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IN PRINCIPLE APPROVAL FOR DOUBLE STOREY CENTRAL JAIL IN BATHINDA
‘JAIL DEVELOPMENT AND WELFARE SOCIETY’ TO BE SETUP FOR INVOLVING JAIL
INMATES IN INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITIES

CHANDIGARH, DECEMBER 31:

        Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today gave in principle approval to construct double storied modern Central Jail at Bathinda over an area of 40 acres of land along with the residential accommodations for staff.

        A decision to this effect has been taken by Mr. Badal at a high level meeting with the officers of Jail department at the Chief Minister’s residence this morning.

        Mr. Badal asked the Jail Department to get the entire construction
plan re-designed within a week as per their requirements to
accommodate about 2500 inmates. He also assured that government would arrange 28 acres in addition to the existing land for further b expansion of the Jail in future.

        In a bid to develop Jails in the state as self sustainable, Mr. Badal asked the Jail department to chalk out a plan through involving some big Industrial houses for utilizing the services of Jail Inmates after providing them sufficient skill training in a particular trade. The DGP Jails informed to the Chief Minister that the department had initiated the process of registration of ‘Jail Development and Welfare Society’ and assured him to work out a concrete strategy to involve
local Industries under PPP mode to engage entrusted Jail inmates for different Industrial activities.
Prominent amongst those who were present in the meeting included Jails, Tourism & Cultural Affairs Minister Mr. Sarwan Singh Phillaur, Principal Secretary to the CM Mr. SK Sandhu, Special Principal Secretary to the CM Mr. Gurkirat Kirpal Singh, Secretary Jails Mr. Hussan Lal, DGP Jails Mr. RP Mina and IG Jails Mr. Jagjit Singh.
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SEVEN IPS OFFICERS GIVEN CURRENT DUTY CHARGE OF DIG
CHANDIGARH, DECEMBER 31:
 The Punjab Government today issued instructions giving current duty charge of DIG to 7 newly promoted  IPS officers of 1998 batch including Mr. Balkar Singh Sidhu, Mr. Gurinder Singh Dhillon, Mr. Mohnish Chawla, Mr. Surinderpal Singh Parmar, Mr. Amar Singh Chahal, Mr. Jatinder Singh Aulakh and Mr. Mukhwinder Singh Chinna.
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NO CELEBRATION ON NEW YEAR DAY
·        CM DEDICATES IT TO WOMEN’S DIGNITY AND HONOR
Chandigarh, December 31-
            The Punjab Government has decided to observe the New Year Day as a day of rededication to the honor and dignity of women.
In a statement here, the Punjab Chief Minister Mr Parkash Singh Badal said that in deference and homage to the memory of the ‘India brave heart’, there would be no celebrations at the government level. The Chief Minister would himself observe the day in solemn dedication to the cause which the Delhi girl has come to symbolize.
In a message to the people, the Chief Minister said that this was an hour for introspection for everyone in the society as to what extent we have followed the teachings of the Gurus who urged us to accord a place of the highest honor to women.
Mr Badal prayed to the Almighty, “The New Year may see us closer to a society in which, women, children and senior citizens may enjoy a life of complete honor, security and dignity.”
The Chief Minister wished the people “all success in living upto the noble ideal set before us by our great Gurus, saint and seers.”  

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INSTRUCTIONS ISSUED NOT TO CALL WOMEN TO POLICE STATIONS

• DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS ISSUED TO ALL DISTRICT POLICE CHIEFS FOR PROPER AND REGULAR MONITORING OF OFFENCES AGAINST WOMEN AND CHILDREN

 CHANDIGARH, DECEMBER 31: The Punjab Government today issued detailed guidelines to all District Police Chiefs besides Zonal IGs and DIGs for proper, regular monitoring of offences against women and children and to ensure their prompt and effective investigation.

          In the detailed instructions issued by DGP, it has been emphasized that Complainant of cases relating to crime against women and children would not be called to police stations or police posts for enquiry/investigation. All victims of such cases will be interviewed and examined at their place of residence in the presence of their family members. It has been pointed out that the Police party carrying out such interviews will invariably be accompanied by woman police officer(s).
The DGP stressed that in order to ensure proper and regular monitoring, prompt and effective investigation of offences against women and children including and also for improving police response to sexual assaults, sexual violence, and abductions/kidnapping of women and children the District Police Chiefs and IGP’s/DIGs of Zones/Ranges would personally monitor such cases. It said that SSPs in districts and DCsP in Police commissionerates will personally monitor cases of crime against women and children on a daily basis. ADGP Crime will obtain reports of such crimes from all districts and commissionerates, to ensure monitoring of such cases at his level on a weekly basis.
Explaining the monitoring process it said that Halqa GOs will personally supervise the investigation in all cases relating to offences against Children and Women. To ensure personal hearing of grievances of the people the DGP issued directions that SSPs and DCsP, or, in their absence, the senior most SP present at the district Headquarters, will remain available in the office from 10.00am to 11.00 am on all working days to personally attend to and deal with complaints of offences against women and children.

              
Underlining the need to adopt judicious approach in all such cases, it also pointed out that over the last few days, complaints had been received at the Punjab Police Headquarters that serious charges of kidnapping/abduction, rape, criminal intimidation etc have been slapped against various persons in different districts of the State on the basis of misrepresented and distorted facts. The communiqué pointed out that while it is imperative to ensure prompt registration of cases and expeditious and vigorous investigation in all cases of sexual assault and violence, at the same time, it was incumbent on the district police chiefs to ensure that innocent persons are not booked or harassed merely on the basis of false allegations and by misrepresentation and distortion of facts. The officers must appreciate that charges of rape and abduction are serious and stigmatizing in nature, and could, therefore, cause serious and lasting damage to the reputation of the individual and his family in the society.
It emphasized that in view of the above, the COPs/SSsP have been advised to ensure fair, transparent and expeditious investigations in all such cases in the interest of justice. A preliminary scrutiny and reading of FIRs registered in the cases of 8 cases listed, it was felt that these cases needed to be investigated through police officers of SP rank before taking any hasty and precipitate action in the matter.

Chief Minister Office’s, Punjab
BADAL COMMITTED TO ENSURE SELF-ESTEEM AND MODESTY OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN

• NO COMPLAINANT OF GENDER RELATED CRIMES TO BE CALLED AT POLICE STATIONS IN FUTURE
• GAZETTED OFFICERS NOT BELOW THE RANK OF DSP TO BE SUPERVISORY OFFICER IN INVESTIGATION OF GENDER RELATED CASES
• DEDICATED TELEPHONE NUMBERS FOR GENDER RELATED COMPLAINTS TO BE SET UP IN PUNJAB
• URGES CJ TO ALLOT DEDICATED COURTS IN ALL DISTRICTS
• FOUR MEMBER COMMITTEE OF AG, PS (HOME), DGP AND DIRECTOR P&L CONSITUTED TO RECOMMEND STRICTER LAWS AND SWIFTER PROSECUTION PROCEDURES
• CM GIVES IN PRINCIPLE APPROVAL TO RECRUIT 500 LADY SUB-INSPECTORS

Chandigarh, December 31
        Reiterating his firm resolve to ensure respect and modesty of women and children at all costs, the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today announced a slew of measures to effectively combat crimes against women and children in general and maintain their self-esteem by reposing their confidence in the law and order machinery in particular.
        Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office said that these path breaking decisions were taken in a high level meeting chaired by Mr. Badal here at his official residence this morning.
        The Chief Minister categorically directed the Police authorities that no complainant of gender related cases would be called at Police stations in future as a mark of respect and dignity of the women. The complainant would be examined at her residence by the police authorities accompanied by a lady police official that too in the presence of her family members. Likewise, the Chief Minister also asked the DGP to depute only the Gazetted officers not below the rank of DSP to be supervisory officer in investigating gender related cases. He also instructed that a dedicated telephone numbers manned by lady constables would be set up in all the Police stations to deal with complaints of gender related crimes so that the complainants could freely come forth with their grievances without any fear, hesitation or inhibition.
        Meanwhile, the Chief Minister in a letter to the Chief Justice of Punjab & Haryana High Court Justice AK Sikri impressed upon him to allocate dedicated courts in all districts across the state to ensure speedy trial of cases involving women and children on a fast track.
        The Chief Minister also constituted a four member committee comprising Advocate General, Principal Secretary (Home), DGP and Director Prosecution & litigation to recommend stricter laws to deal with the accused involved in such dastardly acts against humanity especially women and children besides swifter procedures to be adopted for speedy prosecution and the committee had been asked to submit the report within 10 days. The committee would also recommend measures to strengthen the prosecution wing assisting the courts so that perpetrators of such heinous crimes against women and children could be booked expeditiously to ensure quick dispensation of justice to the victims.
        The Chief Minister also asked the DGP to depute atleast a Lady Sub-Inspector besides requisite Lady Constables in each Police station across the state to firmly deal with the crimes against women and children. For this purpose, he also gave in principle approval for the recruitment of 500 lady Sub-Inspectors (SIs) to ensure their posting in all these Police stations of state. The DGP informed the Chief Minister that the Punjab & Haryana High Court had stayed the recruitment process of SIs. Mr. Badal asked the Advocate General Punjab to take up the issue in Punjab & Haryana High Court to get this stay vacated at the earliest so that the process for the recruitment of 500 ladies SIs could be initiated without any further delay.
          In a bid to instill a sense of faith and confidence in the state policing and ensure justice to the victims, the Chief Minister asked the DGP to issue detailed guidelines thereby instructing all the SSP/DCP to monitor cases of crime against women and children on daily basis and ADGP (Crime) on weekly basis.
        Mr. Badal also directed the SSPs/DCPs or the senior most SPs to be available in their offices from 10 to 11 a.m. for attending to the complaints of crime against women and children besides ensuring their prompt redressal.
        Prominent amongst others who attended the meeting included Advocate General Punjab Mr. Ashok Aggarwal, Principal Secretary Home Mr. DS Bains, DGP Mr. Sumedh Singh Saini, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Mr. SK Sandhu and Special Principal Secretary Mr. Gaggandip Singh Brar.
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        DCs TOLD TO EXTEND INVITATIONS TO SPEAKER TOO

Chandigarh, December 31: The Punjab government has directed all Divisional Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners to extend invitation as per protocol to Speaker, Punjab Vidhan Sabha for visits of Hon’ble President of India, Vice-President, Prime Minister besides other international dignitaries to Punjab and Chandigarh.
Similarly, they have been asked to extend invitation to the Speaker as per protocol regarding State level functions.

PUNJAB SEEKS APPLICATIONS FROM EMPLOYEES FOR LIAISON OFFICERS FOR JATHAS TO PAKISTAN

Chandigarh, December 31: The Punjab government has sought applications from state government employees of the rank of Senior Assistant or above for deputing them as Liaison Officers for Sikh/Sehajdhari Sikh pilgrims Jathas to be sent during year 2013.
According to an official spokesman, the Punjab government was expected to send four Jathas for Baisakhi in April 2013, Martyrdom day of Sri Guru Arjun Dev Ji in May 2013, death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in June 2013 and Gurpurab of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji in November 2013 to Pakistan.
The spokesman said that interested officers/employees to accompany Jathas as liaison officers would have to send their application through their departmental heads to General Administration department (General Coordination Branch), 6th Floor, Punjab Civil Secretariat, Chandigarh by January 31, 2013.

RECOMMENDATIONS SOUGHT FOR FILLING 19 POSTS THROUGH DEPUTATION OR TRANSFER IN
DIRECTOR GOVERNANCE REFORMS’ DEPARTMENT

 Chandigarh, December 31: The Punjab government today sought recommendations from different departments to fill 19 posts of A, B & C Groups in newly created Director Governance Reforms’ department through deputation or transfer.
Disclosing this here today, a spokesman of Punjab government said that the state government has decided to fill the posts of Additional Director (1), Senior System Manager (1), Assistant Manager (2), Deputy Director (1), Superintendent (1), Technical Assistant (2), Senior Assistant (3) and Clerk-cum-Data Entry Operator (8) through deputation or transfer from other government departments till the regular appointments were being made for the above mentioned department.
The spokesman informed that while recommending the names for above mentioned posts, the concerned department should send the names, details along with ACRs of last five years of such officers/employees within next three weeks. The spokesman said that while recommending the name of any officer/employee it should be ensured that there was no vigilance or departmental inquiry pending against him.

SUKHBIR CONDOLES DEMISE OF MAL SINGH FATHER OF SCRIBE BAKHTAUR DHILLON
CHANDIGARH, DECEMBER 31: Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal, Deputy Chief Minister, Punjab today expressed deep grief over the demise of Mr. Mal Singh father of Bathinda based Senior Journalist and Staff Reporter of  Nawan Zamana Mr. Bakhtaur Dhillon. Mr. Mal Singh passed away here today after a brief illness. In a condolence message, Mr. Badal sharing his heartfelt sympathies with the bereaved family prayed to the Almighty to grant peace to the departed soul and strength to the bereaved family to bear this irreparable loss.
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Punjab Government to construct three new bus terminals

Chandigarh, December 31
The Punjab Government would construct three new bus terminals at Sangrur, Kapurthala and Faridkot.
Disclosing this here today a spokesman of Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) informed that these three bus terminals-cum-commercial complexes would be built under public private partnership (PPP) and PRTC and Punjab Infrastructure Development Board has invited the tenders for this purpose.
Giving the details further informed that proposed bus terminal at district headquarters Sangrur would be constructed at 6 acre land, located in the heart of the city and has high commercial potential. The Kapurthala bus terminal would be built at 4.8 acre land and Faridkot at 8.4 acre land.
He added said that construction of these bus terminals were a part of state Government policy to provide excellent public transport facilities general public. He stated that the Punjab Government has already modernized about a dozen bus stands in the state that including at Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Hoshiarpur, Sri Anandpur sahib and Majitha with the total cost of 11.60 crore, 13.47 crore, 7.30 crore, 4.78 crore and 2.70 crore respectively. Besides, Pathankot, Jagraon, Moga, Firozpur, Sahid Bhagat Singh Nagar, Sri Muketsar Sahib, Nagal and Dera Baba Nanak bus stand had also been given the face lift and were named after the martyrs name.
No. PR 2012/1172
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MALUKA GREETS PEOPLE ON NEW YEAR DAY

CHANDIGARH, DECEMBER31:
            Punjab Education Minister Mr. Sikander Singh Maluka today greeted the people of Punjab on the eve of New Year Day. In a message on this occasion, Mr. Maluka wished the Punjabis living all over India very happy and prosperous New Year – 2013.
           The Minister solicited the cooperation and support from the people of Punjab to comprehend the vision of modern, progressive Punjab in which all the Punjabis could lead a life of dignity and self-respect. He hoped that Punjab would soon emerge as a front-runner state in the country with the concerted, dedicated and sincere efforts of all of us.
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GURPREET GHUGHI SELECTED AS ICON OF ECI

• WOULD MOTIVATE YOUTHS TO ENROLL AS VOTERS

CHANDIGARH, December 31
The Election Commission of India has selected well known comedian Mr Gurpreet Ghughi as its Brand Icon.
Disclosing this here today a spokesman of the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab said that Mr Ghughi has been selected after the tragic death of great artist Mr Jaspal Singh Bhatti. He further said that the main role of Mr Ghughi would be to motivate the youths to get them enrolled as voters in the state. 
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 HIRA LALL SIBAL CREMATED WITH FULL STATE HONORS

• CM ATTENDS CREMATION OF HIRA LALL SIBAL
• SHARES GRIEF WITH KAPIL SIBAL AND OTHER BEREAVED FAMILY MEMBERS

Chandigarh, December 29-
The Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today attended the cremation of the noted lawyer, jurist and legal luminary Mr. Hira Lall Sibal (98), who was cremated here with full state honors this evening.
Disclosing this here today the spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office said that Mr. Badal accompanied by the Food & Civil Supplies Minister Mr. Adesh Partap Singh Kairon attended the last rites of the deceased and also laid a wreath on the body of Mr. Sibal on behalf of the Punjab Government.
Keeping in view the illustrious services of Mr. Sibal in the field of law and jurisprudence, the Punjab Government accorded a state cremation to him. A contingent of Punjab Police fired a volley of shots in the air and reversed their arms as a mark of respect to the departed soul.
Earlier, the Chief Minister shared his heart felt sympathies with his son Union Communications Minister Mr. Kapil Sibal and other family members at his residence in Sector 5 and remained there for nearly two hours. The Chief Minister described the sad demise of Mr. Hira Lall Sibal as a huge loss to the legal fraternity, as he was a source of inspiration for the young lawyers and always encouraged them to excel in the legal profession.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal also mourned the passing away of Mr. Sibal and termed it as irreparable loss to the family as well as the legal profession.
Prominent among others who attended the cremation of Mr. Sibal included Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Mr. SK Sandhu, Special Principal Secretary Mr. KJS Cheema and Joint Principal Secretary Mr. Sandeep Hans besides people from different walks of life.
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BADAL MOURNS DEATH OF DELHI GANG RAPE VICTIM

CM FOR AWARDING HARSHER PUNISHMENT TO THE CULPRITS INVOLVED IN SUCH BEASTLY ACTS

URGES GoI TO ENSURE SPEEDY TRAIL OF ACCUSED IN SPECIAL FAST TRACK COURT TO ENSURE JUSTICE
 Chandigarh, December 29-
            Punjab Chief Minister Mr Parkash Singh Badal today expressed profound grief and sorrow over the sad demise of Delhi gang rape victim, who breathed here last at a private hospital in Singapore this morning.
In a condolence message, the Chief Minister said that it was very unfortunate that the hapless girl became another victim of this heinous crime against humanity especially the women. He urged the Central Government to immediately initiate steps to make amendments in the existing provision of law for awarding harsher punishment to the accused involved in such dastardly acts. Mr Badal said, “Such offenders does not deserve leniency and they should be dealt with as per the law of land by meting out the severest of the severe punishment to them so that it could act as a deterrent for others too.”
Pleading for exemplary punishment for the culprits involved in this beastly act, the Chief Minister asked the Government of India (GoI) to ensure that the accused must be brought to book at the earliest by conducting a speedy trial in Special Fast Track court so that the justice could be dispensed to the victim’s family, friends and her well wishers. Reiterating his stand to ensure modesty and dignity of women, he also appealed the Center for bringing legislation to effectively combat crime against women in general and especially eve teasing in the ensuing budget session.    
Sharing his heartfelt sympathies with the bereaved family in this hour of grief, Mr Badal prayed to the Almighty to grant eternal peace to the departed soul and give strength to bear this irreplaceable loss to the inconsolable family.   

