Punjab News, NRI News

JUSTICE BEDI SUBMITS INQUIRY REPORT ON DERA BABA FATTU SHAH TO CHIEF MINSTER

District & Session Judge (Retd.) Mr. Justice Beant Singh Bedi today submitted an enquiry report in the matter of Dera Baba Fattu Shah Bibi Sahiban Rahimpur in district Hoshiarpur to the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal in the presence of Advocate General Punjab Mr. Hardev Singh Mattewal here at Punjab Bhawan.

Disclosing this here today a spokesman of the Punjab government said that the Chief Minister had directed the State Chief Secretary Mr. SC Agrawal to examine the report and take an appropriate action in accordance with the law.

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Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today assured the players of World Champion Indian Kabaddi team that the state government would soon give appointment letters to them after seeking clearance for the relaxation in educational qualifications in the next cabinet.

While addressing the players, the Chief Minister complimented them for their superb performance in the final match of World Kabaddi Tournament-2010 against Pakistan and said that the lesser qualification was a hurdle in the way of giving jobs to them which would soon sorted out after getting Cabinet’s approval.

It may be recalled that the Chief Minister had already announced to give jobs to all the players of Kabaddi in the Mandi Board.

The Chief Minister further said the state government was committed to provide basic infrastructure in the villages to further popularize the Kabaddi amongst our rural youth. The Chief Minister said that the state government would soon give its nod for the upgradation of eight stadiums in different cities of Punjab at par with international standards well equipped with state-of-the-art sports infrastructure to organize international matches in the State.

He also asked the sports department to chalk out a detailed programme for the revival of the glory of the hockey on international fora by organizing such international tournaments to give global exposure to the hockey players.

Later, the Chief Minister honoured the players with the gift hampers from Milkfed as a token of love and affection on behalf of the people of Punjab .

Prominent amongst other who were present on the occasion included Member Rajya Sabha and President Punjab Olympic Association Mr. Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Secretary Sports Mr. PS Aujla, MD Milkfed Mr. VK Singh, Director Sports Mr. Pargat Singh, President & Joint Secretary Punjab Kabaddi Association Mr. Sikander Singh Maluka & Mr. Ranjit Singh and Chairman Medical & Anti Doping KWC-2010 Prof. Dr. Manmohan Singh.

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PUNJAB GOVERNMENT WARNS AGAINST UNAUTHORISED USE OF RED LIGHTS, NATIONAL FLAGS AND SIRENS ON MOTOR CARS IN PUNJAB TERRITORY.

The Punjab Government has warned against the unauthorized display of Red lights & National Flags on their motor cars and use of high volume sirens and hooters on roads in the Punjab Territory. Violating these instructions already issued by the Government from time to time on these vital subjects of major societal concern will attract strict penal action as per law and the enforcement agencies have been directed to implement these provisions in letter and spirit.

An official spokesman of the Punjab Government said here today that the State Government has already specified the list of dignitaries entitled for use of red lights on their motor vehicles which included Governor; Chief Minister Cabinet Ministers; Ministers of State and Deputy Ministers, Chief Parliamentary Secretaries and Parliamentary Secretaries; Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court, Judges of Punjab and Haryana High Court; Members of Parliament from Punjab;Speaker/Deputy Speaker and Members of the Punjab State Legislative Assembly; Chief Secretary, Financial Commissioners, Principal Secretaries, Administrative Secretaries and Principal Secy. to CM; Advocate General Punjab/Legal Remembrancer Punjab;Chairman and Members Punjab Public Service Commission; Director General of Police, Additional DGP, Inspector General of Police, Dy. Inspector General of Police, Senior Supt. of Police; Registrar of Punjab and Haryana High Court,District and Session Judges; Commissioners/DCs / Excise and Taxation Commissioners / State Transport Commissioner Punjab; Vice Chancellor, Punjabi University Patiala, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amrtisar, Punjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana ; Baba Farid Medical University, Faridkot; Baba Sahib Ambedkar Technical University, Jalandhar; Mayors of Municipal Corporations in the State of Punjab; Presidents of All recognized political parties of Punjab; President of Shiromani Gurudwara Parbhandhak Committee and Jathedars of Five Holy Takhats and Head Granthi of Sri Harmandir Sahib.

