homes in the state.

According to Media Advisor to Chief Minister Mr. Harcharan Bains an ordinance to the effect would be issued within few days. The measure comes in the wake of growing incidents of attacks on doctors and nursing homes by unruly kin of the patients at several places.

Meanwhile, Mr. Bains appealed to the medical fraternity to withdraw their stir in the larger public interest and resume their work to serve the ailing humanity. He however, said that the state government was committed for the welfare of the doctors and paramedics and would ensure congenial atmosphere to them to discharge their duties with professional commitment, dedication and sincerity.


GOVERNMENT OF JAPAN TO FUND THE PROJECT FOR CLEANING OF PUNJAB RIVERS

CHANDIGARH MAY 22, 2008

Ms. Kamata Hiroko, Project formulation Advisor, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) called on Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal this afternoon at his residence and put forth a detailed proposal to set up a joint implementation committee consisting of officers of Punjab government, Punjab Pollution Control Board and Experts of JICA to implement a project to monitor and clean the rivers of Punjab infested with pollution.

Disclosing this here today Media Advisor to Chief Minister Harcharan Bains said that the project would be funded by the government of Japan and completed within three years commencing from April 2009.

It may be recalled that this is the first project of its kind to be started by JICA in any state of the country. The Chief Minister appreciated the initiative of JICA and the Japan government and termed it as a 'well timed, significant and corrective strategy' to combat the menace of polluted river waters at this critical juncture, said the Media Advisor.

Showing deep concern over the poor quality of water in the state, Mr. Badal said that the state government had already made concerted efforts to ensure 'safe drinking water for all' through proper monitoring of rural water supply schemes by application of Reverse Osmosis (RO), Silver Ionization and Ultra Violet techniques depending on the quality of water through its own resources. He hoped that with the participation of JICA and Japan government the problem of river pollution would be effectively addressed for all times to come which was posing a great threat to the health of the people of the state besides its soil texture.

The meeting was also attended by Chief Secretary RI Singh, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister DS Guru and Secretary Science & Technology AS Chhatwal.


BADAL WRITES TO MUKHERJI FOR ALLOWING CORRIDOR FROM DERA
BABA NANAK TO KARTARPUR

CHANDIGARH MAY 22

Punjab Chief Minister Mr.Parkash Singh Badal today urged the Union External Affairs Minister Mr. Pranab Mukherji to take up the issue immediately with Government of Pakistan for allowing a religious corridor from Dera Baba Nanak in district Gurdaspur to Kartarpur on Pakistan side.

In a letter to Mr. Mukherji, the Chief Minister pointed out that he had already discussed this issue with the Prime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh who had asked him to take it up formally with the Ministry of External Affairs. He mentioned that Kartarpur Sahib was one of the most religious places for Sikhs, as the founder of the Sikh religion, Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, had spent major part of his life at this place. It lies around 3 kilometers westwards from Dera Baba Nanak in district Gurdaspur on Pakistan side.

Mr. Badal said that the singular desire of every living Sikh is to visit and pay obeisance at this holy shrine atleast once during his lifetime. To that an effect, if a corridor is constructed from Dera Baba Nanak side to the site of Gurdwara at Kaprtapur (Pakistan side) it would go a long way in fulfilling this religious wish of the entire Sikh community worldwide, added Mr. Badal.


 

NATIONAL ARCHIVES TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE FOR DEVELOPING LIBRARIES

Chandigarh May 22, 2008

National archives of India has launched scheme of financial assistance to State Government/union territory Archival Repositories, Government libraries and museums for development activities and for preservation of public records/manuscripts and rare books.

According to an official spokesman the maximum limit of grant given is upto Rs. 10 lakhs per year in the ratio of 75:25 (i.e. Central Government share 75% and state government share 25%). Under the scheme, Financial Assistance is provided for preservation, Repair of Public Records/Manuscripts and Rare books, Publication, Listing, Cataloguing and Compilation of Guide to Records, Manuscripts and rare books, Microfilming, Purchase of Reprographic/Conservation Equipment/ Material and Computers for preparation of Automated finding Aids, Air-conditioning of Muniment room and construction, addition/renovation of existing buildings.

The spokesman said that the government institutions engaged in preservation of documentary heritage of Nation and other deserving institutions desirous of availing financial grant under the scheme can apply to the national archives alongwith specific recommendation in a prescribed Performa with an assurance to provide 25% matching share to the National Archives of India on or before June 15, 2008.


 

Chandigarh, May 22:, 2008

To enable employees working in the shop and commercial establishments, in the State of Punjab and all other persons connected with the shops and commercial establishment to exercise their franchise in the punchayat elections to be held on 26th May, 2008, the Punjab Government has declared that 26th May, 2008 (Monday) shall be 'closed day' for all shops and commercial establishment where "Monday is not a close day, in lieu of close day falling on any day between 25-5-2008 and 1-6-2008.


 

Chandigarh, May 22:

To enable the workmen working in the factories situated within the state to exercise their franchise in the general elections of Gram Panchayats to be held on 26th May, 2008, the Punjab Government has declared that 26th May, 2008 (Monday) shall be the weekly paid holiday for all factories where 'Monday' is not close day within the state in lieu of their normal weekly holiday.

 

 

 

 

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