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SUKHBIR CONDOLES TRAGIC DEMISE OF GANGRAPE VICTIM

• STRICTEST AND MAXIMUM PUNISHMENT TO THE CULPRITS INVOLVED IN SUCH HEINOUS WOULD BE THE REAL TRIBUTES

CHANDIGARH, DECEMBER 29: Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal, Deputy Chief Minister, Punjab today condoled the tragic and unfortunate passing away of 23-year old paramedical student in Singapore, who was gangraped in National Capital on December 16.
          In a condolence message, Mr. Badal said that strictest and maximum punishment for such heinous crime to the culprits would be the real tributes to brave girl. He said that such cases should be dealt in short span of time through fast track courts by holding day to day hearings. He said that these crimes are indelible scars on democracy, so the time has come to set an exemplary punishment for the offenders involved in heinous crimes to combat the social menace of crime against women.
          Sharing his heartfelt sympathies with the bereaved family in this hour of sorrow, Mr. Badal prayed to the Almighty to grant peace to the departed soul and strength to the members of bereaved family to bear this irreparable loss. 
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CM MOURNS DEATH OF HIRA LALL SIBAL
·        RECALLS THE MARVELOUS SERVICES RENDERED BY HIM IN LEGAL FIELD

Chandigarh, December 29-
Punjab Chief Minister Mr Parkash Singh Badal today expressed profound grief and sorrow over the sad demise of the father of Union Communications Minister Mr Kapil Sibal and a noted lawyer Mr Hira Lall Sibal (98), who passed away here at Chandigarh this morning after a prolonged illness.
In a condolence message, the Chief Minister described Mr Hira Lall Sibal as a legal luminary and eminent jurist besides an able administrator with the rare qualities of head and heart, who was bestowed with prestigious Padam Bhushan and Punjab Rattan award for the distinguished services rendered by him in the arena of law and jurisprudence. Recalling the outstanding services of Mr Sibal as a renowned lawyer, who practiced both at Punjab and Haryana High Court and Supreme Court of India for over five decades, Mr. Badal said that a void has been created in the legal fraternity which was difficult to be filled in near future. He said Mr. Sibal as an Advocate General of Punjab also left an indelible impression of his farsightedness, legal acumen and forthright approach in this august office. The Chief Minister termed the passing away of Mr. Sibal as a personal loss adding that he had warm ties with the Sibal family over past many years.   
Sharing his heartfelt sympathies with the members of the bereaved family, the Chief Minister prayed to the Almighty to grant eternal peace to the departed soul and give strength to the family, relatives and friends to bear this irreplaceable loss.
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SUKHBIR CONDOLES DEMISE OF HIRA LAL SIBAL

Chandigarh December 29: Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal, Deputy Chief Minister Punjab today condoled the demise of Mr. Hira Lal Sibal, legal luminary, who passed away today, after a brief illness.
          In a condolence message, Mr. Badal said that it was an irreparable loss to the legal world.
 Sharing heartfelt sympathies with the bereaved family, Mr. Badal prayed to the Almighty to grant peace to the departed soul and strength to the family members to bear this loss.
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BADAL FOR REVISION OF NATIONAL WATER POLICY IN LINE WITH EXISTING CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS AND WELL RECOGNIZED/ UNIVERSALLY ACCEPTED RIPARIAN PRINCIPLES

• MANY TRAGIC CONFLICTS IN THE COUNTRY INCLUDING PUNJAB TRAGEDY WERE THE OUTCOME OF A MISHANDLING OF SENSITIVE ISSUE OF WATER
• URGES NEW DELHI TO SHOW GREATER SENSITIVITY, STATESMANSHIP AND FARSIGHTEDNESS IN HANDLING CRITICAL ISSUES SUCH AS WATER
• OPPOSES THE CONCEPT OF INTEGRATED PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT OF RIVER BASINS 

• ONLY STATES WERE EMPOWERED TO MANAGE MATTERS RELATING TO WATER BEING A STATE SUBJECT

• JUSTIFIES SUBSIDISED IRRIGATION TO PUNJAB FARMER AS AN INCENTIVE TO THEM FOR MAKING COUNTRY SELF RELIANT IN FOOD PRODUCTION

                                                                       
New Delhi, December 28-
            Punjab Chief Minister Mr Parkash Singh Badal today said that any revision in the national water policy should be based on the existing constitutional provisions and well recognised/ universally accepted riparian principles.
Participating in the deliberations in the 6th meeting of the National Water resources council chaired by the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh here at Vigyan Bhawan, the Chief Minister categorically said that, 'Water' was a State subject under Constitution and States have exclusive power of legislation on the subject. He said that the distribution of powers under the federal structure of our Constitution should in no case be tinkered with by making changes in frame work of existing laws adding that each state has its own consideration in planning, management and use of its water resources which vary from region to region and state to state. Mr Badal also underlined that the distribution of water resources should be and must be based on universally accepted Riparian Principles and the existing usage and future needs of water of a riparian state must be protected as otherwise it would directly affect the growth of the State . The Chief Minister said that inter- basin transfer of water based on equity and social justice would be in conflict with exclusive rights of people living in basin areas therefore Inter-basin transfer of water should not be resorted to.
The Chief Minister emphasised that water was a very critical subject, having strong economic, emotional and political implications adding that many of the tragic conflicts in the country were the result of a mishandling of this sensitive issue. He said that a major part of the Punjab tragedy for which the entire country had to pay a huge and painful price for Centre’s refusal to address the river waters issue along the just and internationally and nationally accepted Riparian Principle. Without mincing any words Mr Badal said, “This is one of the many areas where our decision makers in New Delhi must show greater sensitivity, statesmanship and farsightedness in handling critical issues such as Water.”
Expressing strong reservations over the establishment of a water tariff system, fixation of the criteria for water charges, statutory empowerment of water users Associations, pricing of electricity and establishment of a Water Regulatory Authority under the draft National Water Policy- 2012, the Chief Minister vehemently opposed these matters and said that these should be left to the states for taking appropriate decision. Mr Badal asserted that Punjab being an agrarian state was opposed to the concept of integrated planning and management of river basins and setting up of basin authorities by legislation. He said that the interest of farming community was the foremost and could not be ignored for any proposed change in the framework of existing laws for controlling over-exploitation of ground water resources adding he said that any action for improving the ground water situation by adopting rain water harvesting, diversification of crops etc should be preferred over any coercive measures for regulating ground water.
The Chief Minister said, “Without prejudice to our consistent stand on riparian rights, Principles of equitable distribution of water should be well defined.” He unequivocally stated that Contribution made by each basin state to the catchment area of a river should be the main criteria for apportionment of water. Citing the Irrigation Commission Report 1972 which observed that the drainage area of Punjab in the Indus basin is 3 times that of Rajasthan & 5 times that of Haryana, Mr Badal rued that yet Punjab was allocated only about 25% share in Ravi-Beas waters whereas Rajasthan and Haryana were allocated about 50% and 22% respectively.
Objecting strongly to the draft national water policy-2012 concerning legislation for water development taking basin as a unit, water pricing and institutional arrangements, the Chief Minister made it amply clear that water was a state subject and the states alone were empowered to deal with the subject. Apprehending direct infringement on the freedom of the states by way of imposing any integrated water resources management for the basin as a whole or sub-basin, Mr Badal said that such purported move would deprive the states from their legitimate rights to plan, formulate and execute water supply schemes as per their needs. Allaying fears Mr Badal said that any so called integrated water management for the basin as a whole would lead to more conflicts amongst the states.
Regarding ‘water pricing’, the Chief Minister said that Punjab was of the view that allocation and pricing of water could not be based purely on economic principles. Therefore he pleaded the establishment of water regulatory authority and fixation of water tariff system should be solely left to the states. Referring to the water users’ associations, Mr Badal said that these associations have a useful role in minor irrigation only but their statutory empowerment to collect, fix and retain any water charges should be decided by the states. Responding to the issue of institutional arrangements for a separate forum to deliberate upon issues relating to water as provided in the draft policy, he said that there was no such need as Northern Zonal Council already existed for this purpose.
Justifying the rationale behind providing subsidized irrigation to the Punjab farmers, the Chief Minister said all this was primarily done to compensate the farmers to some extent keeping in view their enormous contribution over the years in making India self-reliant in food production.  He pointed out that the price of agriculture produce of farmers was being fixed in an arbitrary manner which has made the farmers’ produce unremunerated. Above all the pricing of all the agricultural inputs was not under the control of farmers whereas sale prices of agricultural produce have always been unremunerative. It was a known fact that farming, all over the world, was being subsidized to enable the farmers to achieve sustainability and survival, which was essential for ensuring national food security.
Dwelling on the scenario of agrarian economy of the state, the Chief Minister pointed out that Punjab was a predominately Agricultural State and its agriculture was highly intensive and dependent on heavy requirement of water therefore, water was the life line of the Punjab farmers and the economy of the state . He said that hard work of farmers and its well organized and reliable Irrigation System has enabled the state to play a vital role in increasing agricultural production thereby making major contribution (over 50%) to the National Food Pool. However Mr Badal bemoaned that the water resources of the state compared to its requirement were grossly inadequate and the allocated surface water resources were being fully utilized but these do not fully meet the demand of agricultural sector thereby causing a great strain on ground water resources which were being over-exploited resulting in depletion of underground water resources of the state.
Reiterating his stand to revise the National Water Policy within the ambit of constitutional provisions and already settled Riparian principles, the Chief Minister again appealed the Centre that since the Water issue was a State subject so it must be left to the states to manage.
The Chief Minister was accompanied by Cabinet Minister Mr Janmeja Singh Sekhon, Principal Secretary Irrigation Mr KBS Sidhu and Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr SK Sandhu.

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Congress asks govt can this be the safe state?

  CHANDIGARH, December 28: Punjab Congress today blasted the claims of the Akali-BJP government that Punjab was the “safest state” in the country as recently claimed by the state goverment on the floor of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha.

In a statement the party general secretary and Dhuri MLA Arvind Khanna said, this is high time that the government came out of the denial mode and accepted that the law and order was becoming a serious problem in the state and it needed to be sorted out at an urgent priority.

He said, it is not the matter of statistics that the government is trying to seek solace from but the actual fear factor prevailing across Punjab. "People are scared to come out of their homes after sunset", he pointed out, while adding, nobody feels safe in Punjab today. He said, people's confidence needs to be restored and it cannot be restored by merely taking recourse to statistical figures but actual action at the ground level which unfortunately is not being taken.

The Congress general secretary pointed out, some recent incidents in the state like the gang-rape and subsequent suicide by a teen-aged in Samana, another rape in Bathinda, manhandling of an AIG to quote a few examples only do not reflect well on the law and order situation in the state.

Khanna said, the issue with this government was that it was not prepared to accept that there was a problem. “As long as you don’t realise that there is a problem you will never try to find out the solution”, he observed, while asking the government that instead of going on denying everything and accusing the Congress of politicising these incidents, it should seriously work to solve the law and order problem in the state.

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CM CONSTITUTES THREE MEMBER PANEL TO PROBE INTO UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT OF SUICIDE BY RAPE VICTIM UNDER ADGP (CRIME)

• TEAM TO LOOK INTO THE ASPECT DERELICTION OF DUTY BY ANY OFFICER

• CM DEPUTES RAKHRA TO PERSONALLY VISIT THE BEREAVED FAMILY

Chandigarh, December 28-
            Taking cognizance of the unfortunate and tragic incident of suicide by a rape victim of village Badshahpur in Patiala district, Punjab Chief Minister Mr Parkash Singh Badal today constituted a high level team headed by ADGP (Crime) Mr Jaswinder Singh to visit the village and victim’s family to thoroughly probe into the matter.
Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s office said that being sensitive to gender IG (Crime) Ms Shashi Prabha Diwedi along with IG (Zonal) Patiala Mr Paramjeet Singh have been included in the team. The team would also look into the aspect of dereliction of duty by any officer right up to the level of SSP in the entire incident.  The Chief Minister has directed the team to visit the village today itself to ascertain the facts which led the victim to commit suicide. The spokesperson further said that Commissioner Patiala Division, Deputy Commissioner and SSP Patiala had already been deputed to the village by the Chief Minister.
Meanwhile, Mr Badal had also asked the Rural Development and Panchayat Minister Mr Surjeet Singh Rakhra to personally visit the bereaved family on behalf of the state government, added the spokesperson.          
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CENSUS DATA DISSEMINATION WORKSHOP
27th & 28th December, 2012

            Chandigarh December 28:

A two day Census Data Dissemination workshop has organized as part of the efforts to sensitize data users about the availability and use of latest Census 2011 results on Housing, Household Amenities and Assets. The first day focused on the analysis of House listing and Housing Census data of Census 2011. On the second day of the Census Data Dissemination workshop titled “Punjab-The growth story from Census 2001 to 2011, the participants were given training on the Census info India version 2.0 software module developed by United Nations Statistics Division in partnership with UNICEF and UNFPA. This database software has been developed with the cooperation of the UN system and the product has been adopted from UNICEF Child info technology.

            Census info India is a database that provides a method to organize, store and display data in a uniform format to facilitate Census data sharing at the national level across government departments and UN agencies using the same system. This software is a data dissemination tool for data analysis. In this software an animated dashboard giving a single view consolidated report on Census reports has been developed using Dev Info data base technology. Users can view selected indicators in animated and interactive tables, graphs and maps.
            UNIFCEF is supporting the Government of India in the Census info 2011 Dashboard initiative with the objective of making the latest census data more accessible to all stakeholders in a user-friendly manner, thereby promoting greater use of data for development.
            Addressing the workshop, Smt. Seema Jain, IAS, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt. of India and Director Census, Punjab said that the software can perform multiple functions and advised the participants to make the best use of this software in their departmental work. Smt Jain also released a Census publication  ‘Administrative Atlas, Punjab 2011’ at this occasion. This Atlas portrays administrative divisions as they existed at the time of Census 1951 to 2011.
            In this two days workshop, presentations based on Housing data of Census 2011 were made by Sh. K.S. Bhatnagar, Joint Director, Sh. Bhagirath Singh and Sh. Madhav Shyam, Deputy Directors, Sh. C.K. Dutta and Sh. Rajindra Prashad, Assistant Directors. Training to participants on software was given by Sh. BB Jain, Research Officer.