Similarly the spokesman said that the privilege of flying the National Flag on motor cars is limited to the President of India;Vice President of India ;Governors and Lieutenant Governors;Head of Indian Missions /Posts abroad in the countries to which they are accredited;Prime Minister and other Cabinet Ministers; Ministers of State and Deputy Ministers of the Union ; Chief Minister and other Cabinet Minister of a State or Union Territory; Ministers of State and Deputy Ministers of a State or Union Territory ;Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sahba, Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Chairman of Legislative Councils in States, Speaker of Legislative Assemblies in State and Union Territories, Deputy Chairman of Legislative Councils in States , Deputy Speaker of Legislative Assembles in States and Union Territories; Chief Justice of India, Judges of Supreme Courts, Chief Justice of High Courts, Judges of High Courts.

The spokesman further said that the Punjab government has allowed the following dignitaries / officers to use the distinctive flags on motor cars and the list included Chairman and members of various commissions who have been given the status of Judges of Punjab and Haryana High Court;Chief Secretary;Advocate General Punjab;Chairman, Punjab Public Service Commission; Principal Secretaries; Financial Commissioners ;Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners, Deputy Inspector General of Police (within their charge );Senior Supdt. Of Police ( within their charge ).

The Spokesman further reiterated that the use of distinctive flags by all other officers of the government and Executive heads /officers of the state government undertakings, semi government bodies, corporations, universities and boards should be stopped forthwith and strict action would be taken against those violating these instructions.

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Health Minister Punjab, Prof. Laxmi Kanta Chawla has directed all the Civil Surgeons-cum-District Appropriate Authorities to enforce PC& PNDT Act in the State strictly so as to ensure that there is no report of even a single case of sex selective feticide in Punjab. She said so while addressing the Civil Surgeons Conference.

There are 1363 registered facilities in the State & there is no unregistered centre in the State. She said that 106 Court cases /FIRs have been registered in the State and besides action has been taken against 334 centers in the form of suspension/cancellation of registration and during the period of suspension of registration, the ultra-sound machine is sealed.

The Courts have convicted 18 centers for violation of the PC& PNDT Act. Out of these in 5 cases imprisonment of two years or more along with fine of Rs. 5000/- or more has been awarded. She revealed that as a result of strict enforcement the Act as well as social mobilization measures under taken, child sex-ratio has improved in Punjab from 798 in 2001 to 838 in the year 2007 as per Sample Registration System of Govt. Of India. As per data of deliveries in Government Institutions in the year 2009, the sex ratio at birth improved to 896.

Eighty two Panchayats have already been awarded prize of Rs. 1.5 lakh each for improving sex ratio to more than 1000 in the last two years. There is provision of payment of Rs. 50,000/- each for undertaking sting operations to unearth centers indulging in sex determination.

There is a provision for prizes/incentives for informers and as well as decoy patient. Health Minister said that anyone who will help the Government/ department further in curbing this evil will be suitably rewarded.

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HARSIMRAT URGES PM TO TAKE UP ISSUE AT INTERNATIONAL FORA TO REMOVE SIKH DISCRIMINATORY CLAUSE

Chandigarh, April 23: Member Parliament Mrs. Harsimrat Kaur Badal today requested Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to ask Union Sports Minister to urgently take up the issue with International Olympic Association (IOA) and International Boxing Association (AIBA) to remove the clause of barring bearded boxers to play in National and International meets, as it bars Sikhs from the game of boxing.

In a communiqué to the Prime Minister, Member Parliament brought to his notice the latest directions of AIBA sent to all National and state boxing bodies not to allow any bearded and players with moustaches to participate in any National and International boxing meets. She said that Secretary General, Indian Boxing Federation, Col. P.K. Muralidharan Raja has warned state federations with disaffiliation, if they would send any bearded boxers in the team for any National Boxing meet.

Conveying the anguish of Sikh Community on this Sikh discriminatory clause that bars Sikhs from playing this martial game of boxing that could fetch them medals international meets, Mrs. Badal pointed out that International Olympic Association should direct AIBA to remove this Sikh discriminatory clause immediately. She said that this direction by the Federation has been issued despite National Minority Commission advising the Federation to do away with this clause.

