• DY.CM SS BADAL PHOTO AND CJ SEMINAR

SHIV SENA DELEGATION CALLS ON PUNJAB CM

Chandigarh, January 31, 2009

A delegation of the Shiv Sena led by their National Senior leaders today called on the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal in Bathinda this evening and presented a memorandum of demands.

Mr.Badal gave the delegation a patient hearing and assured them that the issues raised by them would be discussed in a detailed meeting very shortly. With in a democracy all issues pertaining to the problems of any or all section of societies should be discussed with a cool and tolerant attitude. The delegation comprised National president Mr. Kamlesh Bhardwaj, senior National Vice President Mr. Baljit Dhillon and State Unit Chief Mr. Krishan Sharma.

DY. C M CONDOLES THE DEATH OF INFANTS

Chandigarh, January 31, 2009

Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal today expressed deep sorrow over the incident involving the death of infants in the Rajindra Hospital Patiala in the early hours of this morning. Mr. Badal has conveyed his heartfelt condolences and sympathies to the bereaved families.

In a statement issued here today Mr. Badal said that any one found guilty of the negligence or responsible for the this terrible tragedy would be dealt with severely.

BADAL ORDERED JUDICIAL PROBE FOR PATIALA INCIDENT

Chandigarh, January 31: Punjab Chief Minister S. Parkash Singh Badal today expressed profound grief and sorrow over the tragic incident in which five new born infants were burnt alive in fire incident in photo therapy unit of children ward in Govt. Rajindra Medical Hospital, Patiala. He also expressed heart felt sympathies with the breaved families.

Mr. Badal has ordered a judicial enquiry into the incident and appointed a retired Judge of the Punjab & Haryana High Court Justice Mr. K.C. Gupta. He said that erring officials would not be spared. Mr. Badal also ordered to suspend immediately Dr. Jaswinderpal Kaur Shergil, Principal of Medical college.He also announced a relief of Rs. One Lac each to the breived families from the Chief Ministers relief fund. The state Govt. would also bare the treatment cost of the injured infants, he said.

Deputy Chief Minister Punjab S. Sukhbir Singh Badal also condoled the death of children and expressed his heart felt sympathies with the members of bereaved families.

The Chief Justice called upon the lawyers and Judges to extensively adopt the method of mediation

Chandigarh, January 3, 2009
N.Singh

: The Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court Mr. Justice Tirath Singh Thakur today called upon the lawyers and Judges to extensively adopt the method of mediation to resolve the issue between the parties amicably and speedily.

Mr. Justice Thakur was speaking in an awareness programme on mediation organized by the Punjab and Haryana High Court at Chandigarh today. He said that the mediation process would save time and money and create goodwill, besides reducing litigation. The concept of mediation should be institutionalized and the Bar members must give a thought to support alternate dispute redressal system which would lead the people to avoid going to the courts. In case of mediation, the decision would be beneficial to both the parties for resolving disputes and no one would be the loser, he added.

He said that the lawyers and judges could play a vital role as mediators. He also expressed his concern over the large number of pending cases saying that the extent of pendency in Punjab and Haryana High court was of the order of about 2.50 lakh cases. He urged the judiciary to ensure speedy disposal of pending cases. Mr. Justice Thakur said that it being a new concept hence, we need to equip ourselves with it. It demands to produce a number of trained people so as to avoid importing them from other States.

Chairman of the Mediation Committee, Mr. Justice M.M Kumar said that the responsibility to settle the large number of pending cases lies on the Judges and members of Judiciary. The aim of this awareness programme was to sensitize the Bar members and Judiciary about how the disputes could be settled through negotiations, he added.

Mr. Justice K.S Grewal, Judge of Punjab and Haryana High Court said that there should be serious evaluation before filling the case and sending them for litigation, trial and to Lok Adalats. Therefore, it was worthwhile to set up a Mediation Committee to review the cases.

It may be recalled that the Mediation Center at District Court, Chandigarh was opened in May, 2008 by Justice Vijender Jain, the then Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court. Upto the month of October 2008, as many as 15 cases were received in the Mediation Center out of which 6 were settled through the process of Mediation. In all by now 66 cases had been received out of which 8 had been settled.
Those who were present on the occasion included member of Mediation Committee, Mr. Justice Mahesh Grover, District and Session Judge, Chandigarh, Mr. Justice K.K. Garg, Registrar of Punjab and Haryana High Court, Mr. R.C. Gupta, President of District Bar Association, Mr. N.K. Nanda , Judicial officers of the District Court Chandigarh and members of District Bar Association.

