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World Cup Kabaddi Punjab-2010 Highlights CHANDIGARH March 29:
10 NATIONS TO VIE FOR Rs 2.16 CRORE PRIZE MONEY WCKP-2010 WITH a view to further boosting the most crowd-pulling game of kabaddi, especially in rural areas of the state and country, the Punjab Government has adopted a pragmatic approach by hosting a fabulous Rs 2.16 crore Prize Money World Cup Kabaddi Punjab-2010 from April 3 to 12. Addressing a crowded press conference here today, S. Bikram Singh Majithia, Sr. Vice Chairperson and S. Sikander Singh Maluka Vice Chairperson of World Cup Kabaddi, Punjab, informed that the first ever International mega event being organized with the farsighted initiative and under able guidance of S. Sukhbir Singh Badal, Deputy Chief Minister, Punjab has attracted enthusiastic response worldwide. They said that ten national teams of Pakistan, United States of America, United Kingdom, Canada, Iran, Australia, Italy, Spain and Norway and hosts India have confirmed their participation. Announcing the handsome prize money at stake, Mr. Majithia said that the winning team would receive a purse of Rs. 1 crore. The country finishing runners-up will take home Rs 51 lakh. The third place winners will be presented a purse of Rs 25 lakh, while Rs. 10 lakh cash prizes will be given to the winners attaining forth position and Rs. 5 lakh each to other participating team. It has also been decided to give tractors to best raider and best catcher of the semi final teams. Besides this motorcycles will be given to the best raider and catcher of the all the teams in each match. Besides, the lucrative cash prizes, the glittering trophies as well as individual prizes would be awarded to the winners. Seeing the popularity this sports discipline, Mr Majithia announced that it would be an annual feature and more countries would be invited in the next World Cups. The Punjab Government is keen and determined to promote sports in a big way and properly channelize the youth power. In this direction a new result-oriented sports policy is under active consideration. “Under the guidance of Chief Minister S Parkash Singh Badal, the State Government will provide state-of-art sports infrastructure in all districts, scientific training, cash incentives and regular competitions which will pave the way for attaining excellence in sports,” said Mr Majithia. Explaining that rural masses are passionate about kabaddi, Mr Majithia said that a large number of kabaddi tournaments are conducted throughout the state. Some of these meets are sponsored by Non-Resident Indians. Acknowledging the popularity of kabaddi, the State Government last year included this sports discipline in the Sports Gradation Policy. Mr. Majithia announced that the Pearls WCKP-2010 would be a drug free event and the Medical Anti Doping Committee, headed by Dr Manmohan Singh and Dr Munish Chander, has also started functioning. The anti-doping panel has already taken samples of 29 Indian players who turned up for selection trials in Ludhaina on March 20. “It is mandatory for all players taking part in the tournament. All samples collected would be sent to World Anti-Doping Agency accreditated National Dope Testing Laboratory in New Delhi,” Mr Majithia announced. “Stringent action will be taken against those who test positive,” said the WCKP-2010 Organising Vice Chairpersons. Mr Majithia and Mr Maluka further said that the colourful opening and closing ceremonies have been planned. Noted folk singers and artistes would perform to enthrall the crowd. Yadvindra Public School of Patiala will be the venue of the opening ceremony on April 3 while the closing ceremony along with the finals will be conducted at the Guru Nanak Stadium in Ludhiana on April 12. Secretary Sports P S Aujla said that matches would also be played at Sports Stadium, Sangrur, Bathinda, Guru Nanak Stadium, Amritsar, Guru Gobind Singh Stadium Jalandhar, Government College Stadium Gurdsapur and Hoshirapur. Mr Aujla said that all matches would be telecast live on PTC. Besides live coverage, highlights of the matches would also be shown daily. Eminent Punjabi folk singers and comedian Mr. Bhagwant Mann and other artistes including Master Saleem, Satvinder Bitti, Manpreet Akhtar and Jasbir Jassi will regale the spectators at all the venues of this grand event. Organising Secretary Pargat Singh disclosed that the Punjab Sports Department has appointed liaison officers to be attached with each participating team. A jury of appeal has also been formed to look into any dispute, if arises. Rules and regulations