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SUICIDE OF GIRL AFTER GANGRAPE IN PATIALA
SUKHBIR ORDERS IMMEDIATE AND STRICTEST ACTION AGAINST GUILTY POLICE OFFICERS

• IG PATIALA ZONE ASKED TO CONDUCT ENQUIRY AND SUBMIT REPORT WITHIN ONE WEEK

• DSP SUSPENDED, SHO AND ASI DISMISSED

Chandigarh/ Patiala, December 27 : The Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal today asked DGP Mr. Sumedh Singh to take immediate and strictest possible action against guilty police officers who had delayed investigation and action against, who were found wanting in their duty in the gang rape case of a girl of village  Badshahpur in Patiala district.
            The Deputy Chief Minister, who is also holding the Home portfolio, said that he would not tolerate any insensitivity and dereliction of duty especially in the cases of crime against women. He asked IG Zonal Patiala, Mr. Parmjit Singh Gill to conduct a thorough inquiry to fix the responsibility of the guilty officers and submit a report within one week.
            On the basis of the preliminary enquiry Mr. Badal asked DGP to suspend DSP Patran Mr. Harpreet Singh and dismiss SHO Ghagga Gurcharan Singh and Investigating Officer & ASI Nasib Singh from the services with immediate effect.
            Meanwhile all the three accused in the concerned case have already been arrested by Punjab police.,

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57TH NDC MEETING
BADAL FOR PEOPLE CENTRIC POLICIES TO BE THE MAIN FOCUS OF NATION’S PLANNING PROCESS
ASK PLANNERS TO VENTURE FOR ACHIEVING THE ENVISIONED GROWTH BY EVOLVING A GROWTH STRATEGY TO ENSURE BALANCED GROWTH
CALLS FOR SINCERE APPROACH TO STRENGTHEN FEDERAL STRUCTURE IN THE COUNTRY
SEEKS Rs 5000 CRORE TECHNOLOGY MISSION FOR AGRICULTURE DIVERSIFICATION IN GREEN REVOLUTION STATES DURING 12TH FIVE YEAR PLAN
BATS FOR OPENING NEW VISTAS FOR PROMOTING CROSS BORDER TRADE THROUGH LAND ROUTE IN PUNJAB
ENVISAGES SPECIAL CRITERION FOR ALLOCATION OF FUNDS FROM DEVOLUTION OF CENTRAL TAXES FOR PUNJAB HAVING HIGHEST SC POPULATION

NEW DELHI DECEMBER 27:
Punjab Chief Minister Mr Parkash Singh Badal today emphasized the need to change the policy orientation by initiating new methods to measure development keeping in view the well-being of people as a pivot of nation’s planning process.
These views were expressed by the Chief Minister while addressing the 57th meeting of the National Development Council (NDC) on the draft of 12th Five Year Plan chaired by the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh here at Vigyan Bhawan. He said, “We have achieved high growth rate in the economy in terms of infrastructure development, capital intensive industrialization and high investment however large sections of people have remained excluded from the growth story.”  
The Chief Minister exhorted the planners to endeavor for achieving the envisioned growth by evolving a growth strategy focused at reducing disparities within regions, within states and within rural and urban population in each state. Mr Badal unequivocally said the main focus of planning should be to look beyond the GDP growth rates and per capita incomes to ensure comprehensive policies aimed at citizen’s well being. Quoting Prime Minister he said, “We need a new wave of creative thinking on these issues. Old way of thinking has run their course.” adding that Mr Badal said that these words must be put into practice by making the plans need based and giving priority to human welfare.
The Chief Minister lamented the country had been unable to cope up with the problems of poverty, unemployment besides providing basic amenities like education, healthcare, drinking water etc. even after 60 years of planning. Mr Badal pointed out the current economic model had focused more on growth rate rather than human development which resulted in the decline of the overall human development index of the country from 127 in 2005 to 134 in 2011. He said the position of country’s Human Development indicators was quite dismal as compared to other countries as these indicators continued to be lower in contrast with other countries India ranked 125th in per capita income, 109th in unemployment, 149th in illiteracy, 153rd in Infant mortality rate and 56th in poverty besides it figured amongst the top 15 hunger stricken nations.  
The Chief Minister mentioned though the country has implemented 11 Five Year Plans since independence, and the focus of the latest 11th Five Year Plan was “Faster and Inclusive Growth”, yet the country and its people face many challenges.  Mr Badal bemoaned that as per latest definition of poverty of per capita per day expenditure of Rs 26 and Rs 32 in rural and urban areas, 29.8% of the population continued to be below the poverty line.  He said that the current economic model which focused on higher growth had resulted in inequalities and the gap between the rich and poor was ever widening thereby a large chunk of population like Scheduled Castes, minorities and people in rural areas have remained excluded from the growth story.
The Chief Minister rued that since independence; the federal structure of the country had been gradually diluted thereby paving a way for strengthening of unitary system. Mr Badal said that funds were given to the states in a tied manner through Central schemes which never served the desired purposes of the state in order to meet the needs of the people. Highlighting the faulty formula of devolution of funds to the state, he said the Center took away major share of 68% of the total taxes collected thereby leaving the states with only 32% adding that a state like Punjab got merely 1.39%. The Chief Minister pleaded for genuine federalism which could be the only panacea for all such ills.
Urging the Government of India to immediately help the state in promoting farm diversification, the Chief Minister demanded a technology mission for 'Diversification of Agriculture with an allocation of Rs 5000 crore for green revolution states on the lines of Rs 4000 crore 'Bringing Green Revolution to Eastern India' (BGREI) to be included in the 12th Five Year Plan. Mr Badal also urged the GoI to release the relief package forthwith as promised by it to bail out the Punjab farmers and the state government in the wake of drought like conditions during Kharif-2012. 
The Chief Minister stated that in Kharif 2012, despite 42% deficit rainfall the state and farmers ensured a bumper production of 133 lakh metric tons of marketable paddy at a huge extra cost. Subsequently, the Group of Ministers (GoM) led by Mr Sharad Pawar announced a drought relief package, which had not been provided to Punjab till date rather the state was apprised that the central government would soon withdraw from the purchase of Wheat and Paddy therefore Mr Badal said that the diversification was the only way out and it could only be possible with a strong support from the GoI. Apart from this he also demanded a remunerative MSP and assured marketing system for alternative crops Maize, Soyabean, Cotton and Sugarcane etc to give a fillip to the much needed farm diversification program in the state. The Chief Minister also impressed upon the Centre to treat Animal Husbandry activities like diary, poultry, fishery, piggery etc. at par with agriculture for exemption from income tax, interest rates etc. Mr Badal also asked the centre to give liberal fixed annual grants to the leading agricultural universities for research.
Outlining the scenario of agriculture in the state, the Chief Minister said that 69% of the population was dependent on Agriculture for their livelihood besides provided food security to the nation.  He said 77% of the people were engaged in agriculture and contributed 43% to the GSDP, in 1971 adding that now, 69% of people are still dependent on agriculture but their contribution has come down drastically to 14%, showing their deteriorating economic condition. Mr Badal said that Agriculture was facing serious crisis and was no longer a remunerative preposition. Moreover the MSP has not also kept pace with the rising cost of agriculture inputs. He said that farmers were abandoning agriculture and as per a minister’s statement in the Parliament 2.90 lakh farmers have committed suicides in the last 15 years.  Consequently the number of small farmers had considerably decreased from 5 to 3 lakhs in the state. Mr Badal revealed that Punjab farmers were reeling under a whopping debt of Rs 35000 crore  
Dwelling on the major initiatives to boost Power sector in the state, the Chief Minister said that three thermal power plants of 3920 MW capacity were likely to be commissioned between May, 2013 and May, 2014. However, he said that Coal India Limited has expressed its inability to provide full coal linkage therefore the GoI should ask the state having access to ports to import coal whereas the landlocked states like Punjab should be provided with full coal linkage by Coal India.
Referring to the industrial scenario in Punjab, the Chief Minister said that despite availability of power, excellent infrastructure and complete Industrial peace and harmony, the state had a disadvantage due to its landlocked location with a hostile border adding that prolonged militancy, abolition of freight equalization policy and tax concessions to neighboring states have further contributed to decline in industrial growth. Mr Badal envisaged some specific measures needed to be taken during the next five year plan for the rejuvenation and revival of the industry in the state adding he urged upon the GoI to extend Delhi – Mumbai Industrial Corridor and Eastern Freight Corridor upto Amritsar (Attari Border). Apart from this the Chief Minister demanded that Punjab, being an agricultural state, should be provided assistance for agro-processing industries with the same incentives as given to neighboring hill states. In a bid to boost the cross border trade between India and Pakistan in a big way, Mr Badal asked the Centre to permit trade in all about 6,000 items being traded between Mumbai – Karachi sea route through the land route at ICP Attari. Likewise, he also impressed the GoI to persuade Pakistan for granting MFN status to India and to allow trade to the Central Asian countries through land route.
The Chief Minister pleaded for restoring the earlier formula in terms of weightage for area and fuel consumption in the ratio of 40:60, which has now been changed to 70:30, thereby depriving the state government from its legitimate share in Central Road Fund (CRF). Mr Badal recalled Punjab contributed about Rs 600 crore per year in terms of levy of cess of Rs. 1.5 per litre on diesel and petrol to CRF. 
Listing the priorities in Health sector, the Chief Minister pointed out that the state has recorded sharp decline in Infant Mortality Rate from 44 in 2006 to 30 in 2011. He said that GoI has rated health infrastructure in the state as excellent however as per latest 2011 census, there was requirement of additional 513 Sub Centres which needed sanction by the Union Government. Welcoming the decision of Government of India for upgradation of selected district hospitals for tertiary care during the 12th plan period, Mr Badal said that the National Urban Health Mission should be launched immediately without any further delay. The Chief Minister urged GoI to assist the state in up-gradation of Government Medical College, Patiala. He also applauded the Union Ministry of Health’s decision for enhancing the number of MBBS and PG seats in Government Medical Colleges and liberalizing the norms for establishment of new medical colleges across the state.
On the Education front, the Chief Minister said that the concerted efforts of state government resulted in securing first position in Education Development Index for Punjab amongst the major states in year 2011-2012 as compared to 14th position in 2006-07. However Mr Badal said that the rural population was badly hit due to disparities in both the quality of life as well as of education between the rural and urban sectors. Laying stress on the need of providing equal opportunities to the rural students especially in this age of competition, he advocated that sincere efforts should be made to offer enormous opportunities of affordable quality education to the bright and meritorious students particularly in the rural areas. Henceforth the Chief Minister demanded that the GoI should set up fully residential schools for free quality education to the talented and intelligent students of the rural areas.
Seeking top priority for the skill development of the youth particularly from the rural areas, the Chief Minister demanded that the 12th Five Year plan should lay major thrust on it to enable our youth gainfully employed. He said that the state government had already finalized the sites for 247 centers out of the proposed 250 skill development centers in first phase adding that now the Centre should expedite the implementation of this decision. Besides the GoI should assist the state in setting up of 73 new ITIs in the blocks where at present there is no government ITI, added Mr Badal.
Showing concern over the welfare of Schedule Castes and Backward classes, the Chief Minister said that no criterion had been laid so far for giving due weightage to the state in the devolution of central taxes for the well being of this important segment of society despite Punjab had the highest SC population of 31%. He said that Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana was launched in 2009-10 for villages having more than 50% of Scheduled Caste population however no village in the state has been covered under this scheme.
The Chief Minister was accompanied by Finance Minister Mr Parminder Singh Dhindsa, Vice Chairman Punjab State Planning Board Mr Rajinder Gupta, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr SK Sandhu and Special Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Mr KJS Cheema.   
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CAPT. DELIBERATELY TRYING TO TARNISH THE IMAGE OF SAD –MALUKA, SEKHON, PHILLAUR, GREWAL

Chandigarh Dec 27:
Mr. Sikander Singh Maluka, Education Minister, Mr. Janmeja Singh Sekhon, Irrigation Minister, Mr. Sarwan Singh Phillaur, Jails & Tourism Minister, Punjab and Mr. Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal, Adviser/CM today accused the Capt. Amarinder Singh, PPCC for deliberately trying to tarnish  the image of Shiromani Akali Dal on every unfortunate incident in the state. Reacting sharply to the Capt. raising hue and cry over breach of law by Akali workers and targeting Revenue Minister Mr. Bikram Singh Majithia in a joint statement issued here today said that Congress is bereft of developmental agenda and all the charade is to deflect attention of public by making a mountain out of molehill. They said that as per the old traditions, Congressmen were adopting the same tactics and double standards to divert the attention of people from the worst law and order situation in National Capital  and congress ruled states like Haryana, Rajasthan and Kerla by charging Akali Dal for every unfortunate incident in the state.  They said that SAD which has huge base and thousands of office bearers at various levels cannot be held responsible for acts committed by one or two individuals. What is to be seen is that did SAD shun such elements? Was police directed for prompt and stringent action? The answer beyond doubt is affirmative.
            If at all SAD is to be put in dock for the issue, then measuring by the same yard stick should PM and Sonia Gandhi not resign or at least drop his tainted ministers?  In case of Congress it is not a matter of an unknown party worker or two but it has given party tickets to those elements that have been charged with heinous crimes like murder, misappropriation of government money, moral turpitude, disproportionate assets, and corruption and even under arms act. Gopal Kanda, Vitthal Radadia, Venod Sharma and Ram Kumar MLA from Doon Constituency in Himachal Pradesh who is on the run in Jyoti murder case are but a few to name.  Has Congress ever bothered to think of purging it self from such elements? “Sonia De Raj Vich, Daagi Nein Mantri De Bhes Vich.” Without caring a wink for the fact that such elements have a deleterious effect on the system and the quality of governance, Congress for the sake of power and other political compulsions has remained hoodwinked over the issue.
            At State level, has any congressmen ever bothered to check Maharaja who always puts political ethics on the back seat and uses time and again extremely obnoxious, abusive and provocative language in his statements with Khunda in his hand?
            If the loss of life at any level calls for the resignation of party president then Sonia Gandhi better answer for the loss of life of hundreds of Sikhs in Delhi Sikh Genocide? Is she worthy of being party president? Should Shila Dikshit, Chief Minister Delhi not resign immediately for the most unfortunate incident that has shaken the whole country.
            So, Congress should better shun political hypocrisy and before pointing an accusing finger at SAD leaders  should introspect and give a serious thought to rid it self of rowdy elements who are a blot on democracy. 
            They said that dual standards will not be tolerated and anything that applies to Bikram Majithia should also apply to Sonia Gandhi who is shielding and patronizing so many criminals in congress rank and file.
            They further elaborated that our culture is radically different from theirs.  We deal with defaulters with an iron rod.  We believe that nobody is above law and nobody at all (regardless of any political affiliation) is allowed to take law in their hands but congress has a policy of shielding the shady and inflating and distorting the issues for selfish interests. 
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JOGINDER PAL JAIN APPOINTED AS CHAIRMAN OF PUNJAB STATE WAREHOUSING CORPORATION

Chandigarh, December 27-

The Punjab Government today appointed former Moga MLA Mr Joginder Pal Jain as the Chairman of Punjab State Warehousing Corporation with immediate effect.

Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office said that Punjab Chief Minister Mr Parkash Singh Badal cleared the file to this effect on Wednesday evening.
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EIGHT CHAIRPERSONS OF DISTRICT PLANNING COMMITTEES APPOINTED

Chandigarh, December 27-

The Punjab Government today appointed eight Chairpersons of District Planning Committees with immediate effect.
Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office said that Punjab Chief Minister Mr Parkash Singh Badal gave his nod to this effect on Wednesday evening.
The newly appointed chairpersons of these committees included MLA Malout Mr Harpreet Singh for Sri Muktsar Sahib, former Cabinet Minister Mr Hira Singh Gabria for Ludhiana and former MLA Mr Veer Singh Lopoke for Amritsar. Likewise senior Akali leader Mr Gurcharan Singh Channi had been appointed as Chairperson of District Planning Committee Jalandhar, former MLA Mr Sarabjeet Singh Makkar of Kapurthala, Mr Deepinder Singh Dhillon of Patiala, Mr Prem Kumar Valecha of Fazilka and former MLA Mr Mangat Ram Bansal of Mansa. 
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VETERINARY POLYCLINICS AND SUB DIVISIONAL HOSPITALS TO OPERATE IN DOUBLE SHIFT-PHILLAUR

PUNJAB GOVT. TO FOCUS ON PIGGERY AND GOAT REARING-PHILLAUR

 CHANDIGARH, December 27:As part of diversification plan Punjab Government would lay emphasis on piggery and goatery, as there was ready market for pork and mutton in northern states especially, national capital region (N.C.R).
This was disclosed by Punjab Animal Husbandry, Fisheries and Dairy Development minister Mr. Sarwan Singh Phillaur here today while presiding over a  meeting of Deputy Directors of animal husbandry department.
   Mr Phillaur said that the prospective farmers would be given training by the department of animal husbandry in the vocation opted by them and helped to get loans from banks at subsidized rates. He averred that agriculture production had already reached its plateau and there was no further scope of increase in growth rate of this sector. But growth rate in animal husbandry sector could be achievable to the tune of 6-8% by laying greater focus, whereas growth rate in crop production was only 2% presently.
The animal husbandry minister also ordered that Veterinary Polyclinics at district level and Sub Divisional hospitals would work in double shifts so as to provide quality veterinary services to livestock farmers round the clock.
Mr Phillaur disclosed that for strengthening of Semen Bank Nabha and for progeny testing Murrah buffalo bull, a grant of Rs 32.88 Crore had been approved which would give paradigm lift to the cow & buffalo breed improvement programme of the department and thereby increased production of milk.
The Minister also announced that National Livestock Championship, 2012 would be held at Mukatsar from 8 to 12 January, 2013, wherein the winning animal owners would be given prizes to the tune of Rs. 1.25 Cr.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Des Raj Dhugga, Chief Parliamentary Secretary urged the officers to work sincerely and diligently to implement the policies of Punjab Government at grass root level, so that rural economy could be uplifted.
Mr Jagpal Singh Sandhu, Financial Commissioner assured that all hiccups in speedy disbursal of loans by banks for livestock farming would be removed so that unemployed youth could avail the best employment avenues available in this sector.
Earlier, Dr H S Sandha, Director, Animal Husbandry, Punjab gave a presentation enunciating an account of various activities being undertaken by the department.

