BADAL ORDERS PROBE INTO FUNCTIONING OF STATE CIVIL AVIATION DEPARTMENT

Chandigarh November 2, 2008

The Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today ordered a comprehensive enquiry into the entire functioning of the state civil aviation department.

Stating this Chief Minister's Media advisor Mr. Harcharn Bains said that the enquiry would be conducted by the state Chief Secretary Mr. Ramesh Inder Singh who will also keep the concern Minister Mrs. Upinderjit Kaur apprised of the progress of the report.

Mr. Bains said that the Chief Secretary had been directed to submit the report of enquiry within 45 days. He said that inquiry had been ordered in the wake of reservations expressed in concerned circles about the functioning of the Civil Aviation Department.

A separate enquiry into the C-90 King Air Beecraft crash is being held exclusively separately by Director General Civil Aviation (DGCA), Government of India said the Media Advisor.

MAJITHIA CONGRATULATES 9 NEWLY ELECTED CANADIAN MPs OF PUNJABI ORIGIN

There elections have imprints of successful struggle of Punjabi diaspora

Chandigarh November 2, 2008

Mr. Bikram Singh Majithia. Patron, Youth Akali Dal today congratulated 9 newly elected MPs of Punjabi origin who got elected to Canadian Parliament and said that their recent elections in Canada have the imprints of successful struggle of half a million Punjabis in Canada to find representation in Canadian legislative politics.

In a communiqué congratulating 9 newly elected Members of Parliament including Tim Uppal, Gurbax Malhi, Navdeep Bains, Devinder Shory, Ujjval Dosanjh, Sukh Dhaliwal, Deepak Obhrai, Nina Grewal and Ruby Dhalla for their election to the Canadian Parliament, the YAD Patron said that globalisation has created conditions for cooperation and It offered many opportunities and challenges for people in Punjab and Punjabi diaspora. He said that we in Punjab consider it an honour and also an opportunity to evolve a constructive, healthy and productive partnership with the Indian-Canadian Parliamentarians.

Offering total support of Punjab Government, Mr. Majithia said that we intend to make concerted efforts to evolve a charter for undertaking various activities in collaboration with them to garner demographic dividends that included making human resource as source of growth and development to the advantage of both the nations. He said that their election to Canadian Parliament would also facilitate exchange in the area of higher education and research; public investment, technology exchange, development of market structures to meet global food security needs and to promote allied agricultural activities like dairy etc.

Mr. Majithia said that we can also work together to help to formulate culturally informed policies to meet the cultural and economic needs of diaspora; and promotion of trade, water harnessing and sharing energy conservation technologies.

PUNJAB CM, SUKHBIR AND MAJITHIA CONDOLES THE DEATH OF RENOWNED PUNJABI WRITER DR. KULBIR SINGH KANG

Chandigarh November 2, 2008

The Punjab Chief Minsiter Mr. Parkash Singh Badal deeply mourned the sad demise of noted Punjabi writer, critic and winner of Shiromani Sahitya Award, who died at Amritsar on Saturday after a prolonged illness.

In a condolence message, the Chief Minister recalled the outstanding services of Dr. Kang towards the promotion of Punjabi literature, Language besides enriching cultural heritage of Punjab. He said; " with the passing away of Dr. Kulbir Singh Kang a void has been created in the Punjabi Literary circles, which was difficult to be filled." Mr. Badal shared his heartfelt sympathies with the members of the bereaved family and prayed to the Almighty to give strength and courage to them to bear this irreparable loss and grant peace to the departed soul.

Meanwhile Member Parliament and President Shiromani Akali Dal Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal also expressed profund grief and sorrow over the the death of Dr. Kang

Information & Public Relations Minister Mr.Bikram Singh Majithia also shared his condoled the passing away of Dr. Kulbir Singh Kang and shared his heartfelt condolences with the members of the bereaved family.

EDUCATION MINISTER UPINDERJIT KAUR CONDOLES\
THE DEATH OF DR. KULBIR SINGH KANG

Chandigarh, November 2, 2008

The Education and Languages Minister Punjab Dr. Upinderjit Kaur today expressed profound grief and sorrow at the sad demise of famous Shiromani Punjabi writer and academician Dr. Kulbir Singh Kang who passed away at his house at Amritsar yesterday after a prolonged illness.

In a telephonic message from China Dr. Upinderjit Kaur condoled that in the death of Dr. Kang, Punjab as well as literary world has lost a writer and critic whose writings gave it a new identity and a social purpose. Dr. Kang as pillar of Punjabi literature had contributed a lot to the Punjabi language and literature for more than 48 years with his novels and literary books, would be ever remembered by one and all.

The Education Minister expressed heartfelt sympathy with the bereaved family and prayed to the Almighty to give strength and courage to bear this irreparable loss and grant peace to the departed soul.

TWO XENs, 1 SDO ISSUED SHOW CAUSE NOTICE FOR FILING IMPROPER REPLY IN COURT

Chandigarh, November 1, 2008

The Punjab PWD (B&R) Department today issued show cause notice to two Executive Engineers and a Sub Divisional Engineer for filing improper reply in High Court and for not deputing responsible official to assist Law Officer in the Court.