of the tournament have been sent to each participating team. “We will set up high standards in conducting the mega event. Efforts have been made to provide all comforts to the participating teams and officials accompanying them,” said Mr Pargat Singh. Regarding the formation of the Indian team, Mr Pargat said that a selection committee, with Mr Shiv Dev Singh as chairman, has selected 35 probables for the coaching camp in Ludhiana. The final team will be selected during the coaching camp. Regarding India’s chances of winning the tournament, Pargat said “let the best team win.” --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MAKE REGULAR PAYMENT OF SOCIAL SECURITY PENSIONS FROM APRIL 1 –BADAL
CHANDIGARH, MARCH 29: The Punjab Government today decided in principle to disburse pension to the old, widow & destitute women and disabled persons regularly from April 1, 2010. A decision to this effect was taken by the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal while chairing a meeting of the Social Security Department here at Chief Minister's residence this morning. Mr. Badal also directed the department to clear the pendency of three months on account of pensions positively by June 2010. Mr. Badal also asked the Finance Minister to chalk out a comprehensive plan for the disbursement of pension through banks to ensure timely and hassle free payment of pension to the eligible beneficiaries in a transparent manner. The Chief Minister also directed the Finance Minister to convene a meeting of the bankers to sort out modalities to streamline the system of disbursement of pension, which was now being made through the Panchayats in the villages. The Chief Minister also constituted a committee comprising Food, Supplies & Information Technology Minister Mr. Adesh Partap Singh Kairon, Finance Minister Mr. Manpreet Singh Badal and Social Security Minister Ch. Swarana Ram to study the feasibility of issuing smart identity cards to the eligible beneficiaries for the payment of pension in addition to avail of various schemes under public distribution system including Atta Dal Scheme. The Committee had been asked to submit its report within a fortnight so that a viable mechanism could be in place at the earliest for making payment of pension to the genuine beneficiaries under various schemes. The Chief Minister also emphasized the need to weed out the bogus beneficiaries who were getting pension in connivance with some unscrupulous elements. He however, said that concerted efforts should be made by the department to ensure that none of any eligible should be left. It was informed in the meeting that the Social Security department had already asked all the Deputy Commissioners in the state to complete the on going exercise of re-verification by March 31, 2010 to enable the department to process the cases of disbursement of pension to the eligible beneficiaries accordingly. It may be recalled that the state government spends nearly Rs. 550 crore annually as a 'dedicated fund' for disbursement of pension under various schemes like old age, widow and destitute women, financial assistance to dependent children and disabled persons. Prominent amongst others who were present in the meeting included Finance Minister Mr. Manpreet Singh Badal, Social Security Minister Ch. Swarana Ram, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. D.S. Guru, Special Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. K.J.S. Cheema, Secretary Social Security Mr. T.R. Sarangal, Secretary Finance Mr. Vikas Partap, Director Social Security Ms Madhavi Kataria and Deputy Director Ms Lilly Chowdhary. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CM ORDERS ENQUIRY INTO ALLEGED SCAM IN FOUR CITRUS COUNCILS Chandigarh, March 29: Taking cognizance of a news report in a section of press regarding the alleged multi crore scandal involving gross mismanagement and misuse of public money with no accountability to the government in the four special purpose vehicles namely Council for Citrus and Agri Juicing in Punjab, Council for Value Added Horticulture in Punjab, Organic Farming Council of Punjab and Viticulture Council of Punjab, the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today directed the Chief Secretary Mr. S. C. Aggrawal to conduct an enquiry into the entire matter to fix the responsibility of the officials involved in the alleged scam. Disclosing this here today a spokesman of the Chief Minister's office said that Mr. Badal had asked the Chief Secretary to submit the enquiry report within a month to ascertain the factual position in order to get bottom of the scam. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- R.C.YADAV ASSUMES AS CHAIRMAN PUNJAB PARVASI BHALAE BOARD Chandigarh March 29 : Mr. Ram Charan Yadav, a staunch leader of the migrant labour assumed the office of newly established Punjab Parvasi Bhalae Board here today in the presence of Mr. Hira Singh Gabria, Jails, Tourism, Cultural Affairs and Printing & Stationary Minister Punjab, Former Public Relations Minister Mr. Bikram Singh Majithia and hundreds of leaders and workers of SAD and BJP. Speaking on the occasion Mr. Majithia said that Punjab was the first state in the country which constituted the Board for the welfare of migrant labourers from other states. The Board would look after the rights and interests of Migrant Labour. He lauded the contribution of migrant labour in the agriculture, industry and other sectors of economy of the Punjab. He said that the state government was sincerely committed for the protection of their rights and ensuring their safety and security to enable them to work in healthy and secure environment. Mr. Yadav expressed his gratitude to the Punjab Chief Minister S. Parkash Singh Badal and Deputy Chief Minister Punjab Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal for appointing him Chairman of this board. He assured that he would fully take care of migrant labour coming and living in Punjab and coordinate the endeavor of the government in giving a new push to the economy of Punjab. Farmers of Punjab under a huge dept of Rs 35000 crores, forcing the farmers to commit suicides Bholath, March 29, 2010 Sukhpal Singh Khaira, MLA Bholath. Punjab’s diversification scam uneathered today is a fit case for a CBI inquiry (since the vigilance department has no credibility and is a politicized) pending which, all those officers heading Special Purpose Vehicles of four councils formed for diversification of agriculture be suspended without any further delay, demands the congress party. The said officers including Sh. Himmat Singh a senior IAS officer, CEO Sh. V.S Chimni and all others must be taken to task for plundering more than Rs 81 crores of the public exchequer for personal pleasures and shoddy implementation of the diversification project. The agrarian economy is in deep crises with farmers of Punjab under a huge dept of Rs 35000 crores, forcing the farmers to commit suicides in large numbers as is evident according to the PAU report putting the figure of suicides at 2890 in the two districts of Bathinda and Sangrur alone. Unfortunately these flamboyant and corrupt officers were staying in expensive 5 star hotels, making these councils pay in lacs for their extravagant spending. The said CEO Sh. V.S Chimni visited U.S staying in luxury hotels and indulging in expensive travels costing the Punjab Govt. over Rs. 40 lacs for the said trip. After going broke with such non productive expenditure these four councils have further borrowed Rs. 39.12 crores as loans to fulfill the whims and fancies of these inefficient, corrupt and immoral babu’s. As per records available through RTI, these officers have been consuming whisky and that too expensive scotch as early as 9 A.M in the morning, is there any rule of law for these erring officials, questions the Congress party. According to plans these four councils namely- 1. Council for citrus and agri juicing in Punjab, 2. Council for value added horticulture in Punjab, 3. Organic farming council of Punjab, 4. Viticulture council of Punjab, were formed to shift the traditional rotation of wheat and paddy to other crops and the aim was to shift approx. 20,000 acres to horticulture alone, but nothing was done. It is extremely unfortunate that all this his misadventurism by these beurocrats has been going on under the very nose of the SAD Govt. claiming to be the sole representatives of the farming community. The fact is that majority of these public sector undertalkings, such as these councils are brain childs of these thoroughly corrupt beourocrats formed with only one aim to exploit the public exchequer for enjoyment and gains as is evident in this scandal. The Congress calls for a serious introspection of all corporation and boards majority of which are running in losses and have added up Rs. 35000 crores as bad debt to the already extisting Rs 65000 crore debt of the State Govt. The loss making public sector organizations such as these councils must be immediately disbanded to save the state from further drainage of its resources. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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