UNION BUDGET A MIXED BUDGET-MANPREET BADAL

Chandigarh July 6, 2009

Punjab Finance Minister Mr. Manpreet Singh Badal termed Union Finance Budget presented by Mr. Pranab Mukherjee Union Finance Minister as a mixed budget. While admitting that there were good initiatives in the budget including enhanced allocations for centrally sponsored schemes like National Urban Rural Mission, NREGA and Bharat Nirman. However, he went on to add that many states including Punjab have repeatedly been urging the Planning Commission of India that centrally sponsored schemes must be made state specific. While the GoI is welcomed to monitor these schemes but the state must be given the flexibility to implement them. He cited that NREGA could not make much headway in Punjab because the scope of work under this scheme was limited.

He said he was disappointed that the union government has not come to the assistance of the state in its hour of need. The enhancement of borrowing limit of the state from 3.5% from 4% of the state GDP is an admission of the fact that the central finance were under stress. He also pointed out that he was worried over the statement of the Union Finance Minister that the central government would take steps to rationalise fertilizer subsidy and give them directly to the farmers. He expressed an apprehension that since Punjab was the largest user of fertilizers and Punjab's farmers might have to bear the brunt in case fertilizer subsidy was curtailed in any way.

He was specifically happy on the GoI's acceptance of the long pending demand of the Military personnel of one man one pension scheme since Punjab has a large number of ex-servicemen. He was satisfied that a grant of Rs. 50 crore has been given to the Punjab University, which is a welcome step. He also said that Punjab is in line with GoI's commitment to introduced Goods Sales Tax (GST) by April 1, 2010 and hoped that this would enhance state's revenue and also boost economic growth.

CABINET APPROVES SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONE ACT, 2009
RS. 3.59 CRORE COMPENSATION FOR VIOLENCE VICTIMS

Chandigarh, July 6, 2009

The Council of Ministers today approved the enactment of Punjab Special Economic Zones Act, 2009 to provide a comprehensive framework for establishment, operation and sustainability of SEZs in Punjab.
A decision to this effect was taken at the Council of Ministers meeting under the chairmanship of Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal this evening here at Punjab Bhawan.

Giving the details, Chief Minister’s Media Advisor, Mr. Harcharan Bains said that Punjab would be the fifth state in the country to enact SEZ Act after Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Haryana. The Council of Ministers also approved the tentative draft of Punjab Special Economic Zone Bill 2009 to be placed before the Punjab Vidhan Sabha in the budget session.

The Council of Ministers also approved a grant of Rs. 3.59 crore for compensation to the owners of the properties/vehicles who suffered loss during violent incidents as a result of the tragic assassination of Sant Ramanand of Dera Sach Khand Ballan, in Vienna (Austria). As a consequence of these violent incidents loss/damage to private property and vehicles had been reported in the Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Muktsar, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, Ferozepur and Sangrur districts. The payment of compensation would be made as a ‘one time measure’ and not become a precedent in future. Besides damage to private property in these districts, damage to Central Government property amounting to Rs. 26.20 crores and State Government properties amounting to Rs. 2.42 crores had also been reported.
The Council of Ministers also approved the regularization of 42 Lecturers/Fashion Designers/Programmers working on the contract basis in the Technical Education Department with immediate effect, who had already been allowed benefits equal to that of ad-hoc lecturers/Fashion Designers/Programmers in the department. These incumbents would also be entitled to pensionery benefits from the date of regularization.

PUNJAB GOVERNMENT ISSUES PUNJAB STATE DEVELOPMENT LOAN

CHANDIGARH, JULYs 6, 2009

The outstanding balance of 11.50% Punjab State Development Loan 2009 issued in terms of the State government vide notification no.7/72/89-2FBII and /72/89-2FBII dated 21.07.1989 and 25.08.1989 would be repaid on July 31, 2009 with interest due upto including July 30, 2009.

Disclosing this here today, a spokesman of the Punjab Government said that in the event of a holiday being declared on the aforesaid date by State Government under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, the loan would be repaid by the paying offices on the previous working day. No interest would accrue on the loan from and after July 31, 2009, he added.
He also said that to facilitate repayment on the due date, holders of 11.50% Punjab State Development Loan, 2009 should tender their securities at the Public Debt Office 20 days in advance.

It should be particularly noted, said the spokesman, that at places where the treasury work was done by a branch of the State Bank of India or any of its associate banks, the securities, if they were in the form of Stock Certificates, should be tendered at the branch of the bank concerned and not at the Treasury or Sub-Treasury.

EDUCATION MINISTER UPINDERJIT KAUR CONDOLES THE DEATH OF BHUSHAN DHIANPURI

Chandigarh, July 6: The Education and Languages Minister Punjab Dr. Upinderjit Kaur today expressed profound grief and sorrow at the sad demise of noted Punjabi writer Mr Bhushan Dhianpuri.

In a condolence message Dr. Upinderjit Kaur condoled that in the death of Mr Bhushan Dhianpuri Punjab as well as literary world has lost a writer and critic, whose writings gave it a new identity and a social purpose. Mr Bhushan Dhianpuri, as pillar of Punjabi literature had contributed a lot to the Punjabi language and literature with his literary books, would be ever remembered by one and all, she added.

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.

VIGILANCE NABBED 17 EMPLOYEES EIGHT CONVICTED IN GRAFT CASES

Chandigarh July 5, 2009

State Vigilance Bureau, in a drive against corruption in public life, arrested seventeen Non-Gazzetted Officers (NGOs) in fourteen different cases in last month and was able to secure the conviction of eight accused in seven different vigilance cases.

Disclosing this here today Mr. Harcharn Singh Bhullar, SSP-cum-Joint Director (Admn.) Vigilance Bureau Punjab, said that Bureau has put up its best efforts to eradicate corruption amongst public servants and others in every sphere in the State. In this direction, the Vigilance officers have registered trap cases, disproportionate assets cases and criminal cases and ensured that suspect did not escape judicial punishment in the various courts in the State.
Mr. Bhullar added that during the last month of June the Vigilance had nabbed 17 corrupt public servants red handedly accepting bribes in different cases which included 5 Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) employees and 4 Revenue department officials. The vigilance bureau had also registered two criminal cases against a suspect officials to probe into the allegations.

Giving details he added that the special courts have sentenced eight accused after finding them guilty for one year to two years imprisonment, out of which four belongs to Revenue department and a private person, in seven different vigilance cases.

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