Bains to head Media committee to look into complaints by and against Journalist

Chandigarh January 30, 2009

Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal today disclosed that the process of setting up of Media Committee had been completed and the formal orders to this effect would be issued by tomorrow.

The state level committee to deal with the complaints by and against the media persons has the Chief Minister Punjab Mr. Parkash Singh Badal's Media Advisor Mr. Harcharn Bains as its Chairman.

It also comprises Principal Secretary Home, Director General Police and two representatives of scribes.
Similar committees will also be setup in the district head quarters with Deputy Commissioners as its Chairpersons.
It may be recalled that the Chief Minister had ordered the setting up of these committees in response to the long pending demand of Chandigarh scribes covering Punjab as where as Journalists from through out the state. Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal said that the first meeting of the state level committee will be held by Tuesday i.e. 10th February, 2009.

Mohali scribes incident Punjab Deputy CM orders registration of cases against the guilty

Chandigarh January 30, 2009

The Punjab Government today ordered the registration of cases against those allegedly involved in manhandling of Mohali based Punjabi Tribune Journalist Darshan Singh Sodhi during the election of Vice President of Municipal Council of Mohali.

In a statement here the Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal, who is also holding the charge of Information & Public Relations said here today, the Punjab Government is 'totally committed to ensuring the freedom of the press and will not allow anyone to interfere with the lawful and smooth discharge of professional duties by the Media persons'.
In another statement, Punjab Co-operation Minister Capt. Kanwaljit Singh also condemned the incident and said that the guilty would be dealt under the relevant provisions of the law.

Meanwhile, the Mohali police has registered cases under the sections of IPC 323 and 341 against two party workers and local MC Ms. Baljit Kaur Purkhalvi.

WORK ON CHANDIGARH-LUDHIANA RAILWAY LINE IN PROGRESS-C.S.

Chandigarh, January 30, 2009

The State Chief Secretary, Mr. R.I. Singh today stated that the work Chandigarh-Ludhiana Railway line was in progress and would be completed with in the time frame.

Presiding over a high level meeting with the Authorities of Northern Railways to review the progress of work, the Chief Secretary pointed out that the railway link between Chandigarh-Morinda had already been completed and the work on stretch between Ludhiana and Sahnewal would be completed within next months. After the completion of this stretch along with electrification of the railway track, local train service between Ludhiana-Sahnewal would be commenced. He said that work on stretch between Morinda and Sahnewal (50 Kms) would be commenced shortlyafter the land acquisition. Mr. Vinay Singh, Chief Engineer of Northern Railways revealed that Rs. 114.55 crore had already been released for the land acquisition and in addition Rs. 100 crore had been deposited with the state government for the completion of land acquisition.

The meeting was attended by S. Kulbir Singh Sidhu, Secretary PWD (B&R), Sh. V. Purusharatha Deputy Commissioner, Roop Nagar, S. Prabhjot Singh Mand Deputy Commissioner, Mohali and Sh. Dinesh Sharma, Deputy Chief Engineer ©, Northern Railway.

Chandigarh, January 30, 2009

The Punjab government in consultation with Reserve Bank of India(RBI) today floated Rs. 353.970 crore loan to finance part of Capital Expenditure of Plan Schemes and other development schemes under execution.

According to an official spokesman the State government today notified the sale of Punjab Government Stock (Securities) of 10 year tenure for a aggregate amount of Rs. 353.970 crore (Nominal). The spokesman said that consent of Central government has already been obtained to the floatation of this loan.

The spokesman said that the government stock would be sold through RBI Mumbai by auction that would be conducted by them in his Mumbai office on February 05, 2009. The application form duly filled in with the bids should be submitted to the RBI, Mumbai on February 05,2009 by 12.30 P.M. Result of auction would be displayed on February 05,2009and successful bidders would make payment on February 6, 2009.

The spokesman added that this 10 year tenure loan would be repaid at par on February 06, 2019. He said that interest will be paid every half yearly on August 06 and February 06 and cut off yield determined at the auction would be the coupon rate percent per annum of the stock sold at the auction.

The spokesman added that the investment in Government Stock would be reckoned as on eligible investment in Government Securities by banks for the purpose of Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) under Section 24 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949. The Stock would also qualify for the ready forward facility.