The Member Parliament pointed out that this sensitive issue could blow up further as Punjab was schedule to host National Youth Boxing Championship in the month of June, in which Sikhs including those of host state would not be allowed to participate. Mrs. Badal informed that Punjab Deputy Chief Minister ,Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal, who is also Sports Minister, had took up this matter with Mr. Abhey Chautala, President, Indian Boxing Federation, who has expressed his helplessness in altering any guidelines of AIBA, as it may disqualify Indian team from participating in International Boxing events.

Demanding immediate intervention of Prime Minister, Mrs. Badal said that he should himself also take up this matter at appropriate International forum so that sports that are meant to remove discrimination from the society should not themselves become an instrument of discrimination.

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Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today called upon the newly recruited Excise & Taxation Inspectors to discharge their duties with utmost dedication, sincerity, honesty and professional commitment.

Mr. Badal was addressing the ETIs here at Kisan Bhawan in an introductory meeting prior to lunch hosted by him. He said that with the recruitment of 160 ETIs, a fresh blood has been infused in the functioning of Excise & Taxation department and hoped these highly qualified professionals would certainly take the department to the zenith of its glory. The Chief Minister also announced reward scheme for the officers who unearthed the tax evasion by the dealers on the pattern of central excise and income tax. He urged the officers to device the ways and means to plug the loopholes of tax evasion so that revenue from tax collection could be increased enormously.

On the occasion, Mr. Badal honoured the Mr. Malwinder Singh Dhillon, ETO Mobile wing of Bathinda for seizing 42000 bottles of illegal liquor.

Earlier, the Financial Commissioner Taxation Mr. SS Brar apprised Mr. Badal about the selection of highly qualified ETIs, most of them were B.Tech, MBA, MCA, LLB, post graduates and two were even from IITs. Mr. Brar said that he was confident that the department would achieve the target of VAT collection of 9500 crore during 2010-11 as compared to Rs.8280 crore of the last year. Likewise, a target of Rs.2460 crore from Excise collections had been fixed for the current fiscal against Rs.2097 crore of last year, which would also be easily achieved. He also informed the Chief Minister that the two newly recruited ETIs had unearthed a scandal of tax evasion in the cotton belt of Bathinda and recovered Rs.3 crore last month.

Prominent amongst others who were present on the occasion included Excise & Taxation Commissioner Mr. A Veenu Parsad and Additional Excise & Taxation Commissioner Mr. Mansvi Kumar, besides the Deputy and Excise & Taxation Commissioners.

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Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today declared that the state government would organize a state level function to commemorate the tercentenary celebrations of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur’s ‘Sirhind-Fateh Divas’ at Sirhind (Fatehgarh Sahib) on May 14.

A decision to this effect was taken by Mr. Badal in a meeting chaired by him here at Punjab Bhawan this evening to review the arrangements for the commemoration of this mega event in a befitting manner.

Disclosing this here today, a spokesman of the Punjab government said that the Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal would receive the Sirhind-Fateh Divas march at Shambhu barrier on its entry to the Punjab territory at 9 am on May 12.

The Chief Minister would flag off the march on its final leg from village Chapparchiri in district SAS Nagar to Sirhind (Fatehgarh Sahib) on May 13 at 11 am. The Chief Minister also asked the SGPC Chief to extend invitation to the eminent personalities from social, political and religious sphere to participate in this historic event.

Mr. Badal also directed the SGPC authorities to honor the Sikh Generals during a national seminar being organized at New Delhi on May 8, on the life and philosophy of the great warrior Baba Banda Singh Bahadur.

