9 OUT OF 18 IN INDIAN HOCKEY TEAM ARE FROM PUNJAB, THANKS TO HOCKEY LEAGUE EXPERIMENT-SUKHBIR

Sukhbir distributes sports kits worth Rs. 1.07 crore to 6425 players

Chandigarh, November 16

The Hockey league experiment started by SAD-BJP government has fructified today as 9 out of 18 players selected for junior India Team for Asia Cup to be played in Malaysia belong to Punjab and were part of Punjab Hockey League.
Announcing this at PAU Ludhiana today with pride, Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal, Deputy Chief Minister said that his sole mission was to revive traditional games like Hockey and Kabaddi and he was happy that his efforts have bore fruits. Mr. Badal said that Punjab would soon start World Kabaddi league on the pattern of IPL with a prize money of Rs. 1 Crore to revive this traditional game.

Mr. Badal was speaking in a function of Sports department organized here at PAU grounds to distribute sports kits worth Rs. 1.07 Crore to over 6425 players of various sports wings from all districts of the state and 250 hockey teams of Hockey league.

On this occasion, Mr. Badal also inaugurated Punjab Hockey League for boys and girls for the session 2009-10. The league to be played by 250 hockey teams would be played on synthetic hockey surfaces at Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Amritsar.

The Deputy Chief Minister announced setting up of two centres of sports excellence to be setup at Mohali and Jalandhar on the patteren of NIS Patiala to provide world class training facilities to the sports persons.

As Mr. Badal announced doubling the diet money of players from Rs. 60 to Rs. 120 and Rs. 30 to Rs. 60, he received resounding applause from 4000 players assembled at PAU grounds to receive kits. The Punjab government has earmarked Rs. 17 crore for this year for this scheme to cover 10% villages in one year.

Mr. Badal announced Rs. 2 Crore prize money for any player of Punjab winning Gold, Rs. 1 Crore for Silver and Rs. 50 Lakh for winning Bronze in Olympics. He said that this amount has been doubled since last Olympics.
Mr. Badal said that it is matter of great pride for all Punjabis that in last Olympics the only individual gold bagged by India was by Punjabi player Abhinav Bindra. Mr. Badal said that sports department in Punjab has been revitalized to hunt and promote talent from rural areas and provide them specialized training. He said that under the PYKA scheme more than 1200 villages have been provided sports equipments worth Rs. 1 lakh each during last three months.

Emphasizing the need for restoring the lost glory of Punjab in the traditional game of Hockey, Mr. Badal said that Punjabi players suffered after the introduction of synthetic turf and we have planned four Astroturf grounds in the state to provide World class training to the Hockey players. He said that this experiment of Hockey League was to give a feel of synthetic turf to the budding players and groom them for international competitions. He said that future of hockey in the state was bright as all the four federations have been brought under one umbrella and he would soon call the meeting of united body India Hockey to chalk out a plan to restore lost glory of Indian Hockey. Mr. Badal regretted that the infighting of various factions have done irreparable damage to the game of Hockey as Indian Team this time, could not even qualify to even participate in Olympics.

Announcing his vision for promotion of sports in the state, Mr. Badal said that the Punjab Government was coming out with a new sports policy to give a specific direction to the sports in Punjab.

Congratulating the 3925 players of various Sports Wings in 250 schools and colleges of the state assembled in the ground, Mr. Badal said that this year grant for sports wings have been doubled and fixed at Rs. 2.5 crore.

Welcoming the Chief Guest Mr. P.S. Aujla, Secretary Sports informed that kits being distributed today carry 1 Track Suit, I Pair of Shoes, Playing kit, a kit bag besides sports equipment of his/her game. He said that distribution of kits to all players on a single day in one venue has been introduced to bring transparency in the system.

Mr. Pargat Singh, Director sports informed that the games of Athletics, Basket Ball, Boxing, Badminton, Equestrian, football, gymnastic, Hockey, Hand ball, Judo, Kabaddi, swimming, table tennis, volley ball, weight lifting and wrestling under this program. He said that the Punjab government has recently recruited 169 coaches in the state to provide professional training to the players.

Prominent amongst others who were present on the occasion included Mr Hira Singh Gabria, Cabinet Minister, Mr Harish Rai Dhanda, Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Mr Darshan Singh Shivalik, MLA, Mr Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, Chairman Punjab Agro Industries and Mr Gurcharan Singh Galib.

