PS GILL TAKES OVER AS NEW DGP OF PUNJAB

Chandigarh, July 3: Mr. Paramdeep Singh Gill, a 1974 batch IPS Officer today took over as new Director General of Police of Punjab. Mr. P.S. Gill has been appointed DGP on the superannuation of Mr. K.K. Attri, who retired on June 30, 2009.

As the newly appointed DGP reached Punjab Police Headquarters, he was given ceremonial Guard of Honour by the full contingent of Punjab Armed Police. Mr. Gill after taking salute inspected the Guard of Honour.

After formally taking over as DGP, Mr. Gill had a formal meeting with the top brass of Punjab Police where he was briefed about on going activities as well as achievements of the various wings of the department.

In his first address to Senior Officers of the Police Headquarters the DGP unveiled his strategy by emphasizing team work and delegation. He is a votary of hands on approach to policing. The DGP emphasized upon officers to be accessible to the member of the public and to be responsive to the grievances of the people at large. Community Policing should be a tool to bridge the perceptional divide between the police and the public. He pointed out that Punjab has witnessed high rate of Urbanization in recent years and hence there was a need to come up with effective urban policing strategy. Mr.P.S.Gill asked the officers to harness advances in technology including information technology for better crime control and investigation. Being a border state officers in Punjab have to be fully alive to the ever looming threat of militancy in the region and to develop effective counter insurgency measures including effective intelligence support.

It may be mentioned here that Mr. Paramdeep Singh Gill, an IPS Officer of 1974 batch of J&K Cadre is a Post Graduate and joined service on 14-7-1974. Mr. Gill during his posting as DIG Central Kashmir Range Srinagar from November 1994 to June 1995 and as IGP Kashmir Zone from July 1995 to July, 1999 has contributed a lot in operations against militancy and has been instrumental in neutralizing the top brass commanders of the outlawed militant organization, thereby sending shivers down the spine of mentors of terrorism. Due to the dedication, hard work and sincere efforts put forth by the officer, the State of Jammu and Kashmir headed towards normalcy.

PUNJAB C.M. WARNS OF STRICT ACTON AGAINST THOSE FOR INTIMIDATING GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ON DUTY

CHANDIGARH, JULY 3, 2009

Punjab Chief Minister Mr.Parkash Singh Badal today categorically stated that nobody would be allowed to intimidate the Government officials while performing their duties and warned that the guilty would face stringent action if ever they take law into their own hands.

These comments were made by the Chief Minister while reacting to a report relating to manhandling of an Excise & Taxation Officer, VAT, Shri Harminder Singh Sidhu by 5-6 unscrupulous elements at Abohar, District Ferozepur. Mr.Badal said that none would be spared for such acts of intimidation and interference in the discharge of duty by the Government officials.

Yesterday, soon upon receipt of information, Chief Minister directed the Deputy Commissioner, Ferozepur, who was returning after attending a meeting in Chandigarh, to change his route and reach Abohar immediately in order to take effective steps with regard to the manhandling of the ETO. The alleged miscreants namely Parveen Kumar, Parmod Kumar and Pardeep Kumar who were alleged to be evading VAT on grocery items illegally stored in their godowns. Chief Minister directed the SSP Ferozepur to also proceed to Abohar. After very quick enquiry, the Police acted very swiftly and registered FIR against the miscreants under Section 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of duty), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public function), 382(theft after preparation made for causing death, hurt or restrain in order to commit the theft), 332(voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from his duty, 506(punishment for crimination intimidation), 147(punishing for rioting) & 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offences committed for persecution of common object) of the IPC. The Police is conducting several raids and is in the process of searching out the absconding miscreants.

The Punjab Government today appointed former Minister Mr. Madan Mohan Mittal as the Chairman of the District Level Planning Committee of Ropar.

Chandigarh July 3, 2009

The Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today criticized the Union Railway Budget for 2009-10 describing it as one more instance of the UPA Government discriminatory attitude to Punjab.

