Government committed top
priority to provide potable water
Chandigarh October 22
Out of total urban population of the state, 86% was having access
to water supply and 59% of urban population was having access to
sewerage system.
Disclosing this here today Mr. Baldev Raj Chawla Chairman Punjab
Water Supply and Sewerage Board said that state government was committed
and has given top priority to provide potable water and its safe
disposal for the 100% population of urban areas.
Mr. Chawla said that Water Supply and Sewerage system was being
provided in Amritsar and Ludhiana with the financial aid of government
of India under JNNURM. The project of sewerage scheme Ludhiana costing
Rs. 241.39 crore for rehabilitation of sewerage system in the walled
city of Amritsar has been approved and first instalment and funds
have been released. The work of water supply in outer colonies of
Amritsar at an estimated cost of Rs. 19.02 crore under JNNURM was
under progress against which 28 tubewells, 182 KM of water lines
and 20 no. OHSR are to be constructed. For providing sewerage scheme
coasting Rs. 550 crore in Amritsar the state government has signed
the agreement for financial assistance with Japan Bank for International
Cooperation (JBIC). A sum of Rs. 10 crore for providing water supply
to the remaining population of Amritsar and a sum of Rs. 50.78 crore
for providing water supply to the remaining population of Ludhiana
shall be got funded under JNNURM.
He said water supply for the towns of Majitha, Sunam and Bathinda
and sewerage projects for Malout, Zirakpur, Jalandhar, Mukatsar,
Pathankot and Sunam have been approved for Rs. 283.25 crore.
To achieve the target of providing water supply and sewerage system
to 100% population of all urban local Bodies. The department of
Local Government Punjab has also decided to arrange funds of Rs.
500 crore from HUDCO.
PADDY PROCUREMENT TOUCHES 74 LAC TONNES
MARK
Chandigarh, October 22, 2008
: Six government agencies and millers procured over 73,77,980 tonnes
of paddy on Tuesday .
An official spokesman today said that PUNGRAIN procured 18,88,350
tonnes of paddy (27.9%) whereas MARKFED procured 15,68,969 tonnes
of paddy (23.2%). PUNSUP procured 15,35,711 tonnes of paddy (22.7%)
whereas Punjab State Warehousing Corporation procured 8,83,077 tonnes
of paddy (13.1%) besides 7,87,425 tonnes of paddy (11.6%) procured
by Punjab Agro. The Central Government Agency FCI procured only
1,00,492 tonnes of paddy (1.5 %). The Millers procured 6,13,956
tonnes of paddy (8.3 %) by Tuesday.
The mandis in Amritsar Division recorded 19,87,497 tonnes of paddy
with Jalandhar recording maximum paddy by Tuesday to the tune of
5,13,688 tonnes. The mandis of Ferozepur division maintained their
lead by recording 32,38,753 tonnes of paddy with maximum of 10,88,037
tonnes of paddy being recorded by Ferozepur district. Meanwhile
procurement in the mandis of Patiala division recorded 21,51,730
procurement of paddy with Patiala district recording maximum paddy
to the tune of 6,64,611 tonnes.
The spokesman said that lifting of procured paddy from the mandis
has started showing positive results with PUNGRAIN (100.9%), MARKFED
(91.7%), PUNSUP (95.8%), PSWC (95.2%), PUNJAB AGRO (96.4%) and FCI
(111.4%) showing substantial improvement.
Six government agencies have paid over Rs. 4595.59 crores for
paddy procured by agencies during first 21 days of current Kharif
Marketing Season. A credit cash limit of Rs.12623.62 crore sanctioned
by the Reserve Bank of India for the procurement of paddy for the
ensuing kharif season by all the state agencies had been received
by the state Finance Department.
The spokesman said that farmers of the State are being made payment
of paddy procured by the government agencies within 48 hours of
lifting of paddy from the procurement centres.
The Punjab Food Supply had setup 1622 procurement centres throughout
the state to ensure smooth procurement of paddy.
PUNJAB CM LAUNCHES INNOVATIVE FARMER-FRIENDLY
SERVICE THROUGH FORGING AN ALLIANCE WITH MANDI BOARD & REUTERS
CHANDIGARH OCTOBER 21, 2008
Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal here today launched
a Mobile Information Service for the farmers in the state to provide
access to vital information relating to 17 crops/commodities including
varieties in 60 Mandis across the state.