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DEPARTMENTS TOLD TO APPOINT SEPARATE COUNSELS
FOR BOARDS, CORPORATIONS AND PSUs

CHANDIGARH, DECEMBER 27: The Punjab Government today asked its all departments to engage separate counsels for Boards, Corporations and Public Sector Undertakings falling under various departments to receive advance copy of writ petitions filed in High Court.
          According to an official spokesman as per the orders, the Corporations, Boards of various government departments and Public Sector Undertakings have been directed to appoint an individual counsel for them to get the notice before or after filing up of writ petitions.  He said that as per the orders departments have to appoint an individual counsel within a week. He also informed that the details of appointed counsel along with names and other particulars have to communicate to the Registrar, Punjab and Haryana High Court.
          The spokesman said that Counsel, who would be appointed by the department, would receive the notices and it would further send to the concerned Boards, Corporations and PSUs. He said that Counsel would also ensure the delivery of notice to the concerned officers of Board, Corporation and PSUs.  He said that after receiving the notices regarding writ petitions, the concerned Boards, Corporations and PSUs can appoint separate counsels, in place of the appointed counsel for receiving of notice, for their own level for further proceedings. The spokesman said that each department would appoint one counsel for all the Boards, Corporations and PSUs falling under it, whose name would be communicated to the Registrar of Punjab and Haryana High Court.     The Spokesman also said that after completing all the formalities all the departments would send their reports to the Home Department.
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ETHIOPIAN DELEGATION CALLS ON SPEAKER OF PUNJAB ASSEMBLY

·        DISCUSSES THE ISSUES OF FISCAL SCHEMES AND BUDGET TRANSFER BETWEEN STATE AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENT

 CHANDIGARH, DECEMBER 27:
A 7 member delegation of Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia called on Dr. Charanjit Singh Atwal, Speaker, Punjab Legislative Assembly at Punjab Legislative Secretariat here today to have acquaintance of the procedure of passing the budget adopted by state government. The delegation would also study the implementation of fiscal schemes in the state and transfer of budget between state and the Union Government.
            Dr. Charanjit Singh Atwal, Speaker Punjab Assembly and Mr. Dinesh Singh, Deputy Speaker welcomed the delegation led by Mr. Yalew Abate Reta, Speaker of Amhara Regional State and Standing Committee Member of House of Federation. The Speaker also apprised the members of delegation Mrs. Demitu Hambisa Bonsa, Speaker of Oromia Regional State, Mr. Yehannes Buayalew Faris, Mr. Seifedin Harun Soso and Mr. Worku Adamu (all Member, Standing Committee, House of Federation), Mr. Anesa Melko Hebero, Advisor to the President of Southern People’s, Nations and Nationalities Regional State and Mr. Debebe Barud Dera, Director, House of Federation about the various kind of constitutional proceeding and legislation work being done in the state assembly.
Later, in a meeting with Mr. Jaspal Singh, Secretary Expenditure, Finance and Mr. Gurdev Singh Sidhu, Secretary, Revenue, the delegation members have deliberation on the issues of funding to Urban Development Agencies and Panchayati Raj Institutions by state government besides agricultural sector.
The Speaker felicitated the delegation members with mementos and shawls. Mr. Ved Parkash, Secretary, Punjab Legislative Secretariat and Mr. Anil Vij, Research Officer was also present on the occasion.
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CENSUS DATA DISSEMINATION WORKSHOP
27TH & 28TH DECEMBER, 2012

            Chandigarh December 27: A two day Census Data Dissemination workshop is being organised as part of the efforts to sensitise data users about the availability and use of latest Census 2011 results on Housing, Household Amenities and Assets, The workshop is being organised with support from UNFPA and UNWOMEN. On the first day representative officers from the Department of Economics and Statistical Organisation and other Government offices, NGOs, academicians from University and Colleges participated. Second day shall focus on use of Data Dissemination Tool ‘Censusinfo India ver. 2.0 module’ on Housing and Household Amenities from Census 2011.
Presentations on various parameters based on Housing data were made by the officers of the Census Directorate. The houselisting data of Census 2011 has revealed that Punjab ranks quite high on various parameters. One- half (49.9%) of the normal households in the State are residing in good condition census houses. Drinking water is available within premises to 85.9% of the households. Every second household in Punjab (51.0%) has ‘Tap’ as the main source of drinking water showing big improvement over that of 2001 (33.6%). There is a significant reduction in gap in rural and urban areas in this regard. In the State, 96.6% of the households are having electricity as the main source of “lighting” as against 91.9% in 2001. Latrine is available within premises to 79.3% of the households in the State. Similarly, bathing facility within premises is available to 71.5% households.
In Punjab, LPG/PNG is the most predominant fuel used for cooking in every second household in the State (54.5%). 5.4% of the households are having computer/laptop with internet and 7.4% households are having computer/laptop without internet. The percentage of households having telephone/mobile has shot up from 18.9% in 2001 to 82.1% in 2011. In the State, 47.4% households have Scooter//Motorcycle/Moped and 13.1% possess Car/Jeep/Van. Only 4.4% of the households in the State do not possess any of the specified assets.
Smt Seema Jain, IAS, Joint Secretary, MHA, Government of India and Director Census, Punjab appeals to the participants to make its best use of data released and make use of the censusinfo India module in analysing the data. A separate publication on Scheduled Caste Households was also released. The entire information is available on electronic format as well.  

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Punjab Chief Minister Mr Parkash Singh Badal is seen with eminent political dignitaries during the swearing in ceremony of Mr Narendra Modi as the Chief Minister of Gujarat for the third consecutive term at Ahmedabad on December 26.

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MOGA MLA JOGINDER PAL JAIN RESIGNS FROM CONGRESS-JOINS SHIROMANI AKALI DAL

• ·          ALSO RESIGNS FROM THE MEMBERSHIP OF LEGISLATIVE PARTY
• ·          FIRST SITTING MLA IN PUNJAB RESIGNING TO JOIN OTHER PARTY
• ·          SUKHBIR DECLARES JAIN AS SAD CANDIDATE FOR BY-ELECTION FROM MOGA SEAT

CHANDIGARH, DECEMBER 26:  The dwindling ship of Punjab Pradesh Congress Party today received a rude shock as its MLA from Moga seat Mr. Joginder Pal Jain resigned from Congress Party and also from Vidhan Sabha and joined Shiromani Akali Dal in the presence of Party President and Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal. In an unprecedented move, an MLA, that too in the beginning of his tenure has resigned from a party to join another party reflecting rising frustration of Congress MLAs from the dictatorial and insensitive leadership of Congress Party.

          Announcing his unconditional joining of Shiromani Akali Dal, Mr. Jain said that he was fed up  with the infighting of Congress Party and was hurt from the fact that during last five years, party never came to his aide when he was in trouble. He said that he was also frustrated as Congress leadership was encouraging dissidents against him and despite repeated complaints they never acted against those self styled leaders, who were sabotaging his working in Moga constituency. He said that he sincerely felt that future of Punjab was safe in the hands of Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal and Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal, who were taking Punjab on the path of development with their visionary development agenda.

          Welcoming Mr. Jain in the Party fold, Mr. Badal said that he knew Mr. Jain from the days when he fought elections from Moga in his initial political days and Mr. Jain was quite helpful to him during his election. He also announced that Mr. Jain would be candidate of Shiromani Akali Dal for ensuing by-poll from Moga seat. Flanked by Mr. P.S. Gill, SAD Candidate, who fought against Mr. Jain, Mr. Badal said that Mr. Gill was like his family member and we are utilizing his services for special tasks as he was one of few members of inner core team.

          Prominent amongst those who joined the SAD fold included Mr. Gurdeep Singh Gill, Ex-Chairman, Mr. Nachattar Singh Koreana, Ex-Chairman, Mr. Akshit Jain, President Youth Congress Moga with his whole team, Mr. Davinder Singh Tiwari, Spokesman District Youth Congress, Mr. Rajinder Singh Takkar, President Artiya Association, Mr. Mahinder Singh Brar, Vice President, Punjab Nambardar Union, Mr. Harnek Singh Ramwala, Sarpanch, Vice President District Congress, Mr. Jaslovepreet Singh Sidhu, vice president, youth congress Lok Sabha, Mr. Gurbinder singh vice president, youth congress, Mr. Harmandeep Singh Tony, Mr. Jaideep Gandhi, Mr. Rajinder Jain, all general secretaries of Congress Party, Mr. Rakesh Kumar Nitara, Mr. Paramjit Garg, Mr. Rattan Garg, 19 Ex-MCs including Mr. Praveen Sharma, Mr. Ashok Kumar Dhamija, Mr. Narinder Pal Singh Sidhu, Mr. Hari Ram, Mr. Bharat Bhushan Garg, Mr. Amresh Kumar, Mr. Harbans Singh, Mr. Inderjit Singh Saharan, Mr. Rakesh Kumar Bajaj and hundreds of sarpanches and panches from Moga Constituency.

ZERO TOLERANCE AGAINST CRIME-SUKHBIR

WE CARRY NO CLEAN CHIT: "WE CARRY THE LAW BOOK"

Chandigarh December 26 – The Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal today reiterated the SAD-BJP government’s commitment to “zero tolerance of crime” of any nature in the state, and said that the government would come down with a heavy hand against anyone trying to take law in his or her own hands.

  In a statement here, Mr. Badal, who also holds the Home portfolio, said that the preservation of peace and law and order and the maintenance of the supremacy of the Rule of Law were the highest priorities of his government. “ There are clear instructions that there can no compromise on rule of law or the maintenance of law and order. No one trying to mess with law would be spared, no matter who or how strong he might be. No one is above the law, and anyone who thinks he will come to grief,” said the Deputy Chief Minister.
   Mr. Badal said that in the past nearly six years, there have been three to four “high profile violations of law and order,  and in each case,  we have dealt with it with an iron hand. Be it the Faridkot case or the ASI murder case, the police has acted with exemplary speed and all the accused have been booked, arrested and brought to face the law of the land. Unlike the Congress and its Clean-chit culture to crime,   we spare no one, regardless of who it is. We do not carry clean chits in our pockets. Instead , we carry the law book. ”
  Mr. Badal challenged his opponents to name even one case in which the accused had been allowed to go Scott-free. “Even according to the figures circulated by the agencies of the government of India, Punjab is the most peaceful and least crime-vulnerable state. But we do not deny that law breakers can exist in any society, including here. Then, it is the job of the government to ensure that that there is fear of law in their hearts and that any violation of law is strictly dealt with. We have ensured that without any let-up or exception.”
 Referring to cases crimes against women in other parts of the country, Mr. Badal said that the SAD-BJP government was the first in Punjab to recruit  women in the responsible echelons of police hierarchy. “We are committed to providing absolute security to women folk. That is a part of our up-bringing and we are guided by the values of our culture in this. We do not issue clean chits when cases of molestation of girls come to our notice, as was the case during the Congress government,”: said Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal.
            The Home Minister declared that Punjab will set up a special night force in the police to increase vigil and counter crime.

CM ASSAILS CENTRE FOR MEAGER HIKE OF Rs 65 IN MSP OF WHEAT

DEMANDS RE-FIXATION OF MSP @ RS 1800 PER QUINTAL

DESCRIBES INADEQUATE HIKE IN MSP AS ‘RUBBING SALT INTO THE WOUNDS OF FARMERS’

CHANDIGARH DECEMBER 26:
            Punjab Chief Minister Mr Parkash Singh Badal today slammed the Centre for an inadequate hike of Rs 65 per quintal in the Minimum Support Price of Wheat thereby fixing it at Rs 1350 and described it as a ‘Stab in the back of the farming community’.
Out rightly rejecting the enhancement of MSP in wheat by just Rs 65, Mr Badal demanded its immediate re-fixation  at least at Rs 1800 per quintal saying that the Centre must have announced an increase of Rs 500 per quintal instead of this paltry sum of Rs 65, which was too little, too inadequate to compensate the dejected farmers. 
In a statement, the Chief Minister said that the non-remunerative MSP coupled with anti-farmer policies of Centre was primarily responsible for the slowdown of the agricultural growth. Mr Badal said that though his government had been constantly pleading the case of Punjab's beleaguered peasantry, which was in great distress and deep crisis, thereby demanding MSP of at least Rs 1800 /- per quintal of wheat from the Government of India in line with the escalation of agricultural inputs.  He said that the factors like withdraw of subsidy on fertilizers and consequently nearly threefold hike in the cost of DAP fertilizers had put the farmers in quandary and therefore, it was obligatory on the part of the GoI to announce an adequate hike in the MSP of Wheat at Rs.1800 per quintal for the Rabi marketing season 2013-14 to make it commensurate with the increased agricultural inputs in terms of diesel, fertilizers and pesticides. 
Mr Badal pointed out that it was a high time for the Centre to awake from deep slumber in order to fix the MSP by providing a margin of 50% over the cost of production to the farmers as suggested by an eminent agricultural economist Dr MS Swaminathan to ensure remunerative prices of their produce to the farmers. The Chief Minister lamented that it was a paradoxical situation that the MSP demanded by farming community was far below the price at which the country had been importing wheat from Australia in the past adding that there was hardly any justification to deprive the local producers of the same price. Cautioning the Centre to desist from implementing such anti-farming policies, the Chief Minister said that failing it the Union government would be solely responsible for the decay of agriculture thereby putting the food security of the country in peril because such decisions would leave the nation’s entire peasantry particularly that of Punjab in quandary.
The Chief Minister said that the UPA leaders owe an explanation to the farmers regarding the ever widening gulf between the costs of inputs and the MSP given to the farmers in their regime since 2004. He reiterated that denial of hike in MSP on Wheat was a testimony of Congress led UPA government’s complete insensitivity and apathy towards the plight of the depressed farming community which was already on the crossroads due to low returns on account of squeezed margins of profit. Mr Badal asked the Centre to be loyal and fair to the farming community and shun politicking on the vital issues concerning the welfare of peasantry.
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PUNJAB POLICE TO HAVE SEPARATE CADRE FOR NIGHT POLICING-SUKHBIR

• PUNJAB TO HAVE 15% WOMEN POLICE FORCE
• 3000 WOMEN ALREADY RECRUITED IN POLICE LAST YEAR
• CABINET TO APPROVE DIRECT RECRUITMENT OF WOMEN DSPs
• MAJOR MOVE FOR WOMEN EMPOWERMENT AND GENDER SENSITIZATION
• NO BODY WOULD BE ALLOWED TO TAKE LAW IN HIS HAND

CHANDIGARH, DECEMBER 26: Punjab Deputy Chief Minister, Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal, who is also holding the charge of Home Minister, today announced constitution of separate force for policing the state during night hours.

          Talking to media persons on the sidelines of a function here today, Mr. Badal said that Punjab would be the first state in the country that would have dedicated force for night duty, who would be given permanent rest during day time. He said that there would be a separate Superintendent of Police for each district for night policing. He said that due to rotational night duty of policemen, night policing was getting ignored moreover policemen performing night duty were not getting adequate rest. He said that it has been decided to have total dominance of police on highways and streets to check the activities of anti social elements. He said that Punjab police was taking special steps to sensitize the force and take prompt steps in all cases of crime against women.  

          Expressing concern over total collapse of law and order situation in National Capital Delhi and increasing number of crime against women, Mr. Badal said that Punjab Police has taken special steps to empower the women. He said that surprisingly there was not a single recruitment of women in the police force and on his initiative over 3000 women were recruited in the force last year and he has given directions to step up the recruitment of women to take it up to 15% of total force. Mr. Badal informed that for the first time Women DSPs would be directly recruited in  the state and the case was being put up in the cabinet.