In a statement here, Mr. Badal said that the Budget shows complete insensitivity towards the economic needs of the Border State. He said that this had dashed the hopes of industry and Agriculture sectors in the State. The Chief Minister said that in the past 62 years no Congress Government has allotted a km of additional Railway line to Punjab. He said that the progress on the Chandigarh-Ludhiana link sanctioned by Mr. I. K. Gujral Government has not been taken up with the requisite urgency.

The Chief Minister further said that the Budget had completely ignored the interest of State as there was no mention about the extension of the already sanctioned Kolkota-Ludhiana Eastern dedicated Rail freight corridor to Amritsar. Likewise the budget had also not taken care of the state's pending demand to sanction another Western freight dedicated Rail Corridor Mumbai – Delhi to Amritsar via Ludhiana to give fillip to the industrial sector in general and the agro based in particular.
Mr. Badal further said that the lot of promises and commitments having been made in the budget would not be translated into reality and would ultimately proved to be 'mirage' .

The Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today urged the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to take up the matter with higher authorities in Australia to ensure adequate security to the Indian students studying there.
In a letter to the Prime Minister, Mr. Badal said that Indian students who had gone to Australia in pursuance of higher studies were facing criminal attacks apparently racial in nature. He mentioned that unfortunately, in spite of assurances from Australian authorities such attacks were continuing unabated and the parents of all such students were extremely anxious and concerned about the well being of their wards.

The Chief Minister also pointed out that many of them belonged to middle and lower middle classes, who had preferred to send their children in search of greener pastures abroad after seeking loans from banks and financial institutions. The continuing violence had further added to their general anxiety.

HS Brar Joined as youngest Additional Advocate General

Chandigarh, 3 July, 2009

Harpreet Singh Brar joined as Additional Advocate General of Punjab. Acknowledging his past performance and good work as Deputy Advocate General, has been appointed as Additional Advocate General by the Government of Punjab. In December 2007 Harpreet Singh Brar won the prestigious Bar Council elections of three states by securing maximum votes.
Presently he is also working as Hon’rary Secretary of Bar Council of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh. He became the youngest advocate to be appointed as Additional Advocate General of Punjab.

Chandigarh July 2, 2009

Chief Electoral Officer Punjab Ms. Kusumjit Sidhu has directed the Deputy Commissioners and Senior Superintendents of Police of Mohali, Ferozepur, Gurdaspur, Patiala and Fatehgarh Sahib districts to implement model code of conduct effectively in their respective districts to ensure free and fair Bye-election of Banur, Kahnuwan and Jalalabad Assembly constituencies. She asked the official to function in an impartial manner and asked them not to spare any one violating the ECIs instructions.

While presiding over a high level meeting here today Ms. Kusumjit Sidhu asked the concerned Deputy Commissioners and SSPs to take immediate steps regarding the deposit of fire arms for maintaining law and order as per the instructions issued by Elections Commission of India. She asked the DCs to collect elections related material from the concerned offices by July 6, 2009 positively and also asked them to regularly brief the media persons about day to day developments of Bye-election process. She also asked the SSPs to send crime report daily related to election process till the election process was over.

The CEO appreciated the role of civil and police officials for the smooth and peaceful conduct of Lok Sabha polls and asked them to maintain the same tradition and spirit in the forthcoming Bye-election too.
While interacting with the media persons, CEO informed that on the basis of media reports, ECI has taken a notice of public rally addressed by Minister of State for External Affairs Mrs. Preneet Kaur and another rally organized by SAD General Secretary Prof. Prem Singh Chandumajra in the Banur Assembly constituency. She directed the Deputy Commissioner Mohali to get an explanation from the Congress Party and Shiromani Akali Dal in this regard. Notice has been issued in this regard to both the parties, she added.

The Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today described the UPA government's on hike in the prices of petroleum products as "the first honest gift of a government that came to power on the promise of price control and cheaper living for the "aam aadmi".