Addressing a gathering of farmers here at Hotel Shivalik view,
Mr. Badal said that it was opportune time of synergize the strategies
of information technology and marketing of agricultural produce
to enable the farming community immensely benefited from the volatile
market trends. Appreciating the initiative taken by Punjab Mandi
Board by signing a MoU with Reuters Market Light RMT Mr. Badal said
that it would prove to be a milestone in modernizing the Agri-marketing
network of the state.
He also lauded the successful launch of this unique agri-service
in Maharashtra that had almost covered nearly 50,000 farmers. Mr.
Badal hoped that the farmers of Punjab would certainly get remunerative
prices of their produce by making opteim use of this innovative
service in terms of timely information regarding the weather, rates
of their produce in different Mandis and other information regarding
the use of pesticides and diseases through the SMS service of this
company.
Earlier, on behalf of the Punjab Government, the Secretary Mandi
Board Mr. Dipinder Singh and Managing Director of RML Amit Mehra
had signed a memorandum of understanding according to which the
Punjab Mandi Board would provide all information in puts regarding
crops and their rates in different Mandis to RML and RML would further
share this information with its subscribers through mobile phone
SMS service. Regarding the weather information even at Tehsil level
RML was hiring the services of US based weather forecast companies
to collect information regarding weather.
Prominent amongst others who were present on the occasion included
Chairman Punjab Mandi Board Ajmer Singh Lakhowal, Chief Parliamentary
Secretary Agriculture Sher Singh Ghubaiya and Financial Commissioner
Development RS Sandhu.
PB CABINET ADOPTS RESOLUTION TO MOURN SAD
DEMISE OF AS CHATTWAL AND KIRPAL SINGH CABINET APPROVES SETTING
UP OF INDIAN SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AT MOHALI
CHANDIGARH OCTOBER 21, 2008
The Punjab Cabinet in its meeting held here under the chairmanship
of Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today adopted a
unanimous condolence resolution to express heart felt sympathies
with the members of the bereaved families of late Commissioner NRI
Affairs and Secretary Science & Technology Mr. AS Chhatwal and
late ADC Tarn Taran Mr. Kirpal Singh who left for their heavenly
abode and prayed to the Almighty to give strength and courage to
bear this irreparable loss and grant peace to the departed souls.
Disclosing this here today a spokesman of the Punjab Government
said that the Cabinet described both these officers as an asset
to the state government who by their sense of commitment, sincerity
and dedication tirelessly worked for the development of the state
and welfare of its people. The Cabinet desired that the condolence
resolution adopted to this effect should be conveyed to the members
of the bereaved families. A 2-minute silence was also observed by
the Cabinet to pay tributes to the departed souls.
The Cabinet also approved in principle to establish the Indian
School of Business (ISB) at SAS Nagar Mohali and granted clearance
for leasing out 70 acres of land in knowledge city sector 81, Mohali
to ISB and four founder supporter institutions viz. Bharti Institute
of Public Policy & Administration, Hero Institute of manufacturing
Science, Max India Institute of Healthcare management and Punj Lloyd
Institute of Physical Infrastructure Management for a period of
99 years at Rs.1 per acre per annum for establishing the second
campus of ISB Mohali along with above mentioned four institutions.
The Cabinet also reviewed the arrangements for the procurement
of paddy during Kharif season 2008-09 and expressed satisfaction
over the smooth lifting of paddy so far. As many as 1622 purchase
centers had been notified by the Punjab Mandi Board for the procurement.
A credit cash limit of Rs.12623.62 crore sanctioned by the Reserve
Bank of India for the procurement of paddy for the ensuing kharif
season by all the state agencies had been received by the state
Finance Department.
The cabinet also approved to grant exemption from VAT to the tune
of Rs. 2.87 crore on purchase of material being used for construction
of Kuka Martyrs Memorial at Malerkotla.
The Cabinet also approved to transfer of 1.25 acre of land belonging
of the department of Animal Husbandry in Tripari Patiala to the
Pepsu Township Development Board, Rajpura for the construction of
marriage palace in the public interest at the collector of Rs.4050
per sq. yard and the total price of the land involved was approximately
Rs.2,45,02,500/-.
The Cabinet also gave nod to the conversion of the existing 'The
Punjab Preservation of Sub-Soil Water Ordinance, 2008, into the
'Punjab Preservation of Sub-Soil Water Act, 2008 with the carrying
out relevant amendments.
The Cabinet also gave approval for amending the Punjab Package
Deal Properties (Disposal) Rules, 1976 and Section 3(11) and Sector
20(4) of the Punjab Agricultural produce Markets Act, 1961 for issuing
an ordinance for conversion into an Act.