          Referring to incident in Ludhiana, Mr. Badal said that no body, at whatsoever position would be allowed to take law in his hand. He said that Punjab Police has already arrested one accused Amaninder Singh alias Aman and hunt was on to arrest other two accused including Maninder Pal Singh and Rishi Banda.  

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PUNJAB GOVERNMENT RELEASES LIST HOLIDAYS FOR 2013

------------34 Holidays-------

CHANDIGARH, DECEMBER 26:
          The Punjab government today released a list of 34 holidays for 2013. The government will also observe 20 restricted holidays from which each employee can choose two days to observe as holidays.

1. Public Offices will  remain closed for Birthday of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji (January 18)
2. Republic Day (January 26)
3. Basant Panchmi and Satguru Ram Singh’s birthday (February 15
4. Sri Guru Ravidas’s birthday (February 25)
5. Maha Shivaratri (March 10)
6. Shahidi Divas of Bhagat Singh (March 23
7. Holi (March 27)
8. Good Friday (March 29)
9. Baisakhi (April 13)
10. Dr. B.R.Ambedkar’s Birthday (April 14)
11. Ram Navami (April 19)
12. Mahavir Jyanti (April 24)
13. May Day (May 1
14. Lord Parshuram Jyanti (May 13)
15. Guru Arjun Dev’s Martyrdom day (June 12)
16. Kabir Jayanti (June 23)
17. Shahid Udham Singh’s martyrdom day (July 31)
18. Id-ul-Fitr (August 09)
19. Independence Day (August 15)
20. Janamashtami (August 28)
21. Sri Guru Granth Sahib Prakash Utsav ( September 01)
22. Baba Sri Chand’s birthday (September 14)
23. Birthday of S. Bhagat Singh Ji (September 28)
24. Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday (October 2)
25. Agarsain Jayanti ( October 05)
26. Birthday of Sri Guru Ram Dass Ji (October 9)
27. Dussehra (October 13)
28. Id-ul-Zuha (Bakrid) (October 16)
29. Maharish Valmiki’s birthday (October 18)
30. Diwali (November 3)
31. Vishwakarma day (November 4)
32. Guru Nanak Dev’s birthday (November 17)
33. Guru Teg Bahadur’s martyrdom day (November 24)
34. Christmas (December 25).
             

• (Half Days) In addition to the above holidays each employee will permitted to avail any four second half day holidays to be chosen to join the Nagar Kirtan/Sobha Yatra ...so on

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Restricted Holidays: New Year Day (January 1); Lohri (January 12); Janan Divas Mohamad Sahib (January 25); Nirwan Diwas of Bhagwan Adinath Ji (February 9); International Women Day (March 8); Hola Mohalla (March 28); Buddh Purnima (May 25); Nirjala Ekadashi (June 20); Death Anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh Ji (June 29); Birthday of Baba Jiwan Singh Ji (September 5); Anant Chaturdashi (September 18); Birthday of Baba Banda Singh Ji Bahadur (October 16); Karva Chauth (October 22); Birthday of Sant Nam Dev Ji (October 26); New Punjab Day (November 1); Goverdhan Pooja (November 3) Muharram (November 14) and Jor Mela Fatehgarh Sahib (December 25,26 and 27) are restricted holidays in the Calendary, 2013.
          Public Holidays in the State of Punjab during the Calendar year 2013 within the meaning of Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 are Birthday of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji ( January 18), Republic Day (January 26); Birthday of Sri Guru Ravidass Ji (February 25); Holi (March 27); Bank Holiday (April 1); Ram Naumi ( April 19), Martyrdom Day of Sri Guru Arjun Dev Ji (June 12); Idu'I Fitr (August 09); Independence Day (August 15); Janmashtami (August 28);  Bank Holiday (September 30); Birthday of Mahatma Gandhi Ji (October 2); Dussehra (October 13); Birthday of Maharishi Valmiki Ji (October 18); Diwali (November 3); Dirthday of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji (November 17) and Christmas day (December 25).
          (Half Days) In addition to the above holidays each employee will permitted to avail any four second half day holidays to be chosen to join the Nagar Kirtan/Sobha Yatra in connection with the list of occasion during the calendar year 2013 are Birthday of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, Birthday of Sri Guru Ravi Das Ji, Maha Shivratri, Ram Naumi, Mahavir Jyanti, Vaisakhi, Martyrdom Day of Sri Guru Arjun Dev Ji, Janmashtam, Idu'l Fitr, Birthday of Sri Guru Ram Das Ji, Id-ul-zuha (Bakrid), Birthday of Maharishi Valmiki Ji, Birthday of Sri Guru Nanak  Dev Ji, Martyrdom Day of Sri Guru Tej Bahadur Ji and Christmas Day.
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JOGINDER PAL JAIN RESIGNS FROM MEMBERSHIP OF THE PUNJAB ASSEMBLY

• SPEAKER DR. CHARANJIT SINGH ATWAL ACCEPTS THE RESIGNATION

CHANDIGARH, DECEMBER 26:
The MLA from Moga Mr. Joginder Pal Jain today handed over his resignation from the membership of Punjab Legislative Assembly to Dr. Charanjit Singh Atwal, Speaker, Punjab Legislative Assembly. The Speaker later accepted the resignation.

While speaking with the media persons, Mr. Jain said that he was upset because of internal fight, directionless and floating leadership of congress party.

The prominent amongst other, who were present included, Mr. Sikander Singh Maluka, Education Minister, Mr. Teerath Singh Mahla, Moga District President, SAD, Mr. Jugraj Singh Daudhar, Member, SGPC, Badhani Kalan, Mr. Nachhatar Singh, Former President, Market Committee Moga, Mr. Gurjant Singh Bhutton Rode, Mr. Gurdeep Singh Gill, Mr. Sukhdev Singh Mangewala, Mr. Harnek Singh Ramuwala, Former Sarpanch, Mr. Ashok Ghai, Mr. Amit Ghai, Mr. Gurpeet Singh Samalsar, Mr. Sharanpreet Singh, Mr. Bhaur Singh, Former Sarpanch, Thamanwala and Dr. Rakesh Kumar.

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Capt Amarinder asks Badal to perform or leave

FATEHGARH SAHIB, December 26: Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee President Capt Amarinder Singh today warned against the anarchy and lawlessness in Punjab and asked the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to perform or leave.
Addressing the Shaheedi Jor Mela Conference here today, Capt Amarinder pointed out, the law and order situation in Punjab was worse as the Akalis had become a law unto themselves. He asked, the Chief Minister to tame the revenue minister Bikram Majithia as his people had let a reign of terror on the policemen.
He pointed out, only yesterday a close associate of Majithia beat up a senior police officer and broke his leg. Earlier, in Amritsar an Akali leader shot dead an Assistant Sub Inspector of Police who tried to object to their eve teasing of his daughter. He said, as they killed the assistant sub inspector they shouted slogans “Bikram Majithia Zindabad”.
The former Chief Minister warned the Chief Minister against inaction and surrender to his son and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal. He pointed out, during the ruckus in the Punjab assembly when Bikram Majithia abused a Congress legislator and Chief Minister Mr Badal tried to intervene Sukhbir stopped him and asked him to sit down.
Capt Amarinder said, this government had failed on all fronts. He said, with the situation like this nobody was prepared to come to Punjab and unemployment was growing. He said, youth were feeling frustrated and the treasury was empty. He said, governments are supposed to perform while this government had given up on performance.
Questioning the claims of the Akali Dal about being pro-panth, he asked as what the party had done for the panth. He pointed out, it was former Chief Minister Giani Zail Singh who had constructed the Guru Gobind Singh Marg, while another Congress Chief Minister Harcharan Singh Brar has made Muktsar a district. He said, during his tenure as Chief Minister he had set up four gates in memory of the associates of the Tenth Master and a memorial for Muktas at Muktsar. He said, the Akalis had only exploited the religious sentiments of people for selfish interests.
Among others present on the occasion included former Chief Minister Ms Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, MP SS Libra, MLAs Gurkirat Kotli, Kuljeet Nagra, Randeep Nabha, Darshan Brar, Tej Parkash, Harinder Bhambri and others.

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PUNJAB BEST STATE IN COUNTRY FOR ROADS AND BRIDGES INFRASTRUCTURE-DHILLON

•MEIRA KUMAR, SPEAKER LOK SABHA PRESENTED ‘IBN-7 BEST CORE INFRASTRUCTURE’ AWARD TO PWD MINISTER

CHANDIGARH, DECEMBER 26: The Punjab has been declared the best state in the country in terms of building up road networks, construction of bridges, road connectivity and infrastructure facilities as Mrs. Meira Kumar, Lok Sabha Speaker conferred the ‘IBN Best Core Infrastructure Award’ to Mr. Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, PWD Minister, Punjab at Delhi.

          Disclosing this here today, Mr. Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, PWD Minister, Punjab said that the Punjab has been adjudged as the ‘Best State’ in the country for upgrading the road networks and infrastructure besides constructing exemplary road connectivity. He said that the IBN-7 has had conducted a survey in this regard through out the country after which Punjab has been chosen as the best in the country. Due to busy schedule of Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal and Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal, Mr. Dhillon had to receive this award.

          Extending credit to Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister for this huge achievement, Mr. Dhillon said that it was the result of positive approach of both leaders, who brought Punjab on the pinnacle of development.  He said that Punjab has gone far from several states in the field of development and in the near future it will set more examples in the area of development.

         The PWD Minister also informed that in next two years all the major and link roads in Punjab would be linked with 4/6 lane network as the works of 6 laning on highways and 4 laning on main roads were on full swing. He said that the under construction five District Administration Complexes at Tarn Taran, Barnala, Ferozepur, Kapurthala and Ajitgarh would become operational by March 2013 with a combined cost of Rs. 270 crore. The Minister also informed that the SAD-BJP Government has also completed the construction of 15 University Colleges with a total cost of Rs. 180 crore.

         Prominent amongst those were present in the award receiving ceremony at New Delhi included Mr. Raj Deep Sardesai, Editor-in-Chief IBN-7 and ministers from various states including Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar etc.
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REMAINING TWO ACCUSED OF LUDHIANA BRAWL ARRESTED BY MOHALI POLICE
S.A.S Nagar/Chandigarh ,  Dec 26 :

A Case FIR No. 152 dated 25/12/12 U/s 307/395/148/149 IPC & 25/27-54-59 Arms Act PS Division No. 8 Ludhiana was registered on the complaint of a Canadian national Sh. Paramjit Singh.
The case was registered against 1) Maninderpal Singh Alias  Sunny Johaar 2) Emman Alias Aman 3) Rishi Banda and unknown persons. All the three named accused had absconded after the commission of the offences.
Accused Emman Alias Aman was arrested in the forenoon today by the Ludhiana Commissionerate Police.
The remaining two accused were tracked to the area of district Patiala and Mohali. Police parties under the charge of senior officers were pressed into operation.
SP/Det. Mohali alongwith police parties was deployed in the areas towards Lalru, Derabassi and Zirakpur under the supervision of SSP Gurdaspur, SP/City-1 Mohali alongwith police parties was deployed under the supervision of SSP Mohali in Kharar, Landran and adjoining areas and police parties under the supervision of SSP/Patiala were deployed in the area of Banur and Rajpura.
The two absconding accused Maninderpal Singh Alias Sunny Johaar and Rishi Banda were intercepted between Derabassi and Zirakpur by a police party of SP/Det Mohali and SHO Handesra, SI Chhinderpal Singh. The accused were in PUNTO Black Car No. PB-10-CQ-4042.
On being intercepted the accused tried to flee after abandoning their vehicle, but were overpowered.
A .32 bore Revolver alongwith six cartridges which had been snatched from the complainant has been recovered from Maninderpal Singh @ Sunny Johaar.
The accused were nabbed and the Commissioner of Police Ludhiana was informed.
The accused have been sent to civil hospital Derabassi for medical aid after which they will be handed over to the Ludhiana Police.
    -----                                           
                                          

PUNJABI UNIVERSITY WINS OVERALL ROWING CHAMPIONSHIP
Chandigarh 26 December:

Punjabi University Patiala has won the All India Inter University Rowing Championship, concluded today here at Sukhna Lake, Chandigarh.

S. Adaish Partap Singh Kairon , Minister for Food & Civil Supply, Food Processing, Information & Technology of Punjab was the Chief Guest. Speaking on the occasion Mr Kairon said that the Sukhna Lake has been established as a world level tourism destination and has also earned a great name as a rowing centre. Mr Kairon has also given away the prizes to the winners. The closing ceremony was presided over by Vice Chancellor of Punjabi University Patiala Dr. Jaspal Singh.      The championship was conducted under the chairmanship of Dr. Raj Kumar Sharma, Director Sports with a grand success. Dr. Sharma welcomed all the teams, their coach, managers & officials and describes a brief note on the sports achievements of Punjabi University, Patiala
In men section Punjabi University team has won the first position by securing 18 points, while Punjab University Chandigarh remains at second place with 7 points and Kurukshetra University got 6 points, grabs the third spot. Besides that in women section, Kerala University has won first position by 18 points, followed by Punjabi University with 9 points and Madras University has achieved the third place with 6 points.
Punjabi University has won the overall Championship with total 27 points, whereas Kerala University was the second Runners-up with 18 points and Punjab University Chandigarh got third position with 7 points.
On this occasion AIU Observer Dr. KA Tarzan, National Hockey player Kamal Cheema, National Rower Gurpreet Kaur, Assistant Directors Dr. Gurdeep Kaur and Moninderpal Kaur, General Secretary of Punjab Rowing Association S. Jaspreet Singh Sidhu, Boota Singh Kaleka, Coach Dalbir Singh, Harpreetinder Singh, Dr. Manmohan Singh, Dal Singh Brar & Harjinder Singh Jinda and especially Dr. R.B.Bamba Former Vice Chancellor of Punjab University Chandigarh were also present on the occasion.
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CM PAYS HOMAGE TO BABA FATEH SINGH, BABA ZORAWAR SINGH AND MATA GUJAR KAUR ON THEIR 308th MARTYRDOM ANNIVERSARY
·        PUNJAB GOVERNMENT TO STRICTLY ENFORCE LAW TO ENSURE SPEEDY JUSTICE FOR RAPE VICTIMS-BADAL
·        TAKES UP MATTER WITH CJ OF PUNJAB & HARYANA HIGH COURT FOR TRIAL OF ACCUSED IN RAPE CASES IN FAST TRACK COURTS
Fatehgarh Sahib, December 25

          Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today announced that the Punjab Government would soon ensure strict implementation of the provisions of the law for awarding harshest punishment to the perpetrators of the heinous crime of rape.
          Talking to the media persons on the sidelines after paying obeisance at Gurdwara Sri Fatehgarh Sahib on the 308th Martyrdom Anniversary of younger sons Baba Fateh Singh, Baba Zorawar Singh and mother Mata Gujar Kaur of Tenth master of Sikhs Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji, Mr. Badal was replying to a query regarding the Delhi rape incident adding he said to make amendments in the existing provisions of law for awarding the severest punishment to the culprits of rape was within the domain of Centre and it should be made non-bail able offence. He assured the state government would enforce the implementation of the provisions of law in the right earnest in this regard so that an exemplary punishment could be meted out to the rapists and act as deterrent for others. Mr. Badal said that the culprits for such heinous crime should be tried in the fast track courts so that the speedy dispensation of justice could be ensured to the victims of rape. He said that the state government had already urged the Chief Justice of Punjab & Haryana High Court to earmark some fast track courts in the state to ensure speedy trail of rape cases.
          Reacting sharply to the unfortunate the Delhi Rape incident, Mr. Badal said that the all the accused in the case should be awarded severest of the severe punishment to teach a lesson to the perpetrators of such dastardly acts. Showing solidarity with the rape victim and her family, the Chief Minister said that it was a shameful and unfortunate act against the entire mankind and must be condemned by one and all. He asked the GoI to bring necessary amendments in existing provisions of law under rape to make it far more stringent so that such crimes were not repeated in future.
          Referring to the ruckus in the recently concluded winter session of Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Mr. Badal said that it was unfortunate as the Congress being the opposition party was mentally prepared from day one to boycott the session as they had no concrete agenda except making pandemonium in the assembly. Mr. Badal said he made sincere efforts to persuade the Congress to join the session but all went and vain as they paid no heed to his repeated requests.
          Eulogizing the supreme sacrifice of younger Sahibzadas and Mata Gujar Kaur ji, Mr. Badal said that these sacrifices were unprecedented in the annals of the history of mankind across the globe. He said the entire world was proud of this unique and unparalleled sacrifice which was a matter of great honor not for the Punjabis, our countrymen but everyone living in the world. He said the history of Punjab was replete with countless sacrifices that had derived inspiration from our great Gurus like Sri Guru Arjun Dev ji, Sri Guru Teg Bahadur ji and Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji who laid down their lives for the sake of mankind. He said the outstanding contribution made by Punjabis in National Freedom Struggle was also laudable.
          Earlier, the Chief Minister was presented a siropa (rob of honor) and a sword by the Head Granthi Sri Fatehgarh Sahib Giani Harpal Singh in the sanctum sanctorum of Gurdwara Sahib, where the younger Sahibzadas were bricked alive by the then Mughal emperor Wazid Khan.
          Prominent amongst who were present on the occasion included SAD General Secretary Prof. Prem Singh Chandumajra, MLA Justice (Retd.) Nirmal Singh and Member SGPC Mr. Karnail Singh Panjoli  besides Deputy Commissioner Mr. Yashvir Mahajan and SSP Mr.HS Maan. The Chief was accompanied by his Special Principal Secretary Mr. Gurkirat Kirpal Singh.
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PUNJAB BEST STATE IN COUNTRY FOR ROADS AND BRIDGES INFRASTRUCTURE-DHILLON

•MEIRA KUMAR, SPEAKER LOK SABHA PRESENTED ‘IBN-7 BEST CORE INFRASTRUCTURE’ AWARD TO PWD MINISTER

CHANDIGARH, DECEMBER 25: The Punjab has been declared the best state in the country in terms of building up road networks, construction of bridges, road connectivity and infrastructure facilities as Mrs. Meira Kumar, Lok Sabha Speaker conferred the ‘IBN Best Core Infrastructure Award’ to Mr. Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, PWD Minister, Punjab at Delhi.