SUKHBIR RUBBISHES CHARGE OF UNDERUTILISATION OF CENTRAL FUNDS-DEMANDS ENHANCEMENT OF SHARE OF STATES IN CENTRAL TAXES

Chandigarh, November 16

Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal, Deputy Chief Minister today rubbished the charge of a section of Congress leaders regarding underutilization of central funds.

Informally talking to the media persons at Ludhianaa, Mr. Badal said that instead of leveling charges the Punjab Congress leadership should pressurize the UPA government to enhance the Punjab share from existing 15 percent to minimum 50 percent in the taxes collected by the Centre in Punjab and support our demand for state specific Central schemes.
Mr. Badal said that it was unfair for Punjab as Union Government was taking away 70 percent of central taxes collected in that state and returning only 15 percent. He said that Punjab Government had been demanding review of revenue sharing formula so that states could get minimum 50 percent in the taxes collected by Centre and evolve schemes according to the local needs of people.

Mr. Badal said that Shiromani Akali Dal was in touch with NDA partners and other likeminded parties to collectively raise their voice in winter session of Parliament to pressurize Congress led UPA government for expeditious justice in ’84 carnage cases. He said that his government would oppose every move of Congress party to scuttle trial against Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler.

Terming the MSP hike of Rs. 20 for wheat as a cruel joke with farming community, Mr. Badal said that besides raising this issue in Parliament he along with Chief Minister would also meet Prime Minister urging immediate revision MSP. He said that this problem could be only tackled by linking it with whole sale price index.
Justifying the proposed move of delimitation of Police stations in synergy with assembly constituency, Mr. Badal said that this move would bring accountability in the system.

ROTATIONAL IRRIGATION PROGRAMME FOR RABI SEASON ANNOUNCED
Chandigarh, November 16:

The Irrigation Department, Punjab has announced the Rotational Programme for irrigation for the Rabi Season through Canal water up to 23-11-2009. The channels of Sirhind Canal System would run on the priority basis from Bathinda Branch, Bist Doab, Sidhwan Branch, Patiala feeder and Abohar Branch respectively.

Disclosing this here today a spokesman of the irrigation department said that direct distributaries of Bhakra Main Line in group 'A' being in the channels of first preference will run to their indent and balance water supplies available will be utilized in Ghaggar Branch and its off taking channels i.e Ghaggar Branch and Patiala Minor in Group 'B' respectively.
The spokesman further said that all the direct distributaries of Sirhind Feeder in group 'A' being in the First preference will run to their indent and balance water supplies available would be utilized in Abohar Branch off-taking from Sirhind Feeder and its distributaries/Minors in Group 'B'.

The spokesman also said that the Sabraon Branch with its distributaries being in the channels of first Preference would run to their indent and balance water would be supplies water available in Kasur Branch Lower, Main Branch Lower, Lahore Branch with their distributaries respectively.

136.43 LAKH TONNES PADDY PROCURED IN PUNJAB

Chandigarh, November 16:

Government agencies and private millers procured more than 136.43 lakh tonnes of Paddy till last evening as compared to 130.15 lakh tones upto November 15,2008.

Out of total procurement of 136.43 lakh tonnes of paddy in all the procurement centers of Punjab, Government agencies procured 133.62 lakh tonnes of paddy (97.9%) till date whereas private traders procured 2.81 lakh tonnes (2.1%) of paddy. Till November 15, PUNGRAIN had procured 39.64 lakh tonnes (29.7%) whereas MARKFED procured 27.63 lakh tonnes (20.7%). PUNSUP procured 30.70 lakh tonnes (23.0%), PSWC procured 16.32 lakh tonnes (12.2%) whereas PAIC was able to procure 12.77 lakh tonnes (9.6 %) of paddy whereas the Central Government agency FCI had procured 6.55 lakh tonnes (4.9%).

The spokesman added that District Sangrur with 16.19 lakh tonnes of procurement was leading in procurement operations whereas district Ludhiana with 16.17 lakh tonnes of procurement was at second slot and District Patiala 13.19 lakh tonnes of procurement ranked at third position.