According to an official spokesman it was brought to the notice of Punjab Government by the office of Advocate General, Punjab that when a case pertaining to PWD (B&R) Department came for the hearing on 31 October, 2008 nobody from PWD Department came to assist Law Officer appearing in this case. Moreover in the reply filed by XEN, Central Works Division Ferozepur it was stated that although land has been acquired for the road but records were not available. The High Court expressed unhappiness over such type of unsatisfactory replies filed on behalf of State of Punjab.

The spokesman said that due to above negligence of concerned officers the Punjab Government today, issued show cause notice to Mr. Satish Grovar then XEN Central Works Division Ferozepur and now posted at Provincial Division Nawanshahar for filing improper reply. Mr. Sukhdev Singh XEN Central Works Division Ferozepur and Mr. Harjit Singh Sub Division Engineer Central Works Division Moga have also been issued show cause notice for not deputing responsible official to assist Law Officer in the Court.

MAJITHIA CONGRATULATES 9 NEWLY ELECTED CANADIAN MPs OF PUNJABI ORIGIN

There elections have imprints of successful struggle of Punjabi diaspora

Chandigarh November 1, 2008

Mr. Bikram Singh Majithia. Patron, Youth Akali Dal today congratulated 9 newly elected MPs of Punjabi origin who got elected to Canadian Parliament and said that their recent elections in Canada have the imprints of successful struggle of half a million Punjabis in Canada to find representation in Canadian legislative politics.

In a communiqué congratulating 9 newly elected Members of Parliament including Tim Uppal, Gurbax Malhi, Navdeep Bains, Devinder Shory, Ujjval Dosanjh, Sukh Dhaliwal, Deepak Obhrai, Nina Grewal and Ruby Dhalla for their election to the Canadian Parliament, the YAD Patron said that globalisation has created conditions for cooperation and It offered many opportunities and challenges for people in Punjab and Punjabi diaspora. He said that we in Punjab consider it an honour and also an opportunity to evolve a constructive, healthy and productive partnership with the Indian-Canadian Parliamentarians.

Offering total support of Punjab Government, Mr. Majithia said that we intend to make concerted efforts to evolve a charter for undertaking various activities in collaboration with them to garner demographic dividends that included making human resource as source of growth and development to the advantage of both the nations. He said that their election to Canadian Parliament would also facilitate exchange in the area of higher education and research; public investment, technology exchange, development of market structures to meet global food security needs and to promote allied agricultural activities like dairy etc.

Mr. Majithia said that we can also work together to help to formulate culturally informed policies to meet the cultural and economic needs of diaspora; and promotion of trade, water harnessing and sharing energy conservation technologies.

GOVERNMENT AGENCIES PROCURE 11% MORE PADDY THIS YEAR

Chandigarh, November 1, 2008

In the first month of paddy procurement six government agencies have procured 92.7% of Paddy this year against 82.1% procured last year showing an increase of over 11% whereas similar decline was witnessed in the purchase of millers this year from 17.9% to 7.3%.

An official spokesman today said that market share of official agencies in the procurement pie would be quite high due to bumper crop this year and steep decline of traders share due to ban on export of non Basmati rice this year. The spokesman reiterated Punjab government's resolve to procure up to last grain of Paddy brought by farmers to Mandis and make payment to him within 48 hours

Electronic clearing system introduced by Punjab in Mandis of two districts this year and online monitoring system introduced all over state by Mr. Adesh Pratap Singh, Food and Supplies Minister to make payments to the farmers proved a quite success as Rs. 7814.69 crores were paid to farmers till Friday. A credit cash limit of Rs.12623.62 crore sanctioned by the Reserve Bank of India for the procurement of paddy for the Kharif season by all the state agencies had been received by the state Finance Department.

Meanwhile six government agencies and millers procured over 112, 76,808 tonnes of paddy till Friday. Official agencies share in paddy procurement rose to record 10453388 tonnes (92.7%) as traders share dipped to dismal 823420 tonnes (7.3%), due to ban on export of non–basmati rice.

PUNGRAIN maintained its lead in procurement by procuring 29.5% of total paddy i.e. 3087267 tonnes whereas MARKFED share was 23% with procurement of 2407278 tonnes of paddy. PUNSUP procured 2345033 tonnes of paddy (22.4%) whereas Punjab State Warehousing Corporation procured 1316661 tonnes of paddy (12.6%) besides tonnes of paddy 1118523 tonnes of paddy (10.7%) procured by Punjab Agro. The Central Government Agency FCI procured only 178626 tonnes of paddy (1.7 %). The Millers procured 823420 tonnes of paddy (7.3 %) by Monday.

Ludhiana district with maximum procurement has procured 1223954 tonens of paddy followed by Ferozepur 1178252 tonnes, Sangrur (1154925 tonnes), Patiala (1064091 tonnes), and Moga(1020402 tonnes) districts respectively.

The spokesman said that lifting of procured paddy from the mandis has started showing positive results with PUNGRAIN (101.8%), MARKFED (96.8%), PUNSUP (99.5%), PSWC (100.2%), PUNJAB AGRO (98.7%) and FCI (102.9%) showing substantial improvement.

The Punjab Food Supply had setup 1622 procurement centres throughout the state to ensure smooth procurement of paddy.