          Disclosing this here today, Mr. Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, PWD Minister, Punjab said that the Punjab has been adjudged as the ‘Best State’ in the country for upgrading the road networks and infrastructure besides constructing exemplary road connectivity. He said that the IBN-7 has had conducted a survey in this regard through out the country after which Punjab has been chosen as the best in the country. Due to busy schedule of Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal and Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal, Mr. Dhillon had to receive this award.

          Extending credit to Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister for this huge achievement, Mr. Dhillon said that it was the result of positive approach of both leaders, who brought Punjab on the pinnacle of development.  He said that Punjab has gone far from several states in the field of development and in the near future it will set more examples in the area of development.

         The PWD Minister also informed that in next two years all the major and link roads in Punjab would be linked with 4/6 lane network as the works of 6 laning on highways and 4 laning on main roads were on full swing. He said that the under construction five District Administration Complexes at Tarn Taran, Barnala, Ferozepur, Kapurthala and Ajitgarh would become operational by March 2013 with a combined cost of Rs. 270 crore. The Minister also informed that the SAD-BJP Government has also completed the construction of 15 University Colleges with a total cost of Rs. 180 crore.

         Prominent amongst those were present in the award receiving ceremony at New Delhi included Mr. Raj Deep Sardesai, Editor-in-Chief IBN-7 and ministers from various states including Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar etc.
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PUNJAB GOVERNMENT DECIDES TO ALLOT MORE THAN 100 PERMITS UNDER MOTOR CAB AND MAXI CAB SCHEME

‘‘EDUCATED UNEMPLOYED YOUTHS WOULD BE GIVEN PRIORITY FOR PERMITS’’

CHANDIGARH, December 25:
 To provide better traveling services to the public, Punjab Government decided to allot more than 100 permits for the operation of motors cabs and maxi cabs on the different routes of the state. 
Disclosing this here today a spokesman of Transport department said that these permits would be provided under the Mata Gujri Seva Punjab Motor and Maxi Cab Scheme-2011 to link the villages with the cities.
The spokesman informed that applications had been already invited for the operations of Motors on the 84 routes in Bathinda and 25 routes in Mansa. The main purpose of the allotment of permits to links the villages with the cities on one hand and to provide the employment to the unemployed youths on other hand. He further said that these permits would not be allotted to the Government or semi-Government employees. The educated unemployed youths would be given priority for the allotment of permits. Those candidates will be given priority whose, villages are on the proposed routes.   
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Capt Amarinder condemns assault on police officer; warns against demoralising police

CHANDIGARH, December 25:

Condemning the brutal assault on the AIG Intelligence Ludhiana SS Mand, by one Sunny Goodwill a close associate of Bikram Majithia in full public view, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee President Capt Amarinder Singh today warned against demoralising the Punjab Police with such incidents. In a statement issued here today, Capt Amarinder observed, the way the police officers were being treated, by the Akalis in full public view will only demoralise the police, which will have alarming repercussions for the state.
Narrating some recent incidents, he  pointed out, one day an Akali leader kills an ASI, the other day the Akali leaders beat up traffic cop and now a senior police officer of the rank of an SSP has been beaten up in full public view in Ludhiana with his leg broken again by a youth Akali leader close to Bikram Majithia in full public view.
He said, this only vindicated the Congress party’s stand that the goons groomed and patronised by Bikram Majithia have actually run amok and become a law unto themselves. He warned the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal that it was still not that late to tame Bikram lest he led the state into anarchy.
The PCC President warned, if the police were demoralised, as there is all possibility with such incidents, there will be total anarchy in Punjab. He pointed out, it took almost 24 hours for the police to register a case in the incident just because the culprits were close to Bikram Majithia.
“If an SSP rank officer cannot get his complaint registered even after having been brutally thrashed in full public view with his leg broken, what will be the plight of a common man?” he asked, while adding, that the case was only registered as a face saving measure.
Capt Amarinder also referred to the fierce encounter between criminals and police in village Mattewal in Majithia assembly segment today in which the criminal gang was led by one Sulakhan Mattewal, again a henchman of Bikram Majithia. He said, while five of his accomplices were arrested, he was made to escape at Majithia’s behest.

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SHIROMANI AKALI DAL ATTACK  A DEEP ROOTED CONSIPIRACY OF THE CONGRESS PARTY-SAD
Chandigarh, December 25 :

The Shiromani Akali Dal today termed the attack on the SP Punjab police in Ludhiana as a deep rooted conspiracy of the Congress party in the state whose aim is only to tarnish the image of the state and distract the attention of the public from total break down of law and order situation in the national capital New Delhi where Congress Chief Minister of Delhi was and Union Home Minister were blaming each other.
            In a statement released from the party head office here today, the party Treasurer and Joint Secretary Mr. NK Sharma said that the incident at the Ludhiana has been carried out by the expelled leaders of the party who have been paid by the Congress to do so as the congress wanted to scuttle the news of the joining of its sitting MLA Mr. Joginderpal Jain. He said that the agenda the Congress party was to adopt diversionary tactics to shift the focus of television channels away from Delhi. Earlier they requested Sachin Tendulkar to pay the cost for nomination to Rajya Sabha by announcing the retirement from one day cricket when the people agitation was at its peak. Later in a emergency era move information and broadcasting ministry issued a advisory to all channels to stop telecast of uprising of people against Congress led UPA government.
            Mr. Sharma said that the state of the affairs in the Congress party are known to everyone in the state and it was the Congress party which was out to malign the image of the state, elected government and the people of the state only to get the political mileage out of every incident. He said the incident today was a deep rooted conspiracy of the Congress party and a through probe in the matter would bring out the whole truth that why this incident has occurred at a time when a sitting legislator was all set to join the SAD.

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MANINDER PAL SINGH NOT A SAD MEMBER-WAS EXPELLED FROM YAD IN MAY-DALJEET SINGH CHEEMA

 CHANDIGARH/LUDHIANA, DECEMBER 25:

Dr Daljeet Singh Cheema, Spokesman of Shiromani Akali Dal today clarified that Maninder Pal Singh alias Sunny Johar accused of attacking police officer in Ludhiana was not a office bearer or member  of  Youth Akali Dal or Shiromani Akali Dal as the Youth Akali Dal had long ago expelled Maninder Pal Singh Sunny Johar, Senior Vice President, Rishi Banda, Vice President (both from Ludhiana) and Jaskirat Singh, Vice President from Amritsar for anti party activities on 29th May 2012 during Municipal Corporation Elections.

• Grewal demands 5 per cent commission on sale value of petrol and diesel in Punjab

PUNJAB MOOTS 7 FAST TRACK COURTS FOR ALL HEINOUS CRIMES INCLUDING RAPE CASES-SUKHBIR

• “JUSTICE DALAYED IS JUSTICE DENIED”
• CHIEF JUSTICE BEING REQUESTED TO SET UP 7 FAST TRACK COURTS
• PUNJAB SETS UP MINORITY COMMISSION FOR WELFARE OF MINORITIES INCLUDING CHRISTIANS
• SAD-BJP GOVERNMENT COMMITTED FOR WELFARE FOR CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY

 AJNALA (AMRITSAR), DECEMBER 23: The Punjab government is requesting Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court for setting up of at least 7 Fast Track Courts in different locations in the state for expeditious trial of all heinous crimes including rape cases as delay in justice to the victims of heinous crimes forfeits the basic purpose of criminal administration system.

Speaking to media persons after congratulating the people of Christian Community in a function organized here today Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal, Deputy Chief Minister along with Mr. Bikram Singh Majithia, Revenue Minister, Punjab said that the Punjab Government is conveying to the Punjab and Haryana High Court that it was ready to provide total infrastructural support for setting up these fast track courts and bear all expenses for additional staff required for these courts. He said that Punjab Government was seriously concerned about the delayed justice especially in the cases of heinous crime as Justice delayed was justice denied. He said that he also believed that merely expediting justice was not enough as police has to be provided scientific training in investigation, collection of evidence besides scientific preservation of exhibits, proper framing of charges during prosecution stage and ensuring speedy justice to the victims. Mr. Badal said that he has already ordered separation of investigation and law and order wings, providing scientific training to investigating officers, approving proposal for setting up of Forensic Science Labs in Mohali.

The Deputy Chief Minister while congratulating the Christian Community on the eve of Christmas said that SAD-BJP Government was fully committed for the welfare of Christian Community and during this session it has approved the bill for the setting up of Minority Commission in the state that would safeguard the rights of all minorities including Christians.

          Earlier Mr. Badal along with Mr. Majithia participated in the celebrations of Christians and shared the happiness of Christian Community on this occasion. The community leaders presented a charter of demand to Deputy CM that included provision of separate state for burial grounds for Christians in each city and villages having larger concentration of Christian population etc and the Deputy CM assured to take up their demands with respective departments.

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Question Bank for the students of  8th to 12th available on SSA website
CHANDIGARH, DECEMBER, 23:
          Punjab Education Department has framed the question bank with the help of the subject experts of Punjab Edusat society and under the supervision the advisory committee.
          Disclosing this here today Director General School Education Mr. Kahan Singh Pannu said that this question bank of various subjects has   available on the Sarv Sikhya Website www.ssapunjab.org.  This question bank has also comprised the subjects of physics, Chemistry, commerce, General Punjabi, Political Science, Physical Education, Hindi and Elective Punjabi. Syllabus of the Classes 8th to 12th.
          He further said that motive of this question bank is to make the students more conversant with the subjects so that the students could excel in the particular subjects and prepare themselves for the competition. DGSE said that the question bank of the remaining subjects i.e. Geography, History, Economics, Biology and Social Studies would also be uploaded on the web site.
          He also said that all district education officers (Sr. Sec) and all Head of the schools have been instructed to download the question bank from the website and make available to the students for their practice.
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ICICI BANK ORDERD TO PAY RS. 75 THOUSAND AS COMPANSATION WITH INTEREST FOR ILLEGAL ACT
CHANDIGARH, DECEMBER, 23:
The State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Punjab directed to ICICI Bank Mumbai and Bathinda Branch to pay the complainant Rs. 75,000 along with interest @ 10% per annum from the date of complaint till payment. The complainant would also be entitled to Rs. 2,000 as cost of litigation.
          Disclosing this here today the spokesman of the Punjab Government said that Mr. Gurjeet Singh resident of district Muktsar for earning his livelihood purchased LPT Canter by taking loan of Rs. 5,19,000 on 12.3.2004 from  ICICI Bank's district Bathinda Branch, which was to be paid in 44 Monthly installments of Rs. 13,771 per month. Rs. 1, 23,939 were paid up to 24.3.2005 by the respondent but in the month of April, 2005. When he was going to vapi Maharastra, due to strike of the transporters, where he was forcibly struck at that place and due to this reason he could not return to Muktsar and failed to pay the installment on time.
          He said that when he was standing for his turn at canter union Muktsar, some unidentified persons forcibly took the possession of his canter. Appellant did not serve any notice before taking the forcibly possession of the truck. As such this act of the Bank was illegal, arbitrary and unjustified. He said that respondent offered the appellants to pay the due installments but his request was declined by the Bank. Thereafter the Bank illegally sold the said canter for an amount of Rs. 4, 01,000 to some other person whereas price of the same was 5, 50,000 at that time and the respondent was not informed at the time of sale of the truck. Then Mr. Gurjeet Singh filled a complaint against ICICI bank in the district form.
The spokesman said that after hearing both the parties the commission found negliance from the side of bank of india and commission directed to the bank to pay the complainant Rs. 75,000 along with interest @ 10% per annum from the date of complaint till payment. The complainant would also be entitled to Rs. 2,000 as cost of litigation.
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PUNJAB FARMERS RICHER BY Rs. 16028 CRORE
13334962 TONNES PADDY PROCURED IN PUNJAB

CHANDIGARH, DECEMBER, 23:
The Punjab Farmers are richer by Rs.  16028.28 crore as state procured more than 13334962 tones of paddy till last evening. The state government has mobilized the total government machinery to ensure hassle free procurement and make certain payment of produce to the farmers within 48 hours of lifting of their produce from the mandis.
A Spokesperson of the Punjab Government today said that in the Sangrur district Rs 1968.28 Crore Rupees has been deposited in the farmers accounts till date.
District Ludhiana was on second place in payment where Rs.1930.37 Crore had been deposited in the farmers accounts while District Patiala was third place in payment where Rs.1547.19 Crore have been deposited in the farmers accounts.
        He added that government agencies and private millers procured more than 13334962   tones of paddy till last evening. Out of total procurement of 13334962 tones of paddy in all the procurement centers of Punjab, Government agencies procured 12718002 tones of paddy till date whereas private traders procured 616960 tones of paddy.

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PUNJAB TO DEPUTE NODAL OFFICERS TO RECEIVE SUMMONS FROM HIGH COURT

CHANDIGARH, DECEMBER, 23:

The Punjab government today issued directions to all the departments to ensure the appointment of nodal officers in all departments and statutory bodies, public sector undertakings and local bodies working under the respective departments, to receive summons from Punjab and Haryana high court through email.
          Disclosing this here today the spokesman of the Punjab government said that all the financial commissioners, principal secretaries and administrative secretaries have been directed to ensure its compliances and send the names of nodal officers to registrar general Punjab and Haryana High court immediately.
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CM TERMS UNSAVORY INCIDENTS IN STATE ASSEMBLY AS UNFORTUNATE AND UNWARRANTED

EXHORTS MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE TO BE RESPONSIVE TOWARDS THE SENTIMENTS OF PUBLIC

 Chandigarh, December 21-

Expressing deep anguish and concern over the verbal spat between the opposition and treasury benches, Punjab Chief Minister Mr Parkash Singh Badal termed these unsavory incidents during the last two days of winter session as unfortunate and undesirable, which have lowered the prestige of the house.

Making a statement in the house immediately after it resumed after three adjournments of half an hour each granted by the Speaker in a bid to resolve the impasse between the opposition Congress and treasury benches, the Chief Minister said that he tried his level best to placate the members of opposition and waited for them in the Speaker’s chamber but the opposition didn’t turned up. He said at the very onset of the session me and Deputy Chief Minister Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal have clearly said that the opposition would neither listen to the reply given by the latter on the law and order situation as demanded by the opposition nor on the baseless allegations raised by the leader of opposition Mr Sunil Jakhar against me on the irregularities on the housing scheme for the SCs and economically weaker sections of the society in Muktsar district.
The Chief Minister said that despite our sincere and relentless efforts he and Speaker Dr Charanjeet Singh Atwal have not been able to prevail upon the members of opposition to attend the concluding day of the session. Mr Badal categorically said that he had all respect for the opposition and failed to understand why the opposition was adopting this irresponsible attitude. He asked the members of the august House that all of us must realize that we are the representatives of the people who have elected us and send here to discuss their problems concerning their welfare besides overall development of the state. Therefore, we owe a responsibility towards them to discharge our duties as members of this revered house in a democratic manner besides being responsive towards sentiments of the electorate. 