The State Government has set up 1600 procurement centers and activated its total machinery to ensure smooth procurement of paddy, the spokesman added.

Punjab Education Minister Upinderjit Kaur greets on National Press Day
Urges to give importance to development politics instead of political politics

Chandigarh, November 15:

The Education and Languages Minister Punjab Dr Upinderjit Kaur has greeted the media fraternity on the auspicious occasion of 41st National Press day.

In a statement issued here on Sunday, while congratulating the press for their relentless services for the welfare of the society, she hoped that the media, as always, would contribute towards healthy and constructive things and provide productive solutions to medium and long term problems to the government for socio-economic development of Punjab
Advocating for freedom of press, she urged upon the media to follow media ethics judiciously while executing their responsibilities. She further urged upon the press fraternity to project progress rather going for violence related reporting and give significance to development politics instead of political politics.

Underlining the dire need of projecting rural women and village folk, Dr Upinderjit Kaur suggested the journalist fraternity to pay attention for reporting to bring forward the true picture of the countryside as a social commitment. Describing media a very important component of the society, she advised that developmental journalism should focus the needs of underprivileged and women related issues.

Extending her whole hearted support to the media fraternity, she thanked them for all the support extended to the state government and people of Punjab.

PUNJAB TO CONSTITUTE LIVESTOCK REGISTRATION AUTHORITY TO REGISTER ITS PRODUCTIVE LIVESTOCK

FIRST NORTH ZONE LIVESTOCK SHOW HAVING Rs 2.5 CRORE PRIZE MONEY IN MUKTSAR FROM JANUARY 8

Chandigarh, November15:

Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal today said that the state would introduce registration of its productive livestock so that it could monitor the growth of livestock sector in a planned way and come out with schemes to help livestock farmers. Besides this, five new veterinary colleges would also be set up in the state to provide quality veterinary care and services to the animals and dairy farmers to give fillip to the rapidly growing dairy sector having great potential, he added.

Mr Badal was addressing a mammoth gathering of Dairy farmers thronged from all over the Punjab after inaugurating three day first Zonal Livestock Show and milking competition at Tarn Taran for the districts of Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Tarn Taran and Kapurthala . He informed that the Punjab government would constitute a Livestock Registration Authority with the mandate of registering productive livestock in the State. The Authority after registering the animal would issue a certificate to its owner, stating the age, breed, estimated value, vaccination details of the concerned animal and it would be acceptable by loaning authorities while doing the valuation of animals, he added.

The Deputy Chief Minister revealed that after Tarn Taran Zonal Livestock Show and milking competition the second show would be held at Fatehgarh Sahib from 26th to 28th November, 2009 for the district of Patiala, Roopnagar, Fatehgarh Sahib, Shaheed Bhagat Singh and Mohali. Similarly, the third Zonal Livestock Show and milking competition would be held at Bathinda from 6th to 8th December, 2009 for the district of Bathinda, Mukatsar, Mansa, Barnala and Sangrur and the fourth Zonal Livestock Show and milking competition would be held at Moga from 17th to 19th December, 2009 for the district of Hoshiarpur, Ferozepur, Faridkot, Ludhiana, Moga and Jalandhar.

The Deputy chief Minister announced to organize North Zone Livestock Show at Muktsar during Maghi Mela from January 8 to 12, 2010 in which quality livestock from northern states including Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttrakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan would vie for Rs. 2.5 crore collective prize money.

Speaking on the occasion, Punjab Animal Husbandry Minister Mr. Gulzar Singh Ranike informed that the state government would soon open 19 veterinary hospitals throughout the state to provide quality veterinary services for dairy farmers besides setting up five permanent ultramodern cattle mandis for the convenience of animal breeders. He revealed that all mandis would be attached to a poly clinics so that animals visiting the fair may be checked up compulsorily He said that the department was making concerted efforts to upgrade its State Level competition to North Zone level to encourage people to promote livestock breeding, Horse breeding and equestrian sports. He expressed confidence that these competitions would also motivate livestock farmers to opt for high milk yielding buffaloes, cows, cross bred cows, goat, sheep, pig and poultry..

Prominent amongst others present on the occasion were included Mr Harmit Singh Sandhu and Mr Manjit Singh Manna ( both MLAs ) andMr Khushi Ram Deputy Commissioner.