The Cabinet also approved the sale of the site No.3 and 6 measuring
3.40 acres and 1.87 acres of Dr. Vidya Sagar Mental Hospital at
Amritsar under OUVGL Scheme for the Hotel site through Private Public
Partnership mode on Revenue sharing Scheme basis instead of Open
auction system.
MANPREET BADAL URGES OFFICERS NOT TO ACCEPT
GIFTS DURING DIWALI
Chandigarh, October 21, 2008
Punjab Finance Minister Mr. Manpreet Singh Badal has urged the
officers of the Finance Department Punjab not to accept any presents
and gifts from the public or from their subordinates during the
ongoing Diwali days..
This was communicated to the officers right from top to bottom
through an office order issued here today. Mr. Badal reiterated
his government's strong resolve to give transparent and corruption
free governance to the people of Punjab.
Seeking the cooperation of all in this regard, he also said that
strict compliance in this regard was required and strict administrative
action against erring officials/officers would be initiated as per
rules.
IRRIGATION PROGRAMME FOR RABI SEASON ANNOUNCED
CHANDIGARH, October 21, 2008
The Irrigation Department, Punjab has announced the Rotational
irrigation Programme for the Rabi Season through Canal water from
20 October to 27 October, 2008. The channels of Sirhind Canal System
would run on priority basis from Patiala feeder, Abohar Branch,
Bhatinda Branch, Bist Doab Canal and Sidhwan Branch respectively.
Disclosing this here today a spokesman of the irrigation department
said that direct distributaries of Ghaggar link and its off taking
channels i.e. Ghaggar Branch and Patiala Minor in Group 'B' being
in the Ist preference will run to their indent. Balance water supplies
available will be utilised in direct distributaries of Bhakra main
line of Group 'A'.
The spokesman further said that the Punjab channels off taking
from Harika and Ferozepur Head Works & Branches i.e. Abohar
Branch off taking from Sirhind Feeder and its distributaries of
group "B" would run on first preference to their indent.
Balance water supplies available would be utilised in direct distributaries
of Sirhind Feeder in Group "A".
The spokesman also said that the channels off taking from upper
Bari Doab Canal i.e. Sabraon Branch with its distributaries being
in first Preference would run to their indent. Balance Surplus water
available would be utilised in Kasur Branch Lower, Main Branch Lower,
Lahore Branch and with its distributaries respectively.
PUNJAB IAS OFFICER AS CHHATWAL CREMATED
Chandigarh, October 21, 2008
Thousands bid a tearful adieu as Punjab IAS officer AS Chhatwal's
body was today cremated at Sector 25 Crematorium at Chandigarh.
The cremation was attended by a large number of political and administrative
functionaries of Punjab and Haryana.
Wreaths were laid on behalf of Punjab Governor Gen. SF Rodrigues
(Retd.) and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. Among the
prominent who laid wreaths were Information & Public Relations
Minister Bikram Singh Majithia, Finance Minister Manpreet Singh
Badal, Health Minister Smt. Laxmi Kanta Chawla, Chief Secretary
Ramesh Inder Singh, President of Punjab State IAS Officers Association
Tejinder Kaur, Principal Secretary to CM DS Guru and Advisor to
CM DS Cheema.
In a condolence message, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal
expressed deep shock at the unfortunate death of AS Chhatwal. Describing
the deceased as "an honest, bright and effective officer",
he stated that in his death Punjab had lost one of its best civil
servants. He joined others in conveying his heartfelt condolence
to the deceased's family and prayed to the Almighty to grant liberation
to his departed soul.
Information & Public Relations Minister Bikram Singh Majithia,
who also holds the portfolio of Science & Technology, remembered
AS Chhatwal as "an outstanding and honest officer whom I had
specially chosen to head the Science and Technology Department".
SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal and MP Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa also
expressed their deep sorrow at the death of Mr. Chhatwal and described
it as a "personal loss".
Punjab Chief Secretary Ramesh Inder Singh described Chhatwal as
"an amiable person and an outstanding officer". His tragic
demise is a loss to the entire Punjab Government as well as the
fraternity of civil service, Singh added.
The Punjab State IAS Officers Association held an emergency condolence
meeting this afternoon to mourn the death of AS Chhatwal. Expressing
"profound sorrow and shock" in a resolution passed in
the meeting, Association President Tejinder Kaur described Chhatwal
as "an outstanding officer, warm and spirited person and, above
all, a dear friend to all. His passing away is an irreparable loss
to the Cadre as well as to the State".
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