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CM REPLIES TO JAKHAR’S ALLEGATIONS IN PUNJAB VIDHAN SABHA
REBUTS JAKHAR’S ALLEGATIONS AS A BUNDLE OF LIES AND POLITICALLY MOTIVATED

• NEVER EXPECTED SUCH BASELESS ALLEGATIONS FROM A LEADER OF JAKHAR’S STATURE
• 1.37 LAKH ACRES OUT OF TOTAL 1.50 LAKH ACRES OF WATER LOGGED AREA ALONE FALLS IN MUKTSAR DISTRICT
• DISBURSEMENT OF FUNDS MADE PURELY ON MERIT AND AS PER THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE
• EVEN CONGRESS LED UPA GOVERNMENT ALLOCATED Rs 2400 CRORES TO TACKLE THE PROBLEM OF WATER LOGGING IN SOUTHERN PUNJAB
• BADAL ASKS LEADER OF OPPOSITION WILL HE SEEK AN ENQUIRY AGAINST PM FOR SANCTIONING RS 2400 CRORE FOR ERADICATION OF WATER LOGGING

Chandigarh, December 21-
            Rebutting the allegations leveled by the leader of opposition Mr Sunil Jakhar in a section of press regarding the diversion of money, favoritism in disbursement of grants and mis-utilization of funds by political leadership and administration meant for the housing scheme for SCs and economically weaker sections of society in Muktsar district, the Punjab Chief Minister Mr Parkash Singh Badal categorically denied these misrepresented facts terming them as “totally baseless, factually incorrect, politically motivated and highly misleading”.
In his reply on the floor of the House on the concluding day of the winter session of the Punjab assembly, the Chief Minister said he was greatly perturbed over the wild accusations leveled by none other but the most respected leader of the opposition Mr Sunil Jakhar, whom he always held in high esteem. Mr Badal said, “If this issue was raised by any other member of opposition, I would not have been surprised. But I am shocked that Mr Sunil Jakhar raised this issue, despite of the fact that he is fully aware of the gravity of the situation of Water Logged Areas in District Muktsar especially Lambi constituency”. He was equally perturbed over Mr Jakhar’s baseless charges despite the fact the leader of opposition’s own constituency was hardly 20 miles from his constituency and moreover the prevailing conditions in both these constituencies were almost similar and extremely difficult.
The Chief Minister lamented that decency demanded that Mr Jakhar should have atleast clarified these facts from him before issuing this statement and he would have happily provided all the relevant details and facts to the leader of the opposition saying, “All my life I have had the greatest respect for the opposition and I would continue to observe this tradition till my last breath”.
Highlighting the plight of waterlogged areas of the state, the Chief Minister pointed out that nearly such 1.50 lakh acre of the state, of which 1.37 lakh acre was in Muktsar district. In Lambi constituency alone 52000 acres was worst affected by the problem of water logging, which was nearly one third of the totally water logged areas of the state. Mr Badal said that water logged area resulted in low crop production coupled with poor economic condition of the people in the region besides continuous damage to infrastructure including water works installations, Government Buildings, Veterinary Dispensaries, schools, Hospitals, Roads above all the worst affected were the houses. He said that the pucca houses have been severely damaged while Kuccha houses of the poor have been destroyed due to water-logging.
The Chief Minister said that even the World Bank realised the gravity of situation and agreed to treat the water logged areas at par with Kandi area or Border belt for the purpose of collecting beneficiary share while constructing new water works. Mr Badal said that the state government had been making all out efforts to resolve this acute problem which was evident from the fact that the SAD-BJP government spent Rs 315 crore on the anti water logging measures during its last tenure as compared to merely Rs 6.65 crore spent by the Congress government in their regime. 
The Chief Minister informed the house that the concerted efforts of the SAD-BJP government in impressing upon the Ministry of Water Resources especially the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh for finally getting the project of relining 100 kilometre stretch of Rajasthan Feeder and Sirhind Feeder at a cost of Rs 1441 crore sanctioned, of this 100 kilometres, nearly 80 kilometres lies in Muktsar district. Expressing gratitude to the Prime Minister for his benevolent gesture, Mr Badal said he continued his efforts to stamp out water logging from the state and finally got another project of Rs 960.62 crore sanctioned from the Rural Development Minister Mr Jairam Ramesh, who himself visited the water logged areas to find a permanent solution to the problem. Observing the plight of the farmers, Mr Ramesh had said, “I am shocked to see this acute problem which has devastated the area”. Later Mr Ramesh directed the Planning Commission of India (PCI) to review the problem of water logging in Punjab and subsequently the PCI deputed a 14 member special team comprising eminent water experts and hydrologists from the country led by its Member Water Resources Dr Mihir Shah to suggest concrete steps to permanently address the issue of water logging.   
The Chief Minister asked Mr Jakhar, “ Would he like to demand an enquiry to probe into the funds of Rs 2400 crore sanctioned by Congress led UPA government to tackle the problem of water logging which mainly affected the Muktsar district, especially the Lambi constituency” ? In the same breath Mr Badal asked, “Should there be an inquiry against the Prime Minister, Union Rural Development Minister, World Bank and Planning Commission for approving this grant of Rs.2400 crore for finding permanent solution to the problem of Water logging in this small area only”. He rued compared to this, merely a grant of Rs.35.37 crore sanctioned by him as an anti water logging measure has been turned into a major issue by the Congress.
Justifying the rationale behind the grant of Rs 41.59 crore for district Muktsar for construction and repair of houses of SCs and other poor people, the Chief Minister said that it was needed to be done on top priority as an anti water logging measures. Keeping in view the gravity of the situation, the state government had decided to allow government funds to be used for purchasing land for distributing plots for the construction of houses to the homeless. Even the policy for giving plots was simplified. He said that of this grant, Utilisation Certificates (UCs) for an amount of Rs.27 crores have already been received adding that Rs.2.42 crore have been returned. The grant sent to Lambi constituency was Rs.23.31 crore out of which UCs for Rs. 21.62 crore have already been received. For the balance, the work was in progress and the entire process would be completed at the earliest. Mre Badal said that these grants were not given at one time rather these were disbursed over a period of time spanning from year 2008 to 2012.
The Chief Minister categorically said that there was no question of diversion of funds and favouritism as alleged by Mr Sunil Jakhar as in 2010 in order to promote social infrastructure like construction of EWS houses, a fund called social infrastructure fund (SIF) was created by the Cabinet. Hence, after 2010 it was possible to give larger grants for meeting the demand of this sector adding that not only SIF but when the grant was sent from any other scheme and source, it was meticulously ensured that it was “Fit Charge” on that scheme.
The Chief Minister said that the entire housing scheme has been implemented in a transparent and fair manner for which DC Muktsar had duly constituted teams headed by respective SDMs for identification of the beneficiaries after carrying out village to village visits. All the payments to the beneficiaries were made through cheques and the question of fund vanishing into the hands of political leadership and administration does not even arise, added Mr Badal.
Denying the allegations of Mr Jakhar for misusing the government funds for political motives to win Lambi assembly seat, the Chief Minster asserted’ “Our spending are purely on merit and based on the needs of the people” rather it is the Congress which brazenly misuses the government funds for illegitimate political purposes. Citing media reports Mr Badal falsified the leader of opposition’s allegations in this behalf by highlighting how the top brass of National Congress leadership was claiming “The direct cash transfer scheme is a ‘revolutionary step” which if implemented properly would win the party not just the 2014 election but also the next one in 2019.
The Chief Minister said that he had never discriminated against constituencies represented by Congress MLAs throughout my political career. In fact he said that he had just released Rs.67.74 Crore for upgradation of water supply and sewerage and other development works of Abohar Town represented by Mr Sunil Jakhar whereas during the Congress regime Abohar Town could get only 11.77 crore. Mr Badal also revealed that even in Captain Amrinder Singh’s constituency the state government had spent Rs.213 crore in Patiala city for various developmental works during the SAD-BJP regime.
Substantiating his stand on the overall development of the state in a holistic manner, the Chief Minister asserted that the entire state belonged to him and there was no question of discrimination against any constituency or area adding that he always approved grants without any bias or prejudice. He said that the state government was spending Rs.2300 crore for cleaning of rivers and Rs.1597.98 crore for supplying pure drinking water. Mr Badal pointed out that the state government was providing Rs.5800 crore power subsidy to farmers and weaker sections adding that in their previous regime during 2007-12, the SAD–BJP Government had released grants of Rs. 8609.58 crores to urban local bodies.
The Chief Minister further said that Rs. 5929 Crore would be spent in the next 3 years to upgrade the infrastructure of urban areas. He said that in contrast the congress leaders have no positive agenda other than to disseminate misinformation in terms of false propaganda on frivolous issues just to gain political mileage.
Making a scathing attack on the Congress, the Chief Minister said it firmly believed in “Goebles theory” that if a lie is repeated several times ultimately the people believe it to be truth. Mr Badal said that the Congress carried out vicious propaganda against SAD-BJP government on the issue of vendetta against congress men and their leader Captain Amarinder Singh claimed that in last five years 20,000 false cases were registered against them. He said that going a step further Mr Jakhar had added thousands more in it adding that his requests for details were ignored for five years. However the Chief Minister said that at the end Mr Sunil Jakhar gave him a list of just 39 cases as against 20,000 claimed by them earlier but on the floor House it was proved that not even a single case out of the 39 was registered out of political vendetta.
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CM CONDOLES PASSING AWAY OF MR. H.I.S. GREWAL

CHANDIGARH DECEMBER 21:

Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today expressed profound grief and sorrow over the sad demise of 1992 - batch IAS officer of Punjab cadre Mr. Harjit Inder Singh Grewal, who was Secretary Public Grievances & Pensions and passed away this morning after a massive cardiac arrest. He was 57 and survived by wife and a son.
In his condolence message, the Chief Minister described Mr. Grewal as an able administrator and a fine human being, who always discharged his duties with professional commitment and utmost dedication.   

Sharing his heart felt sympathies with the members of the bereaved family, Mr. Badal prayed to the Almighty to grant eternal peace to the departed soul and give courage to the family in this hour of grief.
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MODI’S HAT TRICK- A POSITIVE VOTE FOR DEVELOPMENT-SUKHBIR

• DECISION ABOUT PM TO BE TAKEN BY NDA COLLECTIVELY
• CONGRESS LACKS MORAL COURAGE TO FACE THE HOUSE
• INAUGURATES RS. 15 CRORE ROB AND SUB-TEHSIL COMPLEX AT MORINDA

MORINDA, DECEMBER 21: Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal, Deputy Chief Minister today said that the vote for Mr. Narender Modi for third consecutive term in Gujarat was a ‘vote for development’ and people of Gujarat have followed the Punjab example by putting a stamp of approval on development agenda.

          Talking to media persons after inaugurating Rs. 15 crore ROB and newly built Rs. 42 Lac Sub-Tehsil Complex here today Mr. Badal said that gone were the days when you can sway the electorate by caste and communal cards as now electorates have become mature enough to see through the notorious games of Congress Party being played since last 65 years. He said that Gujarat election marks the beginning of decimation of Congress from political scene of India as people of country have made up their minds to put the last nail in the coffin of Congress Party in 2014 elections. Mr. Badal said that when we fought elections on development plank, we were mocked at by the Congress Party and now in Gujarat elections our stand gets vindicated. He decried Congress Party for launching a negative campaign against incumbent parties in Punjab and Gujarat and advised them to play the constructive role of opposition rather than pin pricking the Governments on non issues,

          Charging Punjab Pradesh Congress Party of running away from debate in Vidhan Sabha, Mr. Badal said that Congress MLAs have failed to discharge their duties for which they have been elected by the people of Punjab. He said that on the situation of Law and Order we had tabled the data complied by the Congress led UPA Government that has declared Punjab as the most peaceful state as far as crime figures were concerned. He pointed out that Congress rule states like Kerala, Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi having worst law & order situation as they have witnessed large scale crimes going on there. He said that by disapproving the debate they have shown their lack of confidence in their own parties Government in New Delhi.

          Expressing concern over deteriorating Law and Order situation in National Capital, Mr. Badal said that broad daylight rapes, increasing robberies, zero recoveries has put Union Home Ministry in dock and Union Home Minister, Mr. Sushil Kumar Shinde was answerable to the citizens of India for his total failure to protect the lives and properties of citizens of Delhi.

          Unveiling the plan to upgrade the infrastructure of Urban and Rural areas, Mr. Badal said that he has already approved the plan of Rs. 31000 crore for integrated development of 12745 villages and Rs. 9000 crore plan for improving civic amenities in 143 towns of Punjab. He said that by December 2013 all thermal plants in Punjab would be operational making Punjab first Power surplus state of the country and all cities of Punjab would be interlinked by 4/6 lane roads at the cost of Rs. 16000 crore. He said that highest placement of IIT Ropar has proved one fact that Punjab is all set to become future education hub of the country. He said that within next four years Punjab would have the world class infrastructure with special emphasis on quality education and health facilities.
Earlier, addressing a gathering in newly built sub-tehsil complex, the Deputy Chief Minister said that SAD-BJP government would all out efforts to develop Morinda and Chamkaur Sahib areas as these cities have great historic and religious importance.

          Prominent amongst those who were present on the occasion included Mr. Bikram Singh Majithia, Revenue Minister, Mr. Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, PWD Minister, Mr. Harmeet Singh Sandhu, Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Mrs. Satwant Kaur Sandhu, Former Cabinet Minister, Mr. Ujjagar Singh Badali, Former MLA and Mrs. Jagmeet Kaur Sandhu.
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AMOL RATTAN SINGH SWORN IN AS ADDITIONAL JUDGE OF PUNJAB & HARYANA HIGH COURT

CHANDIGARH, DECEMBER 21:
Mr. Amol Rattan Singh has been administered the oath as the Additional Judge of Punjab and Haryana High Court by Mr. A.K. Sikri, Hon'ble Chief Justice, Punjab and Haryana High Court here today in the court premises in a simple butimpressive ceremony. With the elevation of Mr. Amol Rattan Singh, the strength of the Judges in High Court has become 43 against the Sanctioned Strength 68 Judges. Earlier, he was working as Additional Advocate General of Punjab.
Mr. Rattan started practice as advocate from the Punjab and Haryana High court in 1985. While speaking with the media persons, Mr. Amol Rattan Singh said that he would work with full sincerity and would ensure the delivery of justice to all the needy.
The prominent amongst other, who were present on the occasion included Mr. Rattan's father Mr. Manmohan Singh, mother Mrs. Surinder Kaur, wife Mrs. Nirupinder Kaur, sons Guragam Singh and Rehmat Singh, Mr. Ashok Aggrawal and Mr. Hawa Singh Hooda, Advocate Generals of Punjab and Haryana respectively, Justice (Retd.) Mr. H.S. Brar, Chief Commissioner, Gurdwara Elections, Mr. S.N. Aggrawal, Former Chairman, Punjab State Consumer Grievances Redressal Commission, High Court Bar Association's President Mr. K.S. Dhaliwal, Vice President Mr. Sapan Dhir, Secretary Mr. Ranjivan Singh besides the sitting and retired judges of Punjab and Haryana High Court.
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STUDENTS GETTING FREE EDUCATION IN ETT AND B.ED COURSES EXEMPTS FROM SCHOOL WELFARE FUND

Chandigarh December 21:-
          The Punjab Government today issued instructions to all the professional educational institutions not to collect school welfare fund during teacher practice from students who are getting free education for ETT and B.Ed courses.
          Disclosing this here today a spokesman of the Education Department said that all the district education officers have been instructed to implement the orders. He said that the students who are getting free education for ETT and B.Ed courses they have been exempted for the school welfare fund during their teaching practice. It is worth mentioned that earlier for Rs. 300/- for ETT and Rs. 500/- for B.Ed was collected from the students in the name of School Welfare fund

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BADAL FELICITATES BJP LEADERSHIP FOR PARTY’S SPECTACULAR WIN IN GUJARAT ELECTIONS

DESCRIBES POLL RESULTS AS ‘PEOPLE’S MANDATE’ IN FAVOUR OF GOOD GOVERNANCE, OVERALL DEVELOPMENT AND PRO-PEOPLE POLICIES

CHANDIGARH DECEMBER 20:
The Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today felicitated Mr. Narendra Modi for scripting a new chapter in the state’s polity by steering Gujarat BJP to the resounding victory for third time in a row.
          In a congratulatory message to the National President of BJP Mr. Nitin Gadkari, Chairman BJP Parliamentary Board Mr.Lal Krishan Advani and the entire national leadership, Mr.Badal described the Gujarat poll results as ‘people’s verdict’ in favour of good governance, overall development and pro-people policies aimed at the welfare of the all sections of the society.   
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SUKHBIR SHOWS MIRROR TO CONGRESS PARTY BY SHOWCASING UNION HOME MINISTRY FIGURES TERMING PUNJAB AS SAFEST STATE

·       CONGRESS SHOULD REMAIN PREPARED TO SIT ON OPPOSITION BENCHES FOR NEXT 50 YEARS

CHANDIGARH, DECEMBER 20: THE Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal showed the mirror to Congress Party with facts and figures of National Crime Record Bureau that declared Punjab the safest state in the country with negative crime rate during last five years and said that Punjab Congress unable to face the embarrassment of reality has ran away from the House on self made excuses.