The Chief Minister was reacting to the hike in the prices of Petrol and Diesel by Rs.4 and Rs.2 per liter respectively announced last night. He said that the decision would not only adversely affect the man on the street but would also paralyze the engines of growth and break the back of the already beleaguered peasantry in the country. The Chief Minister also pointed out that the costs of agricultural inputs have shown a major increase as a direct fall out of the inflationary pressures on the international oil market in recent months. He said that the Centre never missed an opportunity to hike the prices of agricultural inputs such as diesel and some other petroleum based products in the guise of the slightest increase in the prices of crude oil in the international market. The farmers always had to bear the brunt of market trends in oil prices. As a result, agriculture has become increasingly un-remunerative thereby putting a massive burden on the peasantry.
Meanwhile, the SAD president Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal today demanded the immediate withdrawal of the hike, saying that he would ask the centre government leaders to seek a total reversal of the decision immediately as it was bound to hit both agricultural and industrial growth, the two sectors which are virtually gasping for life. He said that he would soon a delegation to the union ministry of finance and petroleum to seek a withdrawal of the decision which would benefit only the big oil cartels.

In his statement, the Chief Minister said that the real face of the Congress led UPA government had been unmasked as it had deliberately kept this decision to hike the prices of petrol and diesel under the wraps in order to befool the people during the parliamentary elections. He said that burdening the common man with such unbearable sudden rise in the prices of petroleum products and diesel was not only unwarranted but unprincipled too. He said that it would certainly affect the national growth rate of the economy and have demoralizing effect both on the industry and agriculture in general.
Demanding total withdrawal of the hike, the Chief Minister regretted that this hike in the prices of petrol and diesel would also adversely hit the transport sector in the state resulting in the corresponding price rise of essential commodities and other materials thereby affecting the common man.

Lambasting at the Centre, Mr. Badal said that UPA government which claimed to be the votary of the rights of a ‘Aam Adami’ had take a divergent stand by announcing this hike in the prices of petrol and diesel at a critical juncture when our country was already passing through a period of slow down and recession resulting in widespread unemployment, poverty and inflation.

“The deliberate policy adopted by the Centre for continuing indifference and neglect of the Punjab farmers could lead to serious implications which could jeopardize the efforts in future, to attain national food security”, asserted the Chief Minister.

CEO ASKS DCs & SSPs TO IMPLEMENT MODEL CODE OF CONDUCT EFFECTIVELY

Chandigarh July 2, 2009

Chief Electoral Officer Punjab Ms. Kusumjit Sidhu has directed the Deputy Commissioners and Senior Superintendents of Police of Mohali, Ferozepur, Gurdaspur, Patiala and Fatehgarh Sahib districts to implement model code of conduct effectively in their respective districts to ensure free and fair Bye-election of Banur, Kahnuwan and Jalalabad Assembly constituencies. She asked the official to function in an impartial manner and asked them not to spare any one violating the ECIs instructions.

While presiding over a high level meeting here today Ms. Kusumjit Sidhu asked the concerned Deputy Commissioners and SSPs to take immediate steps regarding the deposit of fire arms for maintaining law and order as per the instructions issued by Elections Commission of India. She asked the DCs to collect elections related material from the concerned offices by July 6, 2009 positively and also asked them to regularly brief the media persons about day to day developments of Bye-election process. She also asked the SSPs to send crime report daily related to election process till the election process was over.

The CEO appreciated the role of civil and police officials for the smooth and peaceful conduct of Lok Sabha polls and asked them to maintain the same tradition and spirit in the forthcoming Bye-election too.
While interacting with the media persons, CEO informed that on the basis of media reports, ECI has taken a notice of public rally addressed by Minister of State for External Affairs Mrs. Preneet Kaur and another rally organized by SAD General Secretary Prof. Prem Singh Chandumajra in the Banur Assembly constituency. She directed the Deputy Commissioner Mohali to get an explanation from the Congress Party and Shiromani Akali Dal in this regard. Notice has been issued in this regard to both the parties, she added.

CM TO LOOK AFTER DEPUTY CM’S PORTFOLIOS

CHANDIGARH JULY 2, 2009

Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal would now look after the portfolios held by the former Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal, who resigned from the Council of Ministers yesterday.

Disclosing this here today a spokesman of the Chief Minister's Office said that Mr. Badal would now look after the departments of Home Affairs, Information & Public Relations, Water Supply & Sanitation, NRI’s Affair, Sports & Youth Welfare and Non Conventional Energy, earlier held by the Deputy Chief Minister.