Chandigarh January 30, 2009

Decks were cleared to setup multidisciplinary integrated campus consisting of Engineering and polytechnic college, Departments of Business Studies, Computers Studies and Pharmacy at Nanowall Vaid in district Hoshiarpur as MoU was signed to set up the Campus in Public Private Partnership Mode today.

Mr. G. Ramesh Kumar Director, Technical Education signed MoU with Mr. Naveen Gupta CEO of Vocational Education Foundation Greater Noida in the presence of Mr. Bikramjit Singh Khalsa Chief Parliamentary Secretary Technical Education and Industrial Training.

Giving the details of the project Mr. Khalsa said that this Rs. 50 crore institute to be setup on a 15 acre plot donated by local panchayat, would fulfill the Human Resource requirement of the local industry in the Hoshiarpur and Jalandhar districts.

He said that this multidisciplinary integrated campus would run full fledged Engineering Collage, Polytechnic and would also run MBA, MCA and B-Pharmacy courses. He said that Foundation was also in negotiation with Foreign Universities of over 30 countries and after finalization of their arrangements, Foreign Universities would also run their courses in this Campus.

He said that Punjab Technical Education Department has already entered into MoU with reputed parties to setup four such more campuses at Sri Anandpur Sahib, Sultarnpur Lodhi, Muktsar and Rahon. He said that these parties were finalized by Punjab Infrastructure Board (PIDB) after inviting National bids.

Earlier Mr. Mandeep Singh Dhillon Deputy Director spoke about the achievements of the Technical Education Department.

Panchayat Bye elections for 180 Gram Panchayats on Feb 15- Schedule announced

Chandigarh January 30, 2009

Bye election to vacant seats of 180 Gram Panchayats would be held on Feb 15, 2009.

According to an official spokesman nomination can be filed from 2nd Feb to 15 Feb, 2009. Nomination papers would be scrutinized on Friday, 6th Feb, 2009 and candidates can withdraw their nominations by Saturday, Feb 7, 2009. Elections would be held on Sunday i.e. 15th Feb, 2009 and Election process would be completed by 18th Feb, 2009.

It is hereby clarified that Saturday Feb 7, 2009 is note holiday under section 25 of Negotiable Instrument Act and hence candidates can withdraw their nominations on this date.

Manvesh Singh Sidhu, PCS posted as Additional Secretary to Deputy CM

Chandigarh January 30

Mr. Manvesh Singh Sidhu, PCS, Managing Director, P.R.T.C., Patiala will also hold the additional charge of Additional Secretary to Deputy Chief Minister, Punjab in addition to his own duties.

Satyam fraud must be taught to professional students to prevent further frauds

Chandigarh (30th Jan.'09)

"Corporate Governance should be a part of not only business school syllabi in India but also in all professional courses. If we do not teach Corporate Governance after the Satyam scandal to our youth then many Ramaliga Rajus would be produced by our faulty controlling system which failed to check Satyam saga. Everyone wants to become millionaire in the shortest possible time. Indian Government should strengthen our regulatory and auditing system otherwise investors would loose trust and confidence in Indian companies."

This was said by Prof. B. B. Tandon, Senior Advisor, IBS, Chandigarh & former Chairman, University Business School, Panjab University, Chandigarh. He was speaking as a key note speaker at a seminar: "Satyam's Saga: Rising Need of Corporate Governance" organized by Aryans Business School (ABS) at the college campus today. Anil Kohli, President, Chandigarh Management Association (CMA) was the chief guest of the function. While Anshu Kataria, Chairman, ABS presided over the function, Prof. K. K. Mangla, Director, Aryans Group spoke on the topic.

Kohli said that India's government, its corporate sector and its people are stunned after Raju admitted to years of falsified profits and an audacious financial fraud worth 1.5 billion US dollars. This is all a consequence of the voracious human nature which is always hungry for wealth and wants to acquire the zenith of the organization in a meteoric way.

Prof. Mangla said that after the latest Satyam scam and the global financial meltdown, one common reason that comes into the picture is the thrust of man to achieve bigger heights and greater targets in the shortest possible time. After reaching a threshold, we are bound to face the scandals as this one, he added. He asked the students not to dream about the spectacular rise in professional life at once, but to work hard to achieve the same.

Anshu Kataria said that the Satyam scandal had brought not only the management under scanner, faced with angry investors and prosecutors, but also its accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. This seminar was specially organized for the management students as they will be ushering in the corporate world in the a few months from now. The subject of corporate governance should be inculcated in the course curriculum of all B- schools, he added.