The Chief Minister asked the SAD-BJP leadership to mobilize the rank and file of the party to create awareness amongst the general public about the significance of this event in order to elicit there maximum participation on the main function at Sirhind (Fatehgarh Sahib) on May 14 in which Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh would also participate

The meeting was attended by President SGPC Jathedar Avtar Singh, Tourism Minister Hira Singh Gabria, PWD Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa, , , Mr. Bikaramjit Singh Khalsa, Mr. Harish Dhanda both Chief Parliamentary Secretaries, MLA Ropar Sant Ajit Singh, MLA Morinda Ujjagar Singh Badali, MLA Banur Jasjit Singh Banni, MLA Sirhind Didar Singh Bhatti Prof. Prem Singh Chandumajra, Maheshinder Singh Grewal, Mr. Jagdish Singh Garcha, Gobind Singh Longowal, Gobind Singh Kanjla (all Ex-Ministers), Advisor to Chief Minister Dr. Daljit Singh Cheema, Media advisor to CM Mr. Harchran Bains, Principal Secretary to CM Mr DS Guru, Director Information & Public Relations Mr DS Mangat besides State Transport Commissioner R.Venkat Ratnam and the Deputy Commissioners of Ludhiana, Ropar and Barnala,

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The Irrigation Department, Punjab has announced the Rotational Programme for irrigation for the Khariff Season through Canal water from 25-4-2010 to 02-5-2010. The channels of Sirhind Canal System would run on the priority basis from Sidhwan Branch, Bathinda Branch, Bist Doab, 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 utilised in Abohar Branch off-taking from Sirhind Feeder and its distributaries/Minors in Group 'B'.

The spokesman also said that the channels off taking from upper Bari Doab Canal i.e. 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.

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Government agencies and private millers procured more than 84.55 lakh tonnes of wheat till last evening as compared to 82.51 lakh tones in previous year on the day.

Out of total procurement of 84.55 lakh tonnes of wheat in all the procurement centers of Punjab, Government agencies procured 84.34 lakh tonnes of wheat (99.8%) till date whereas private traders procured 21001 tonnes (0.2%) of wheat. Till April 22, PUNGRAIN had procured 13.87 lakh tonnes (16.4%) whereas MARKFED procured 19.52 lakh tonnes (23.1%). PUNSUP procured 19.16 lakh tonnes (22.7%), PSWC procured 9.46 lakh tonne (11.2%) whereas PAIC was able to procure 8.77 lakh tonnes (10.4%) of wheat.

The Central Government agency FCI had been able to procure 13.54 lakh tonnes (16.0%).

The spokesman added that District Ferozepur with 9.52 lakh tonnes of procurement was leading in procurement operations whereas District Sangrur with 8.52 lakh tonnes of procurement was at second slot and district Patiala with 7.85 lakh tonnes of procurement ranked at third position.

The State Government has set up 1650 procurement centers and activated its total machinery to ensure smooth procurement of wheat, the spokesman added.

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The Punjab Government have constituted a Minority Commission in the state with immediate effect .Mr. Munver Masih of Ludhiana has been appointed its Chairman.

Disclosing his here today a spokesman of Punjab Government said that the term of the commission will be one year. Mr. Hira Lal Jain from Ludhiana, Mr. Abdul Satur from ludhiana, Mr. Tehseem Ahmed from Ludhiana, and Mr. Hameed Masih from Jalandhar have been appointed members of this commission. The terms and conditions regarding their appointments would be decided later on, the spokesman added.

REVISION OF PHOTO VOTER LISTS OF ALL ASSEMBLY CONSTITUENCIES OF PUNJAB STARTS FROM April 25, 2010

After the conversion of the voter lists into UNICODE of all Assembly Constituencies of Punjab State, The Election Commission of India has decided to revise these w.e.f April 25, 2010.

Disclosing this here today Chief Electoral Officer Punjab Ms. Kusumjit Sidhu said that Booth level officers would check the list of voters from door to door from 25-04-2010 to 15-06-2010 for this purpose.

She urged all the political parties in particular and the people of Punjab in General to Co-operate with the Booth level officers and check the details like Name, Father's/wife name, House number, Sex, Date of Birth and Voter Id number etc in the voter lists. If they found any error or omission, then it should be brought into the notice of the concerned officer.

According to the Instructions of the Election Commission of India the photograph of the voter is compulsory in voter list. She appealed to the voters to check their photograph in the lists and if it not match then ask the officer to remove it and by replacing new one.

She also told that if the voter's name was registered twice, the present address was changed, or any person was missing or dead then a specific reason must be brought into the notice of the visiting officer. Voters may seek more information from the District Electoral Officer/Electoral Registration Officer/Electoral Tehsildar, she added.

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