Meanwhile, the resignation of Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal had been accepted by Punjab Governor General (Retd.) Dr. SF Rodrigues this morning, the spokesman added.

DY. CM SUKHBIR SINGH BADAL RESIGNS FROM
COUNCIL OF MINISTERS
Chandigarh: July 1
The Deputy Chief Minister Punjab Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal today resigned from the Council of Ministers and submitted his resignation to the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal in the wake of bye election to three assembly constituencies in the state and consequently to enable him to contest the election from any one of these constituencies.
Disclosing this here today a spokesman of the Chief Minister's Office said that the Chief Minister has received the resignation of Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal as Deputy Chief Minister Punjab, and would soon forward it to the Punjab Governor, General (Retd.) Dr. S.F. Rodrigues, PVSM VSM for its acceptance.
It may be recalled that the Election Commission of India has already announced the poll schedule of Bye election of three assembly constituencies i.e. Jalalabad, Kahnuwan and Banur, which would go to polls on August 3, 2009.

Sukhbir Singh Badal resigns from the post of Deputy Chief Minister

Chandigarh, July 1

Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal President Shiromani Akali Dal and Deputy Chief Minister Punjab today submitted his resignation from the post of Deputy Chief Minister Punjab to Chief Minister S. Parkash Singh Badal.
According to Press release issued by Shiromani Akali Dal, Sukhbir Singh Badal who took oath as Deputy Chief Minister on January 21st, 2009 resigned on technical grounds. According to the constitutional provisions Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal was to get elected as an MLA within six months. When Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal took oath, the party thought that an assembly seat would be got vacated to allow Mr. Badal to get elected to Vidhan Sabha. However, it was later indicated that since general elections were also expected to be scheduled, the bi-election of that vacated seat could not be held along with general elections to Lok Sabha. Because general elections were to be held on new delimitation of Parliamentary constituencies and if election for Assembly constituency is to be held it would be on old delimitation. It was pointed out that if Lok Sabha election on new delimitation and Vidhan Sabha elections on old delimitation were held together, there would have been two sets of parallel electoral role and overlapping constituencies leading to confusion in the mind of voters.
Meanwhile, due to tragic death of MLA NurMehal S. Gurdeep Singh Bhullar by-election for NurMehal constituency was announced that too after Lok Sabha elections. At that time party decided that keeping in view the sacrifices for the party by Late Gurdeep Singh Bhullar a family member of Mr. Bhullar should get chance and Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal would contest on one of the three by-elections. Once the General Elections were concluded on new delimitation, electoral roles of three assembly constituencies due for by-election were revised by the Election Commission of India according to old delimitation of Assembly constituencies. After the final publication of electoral roles, the Election Commissions of India announced by-elections to these three assembly constituencies to be held on August 3, 2009.
On announcement of election schedule of by-elections, it became clear that election process of these by-elections falls beyond the six months deadline as constitutionally provided. Therefore, the Deputy Chief Minister and President Shiromani Akali Dal Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal submitted his resignation from the post of Deputy Chief Minister Punjab so that he can fight the by-election scheduled for August 3, 2009.

PUNJAB CM SUSPENDS ETO FOR BEING FOUND
DRUNKEN IN OFFICE

CHANDIGARH JULY 1:
Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today placed Excise & Taxation Officer Patiala Gurcharan Singh Dhaliwal under suspension with immediate effect for attending office in drunken state on June 17, 2009 and alos ordered to initiate disciplinary proceedings against him.
Disclosing this here today a spokesman of the Chief Minister Office said that the erring official had been suspended on the recommendations of Excise & Taxation Commissioner Patiala for gross violation of Rule 22 of Punjab Govt. Employees Conduct Rules, 1966 after found in drunken state which was duly confirmed by the medical report.
During the period of suspension, his headquarter had been fixed at the office of Assistant Commissioner Excise & Taxation Bathinda, the spokesman added.
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Sh P.S. Gill taking over the charge as DGP, Punjab at Punjab Police headquarters at Chandigarh on 03-07-2009.