          Concluding the two day long debate on Law and Order situation in the state, Mr. Badal said that perhaps it was the first instance that Treasury Bench itself have initiated a motion for having a thorough debate on Law and order issue and opposition benches were running scared of facing reality of hard and cold facts given by Union Government ruled by their own party. He said that I told the media that Congress would look for excuses to scuttle the debate as they never expected Government to be pro-active on debate issue. He said that Congress that only wanted to hog the space in the media by launching a campaign on half truths that law and order situation has deteriorated in Punjab just because of two unfortunate incidents and they never wanted a full-fledged debate on this issue. He said that I respect Mr. Sunil Kumar Jakhar as a seasoned and well read parliamentarian but after listening to his list less debate where he was beating around the bush only on two unfortunate incidents without coming out with even a single incident, I felt that Mr. Jakhar was also adopting the old strategy of Congress Party of repeating the half truths without any substance. He said that people of Punjab have summerly rejected the Congress Party for their repeated chants of 40000 cases of vendetta and not producing a list of even single case. He said that unfortunately Congress seemed to have not learnt a lesson from the clear lesson from electoral verdict and have again started the campaign of half truths.

          Commending the Punjab Police for swift and effective action of arresting the accused within 7 hours, Mr. Badal said that his party has already expelled the accused from the Party besides expelling those two leaders also who recommended his name coupled with highest punishment of sacking of SHO whereas Amarinder during his rule was known for Clean Chit even in Gurchet Bhullar firing case or Manawala firing case showing the typical arrogance of insensitive Maharaja. He said that he was surprised that when police while stopping the protesting girl students in Ludhiana the dispot CM retorted ‘So What’ and warned that if they repeat  (Protest), “we would deal with the same way”. He said that SAD-BJP Government has shown full sensitivity and was quite effective in dealing with Faridkot case also.

          Rebutting the charge of illegal vends levelled by Mr. Jakhar, Mr. Badal said that he does not believe in liquor mafia as done by Amarinder, who mortgaged the total liquor business of whole state to Ponty Chadha. He said that it was surprising that in a state like Punjab Revenue growth in liquor vend during Amarinder regime was meagre Rs 80 crore in 2002, Rs 31 crore in 2003, Rs 36 crore in 2004, Rs 71 crore in 2005 and the biggest surprise was it showed a decrease in 2006-07 of Rs 206 crore as Amarinder wanted to mint money for elections. He said that in comparison Punjab showed a increase of Rs 500 crore in first year, 300 crore in 2nd and 3rd year and 350 crore in 4th year and our revenue jump from Rs. 1400 crore in Amarinder’s regime to 3200 crore as we freed the liquor trade from the tentacles of liquor mafia of Amarinder. Similarly, he charged that Congress was giving protection to drug mafia making cosmetic recoveries despite Punjab being the Border state. Giving the figures Mr. Badal said that it was evident from the recoveries as from 2002 to 2006 during Amarinder regime there was meagre recovery of 111kg of heroin whereas due to effective campaign against drug mafia, we have recovered record 848kg from 2007 to 2011 and 259kg during first 11 months of current year. Similarly, recovery of other narcotics was 5 to 10 times more than Congress regime. He said that Congress was working in collusion with drug mafia was evident from the fact that recently we have arrested Congress Party incharge of Gidderbaha constituency with 5kg opium.

          Ridiculing Congress Party for levelling the charge of highhandedness on Punjab Police, Mr. Badal said that he doesn’t believe in using Punjab Police as his private army as it was being done by Amarinder Singh, whether it was in SGPC election or DSGMC elections. He said that it was unfortunate that Captain levelled charges of narcotic smuggling on 80 year old lady to scuttle SGPC elections and implicated SAD workers with frivolous charges. He said that his family has gone through the trauma of Vendetta for five long years, where his mother and father were publicly humiliated and he was determined  that he would not repeat the folly of Captain of dragging opposition party in Vendetta cases. He said that my first direction to Punjab Police was not to ensure that there was no false case, no vendetta case and every citizen should be ensured justice. He said that he was pained from two unfortunate incidents and these incidents should not be projected as breakdown of law and order situation in the state.

          Rebutting the Congress lies with factual data supplied by National Crime Record Bureau, Mr. Badal said that for Law and Order there are certain indicators such as terrorism, communal harmony, naxal incidents, crime against women etc. On the front of terrorism during last five years, there were only seven causalities in Punjab, whereas in Congress ruled state Haryana it is 68 people lost their lives in bomb blasts, 55 in Andhra Pradesh, 66 in Rajasthan, 32 in Delhi, 107 in Assam and 214 in Maharashtra from 2007 to 2012. He said that we have pre-empted major terrorist strikes by busting various modules and timely arresting the terrorists. He said that we had been able to curtail the activities of naxals by arresting 10 persons including two major naxalities and registering 10 FIRs, whereas in one year alone there were 1755 incidents of Naxalite violence in the country where 68 civilians, 142 security personnel and 99 naxalities were killed.

          Expressing satisfaction over the fact that Punjab has been declared the safest state in the country by the Union Government as far as rate of criminality was concerned, Mr. Badal said that Punjab was ranking 25th in the comparative record of 28 states as far incident rate of cognizable crime was concerned whereas Congress ruled state Kerala was most crime prone state with Pudducherry is 2nd crime prone state, Delhi was fourth and Haryana 8th. He said that Congress Party never wanted to face this data and has ran away to face the embarrassing truth. According to the comparison conducted by NCRB the crime rate in Punjab registered a negative growth of -4.8% from 2007 to 2011 whereas during Amarinder regime it registered a startling increase of 18.2%. Similarly, as per ranking of 88 cities done by NCRB, Amritsar registered a decrease of minus 1.4% crime rate from 2007 to 2011 against highest national increase in the crime of 39.1% registered during Amarinder’s regime. He said that similarly Ludhiana during our tenure registered a decreased of -20.7% against 10.9% increase in crime witnessed during Amarinder’s regime. He said that as far as Crime Against Women was concerned, Punjab ranked at 19th number whereas West Bengal was number 1, Congress ruled Andhra Pradesh on number 2, Rajasthan on number 4 and Haryana on number 14.

          Mr. Badal said that in Punjab with highest density of Scheduled Castes population there were only 90 incidents of crime against SCs against 4016 incidents in Andhra Pradesh, 7702 in Uttar Pradesh, 5182 in Rajasthan.

          Patting the Punjab Police for effective recovery of stolen goods during last five years, he said that Punjab Police has made recovery of 74.1% of stolen goods during 2011 highest in the country against meagre 49.4 % during Amarinder’s regime. He questioned that would Union Home Minister resign as there was only 4% recovery of goods in Delhi lowest in the Country.

          Quoting the study of latest Economic and Political Weekly, an economic magazine, in its issue dated December 8, 2012, where it has ranked Punjab tops ‘Best Performing States’ amongst 17 major states in India on the parameters of infrastructure, service delivery, social service delivery, fiscal performance, Law and Order, Judicial Service Delivery and Quality of Legislature. Mr. Badal said that after the certificate from Union Home Ministry and most independent international economic weekly, he does not require any endorsement from frustrated Congress leadership of Punjab.

          Enlisting future plan for modernisation of Punjab Police, Mr. Badal said that he was introducing Rapid Rural Response system where 700 motorcycles have been provided to police and police would reach the spot within 20 minutes of incident. He also announced to cover all cities under CCTV surveillance system besides separating Law and Order and investigation duties. He also announced covering of all Police Stations with SAANJH Kendras with setting up of 363 more SAANJH Kendras. Terming the SAANJH Kendras as the success story of the decade, he said that record 13 lakh complaints were redressed in 1 year alone and 20 police services were delivered through these Kendras.

          Resolving to make Punjab Police as the Best Police Force in the Country, Mr. Badal said that the SAD-BJP Government had recruited 17783 male constables, 50 ASIs including 2902 women constables in five years against 1512 constables including zero women recruited by Amarinder Singh during his five year tenure. He said that he was envisioning Punjab Police as most professional police force with humane touch and humane touch in next two years. He said that he was focusing on scientific training of Punjab Police in cyber crime in their capacity building with most modern technological enhancements.

          Seeking setting up of 5 to 6 Fast Track Courts for expeditious trials of heinous crimes he said that he wants to set an example in the state by expeditious judgments in such cases to deter the hardcore criminals. Mr. Badal said that he has already set up a toll free number and website, where public can register their complaints directly to Deputy CM.

          Terming Punjab Congress as Biggest enemy of the state, Mr. Badal said that no opposition party in any state decries their states and it was only Punjab alone that Congress was bent upon scaring away investors by terming the state as pauper or raising the hue and cry of Law and Order situation. He said that people of Punjab have already slapped on their face as they have voted for development after tasting its fruit for five years and now Congress should remain prepared to sit in opposition for at least next 50 years.

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Delegation of Private colleges calls on Maluka
Chandigarh, 20 December:
          Punjab Government is committed to elevate the education standard of all the private colleges in the state by sympathetically considering the demands of the management of these institutions. It was assured by Mr. Sikander Singh Maluka, Education Minister Punjab in a meeting with the representatives of the administrative committees of private colleges in Punjab.
          The delegations of the private colleges have today called on Mr. Maluka to request the Punjab Government for the approval of their long pending demands. During the meeting the delegation which was led by Mr. S C Sawalnka, president management federation, Dr. SP Singh, Ex -vice Chancellor Guru Nanak Dev University and Mr. Jaswant Singh Gill, Secretary Management of non government college management federation of Punjab and Chandigarh, put up various demands before the minister. The delegation specifically urged the minister to lift ban on the recruitment of the faculty in the private run colleges, to release arrears of the employees pending from January 2006. The delegation has also requested the Punjab Government to issue instruction to all the universities to consult the administrative committees of the private colleges before taking any decisions for these private colleges. It was also requested that a council for higher education be set-up in which reprenstative of the private colleges be included.
          The Education Minister Punjab said that the genuine demands of delegation would also consider with sympathetically.
                   Prominent amongst other who were present in the meeting included Mrs Ravneet Kaur, Secretary Higher Education, Mr. Chander Gaind Special Secretary Education and Mr. Mahinder Singh Prashar, Under Secretary Finance department.

TWO DAY ALL INDIA POLICE COMMISSIONERS’ CONFERENCE FROM TODAY

• DEPUTY CHIEF MINISTER TO DELIVER KEYNOTE ADDRESS ON DECEMBER 22
• COMMISSIONERATE AMRITSAR TO HOST THE FIRST CONFERENCE OF COMMISSIONERS OF POLICE IN INDIA

Amritsar, December 20:.        The Punjab Police is organising the 1st Conference of the Commissioners of Police of the country at Amritsar on 21st and 22nd of December, 2012, in coordination with the Bureau of Police Research & Development.
About 55 delegates are attending the Conference. There are a total of 47 Commissionerates in the country. Commissioners of Police from 21 Commissionerates and representatives from 7 Commissionerates are attending the Conference. In addition, Director General of Police, Andhra Pradesh, Sh. V. Dinesh Reddy and Principal Secretary (Home), Assam, Sh. Sailesh are also attending. Eminent delegates attending the Conference, include Sh. Neeraj Kumar, Commissioner of Police, Delhi, Dr. Satya Pal Singh, Commissioner of Police, Mumbai, Sh. Anurag Sharma, Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad and Dr. K. N. Sharma, Director General of Police, BPR&D.
Representatives from 9 States which do not have the Commissionerate system are also attending the Conference to understand the system and make appropriate proposals to their respective States. These States include J & K, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
Apart from discussions and deliberations, the following presentations are scheduled for the Conference: -
i)        Ideal structure of Commissionerates – DGP, Andhra Pradesh.
ii)       Crowd Control – Latest technology and concepts – CP, Mumbai.
iii)      Court monitoring system – CP, Vijaywada.
iv)      Traffic management – CP, Bangalore.

Discussions and deliberations will be held on various issues including: -Structure of Commissionerates, Regulatory and monitoring functions , City patrolling system, Foreigners registration and monitoring system,        Magisterial duties and Prevention of crime.
                    After analysing the existing structures, the delegates will propose an ideal structure for Commissionerates in the country.
                    S. Sukhbir Singh Badal, Hon’ble Dy. Chief Minister –cum- Home Minister Punjab shall be the Chief Guest and will deliver the keynote address on 22.12.2012 at 10:15 a.m.
                    It may be mentioned here that the Government of India had constituted a committee headed by Mr. Padmanabhiah, former Union Home Secretary on police reforms. The committee in its report submitted in August 2000 recommended that in all state capitals and in all cities having a population of more than 10 lakhs, the system of Police Commissionerate be adopted. At present, Police Commissionerates are functional in 12 states of Delhi, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Odisha, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab only.
It has been a long journey in establishing Police Commissionerates in major cities of the country for the requirements of handling law and order and internal security issues effectively, despite the fact that the system got operational in Calcutta (Kolkata), Bombay (Mumbai) and Madras (Chennai) more than seventy years before Independence. It was introduced in Hyderabad in 1939. Thereafter, Commissionerate status was given to Ahmedabad and Bangalore in 1960. In 1965, the cities of Pune and Nagpur were also converted into Commissionerates. While moving the motion for making Ahmedabad City into a Police Commissionerate, it was emphasised that large modern city had to face complex issues requiring police arrangements supervised by senior officers and promptness of approach, for which success of Bombay Police was a shining example.
In Punjab, 3 Commissionerates of Amritsar, Ludhiana and Jalandhar were set up in 2010.

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INCIDENTS AND RATE OF TOTAL COGNIZABLE CRIMES (IPC) IN STATES, UTs DURING 2011

Sr, No.	State/UT	Incidents of total cognizable crimes	Percentage contribution to All-India total	Estimated mid-year population (Lakhs)	Rate of total cognizable crimes	Rank of criminality
13.	Kerala	172137	7.4	333.88	515.6	1
21.	Punjab	34883	1.5	277.04	125.9	25
33.	Delhi	53353	2.3	167.53	318.5	4
8.	Haryana	60741	2.6	253.53	239.6	8

Honourable Speaker Sahib, yesterday was the most painful day in my life as a representative of the people and a member of this august House.  I was shocked by what I saw and I have still not fully come out that shock. I was so pained and stunned by it that I found it hard to go back and explain it my children,  who too felt as if  it was something unreal and nightmarish. I saw this very senior public figure from the Congress party, whom I have always respected because he is so senior to me, and I could hardly believe my ears and eyes when I saw him charging with deadly aggression towards the treasury benches to attack one of our ministers who was speaking from his designated seat at that time. Everyone in the House was stunned to hear this senior public figure indulging in the foulest abuses in Punjabi language. He had no respect either for the speaker or for the honourable and elderly statesman, the leader of the House, nor even for the senior leaders of his own party, including highly respected ladies. Only a timely intervention by some senior members from both the treasury and the opposition benches could stop him from engaging in close physical duel with our minister whom he attacked. Everyone, including the media, saw him charging towards the treasury benches to assault the minister. I am thankful to those members of the opposition benches who intervened to stop him from carrying out his dangerous intent to inflict physical damage on the minister. Many of these members, including the honourable Leader of the Opposition, later talked to me in the well of the House and  personally expressed their displeasure and disapproval of the conduct of the Honourable Member from the Congress party.
   Even after all this, we requested you sir to give the hon’ble member a chance to put an end to this bitterness by simply expressing his regrets over his conduct. But he refused to respond when you requested him twice, sir, to come to your  chamber so that the matter could be amicably resolved, which we all wanted.
   What happened after that has deeply  pained me and everyone else in Punjab. As you are aware sir, we did not wish to press for his suspension and wanted to close the issue in the larger interest of the people of the state whose problems and issues we  are all committed to address in this august house.
   Although I know that the member had violated the sacred traditions of this august House and brought disgrace to the fair name of the state and of democracy, yet I am also aware at the same time that I am heading a political party that has made unparalleled and supreme sacrifices in the defense of democratic values in the country. A rich and  distinguished legacy is observing me and other members of my party, and it weighs heavy on our minds when we think of yesterday’s events.
    Yet in the larger interest of democratic traditions  and in the interest of the people thanks to whom and for whose cause we are all here, I sincerely pray that this ugly chapter may please be closed. Lets not set a bad precedent for this house, and let our children and our forthcoming generations be proud of our conduct today , rather than feel bad about /ashamed of what happened in this house yesterday.    
       Therefore, even though I belong to an aggrieved party, , I wish to request you to call our brothers and sisters from the Opposition back to the House so that the important work of discussing the problems and issues of the people of our state could be resumed and finished.
  In the same spirit,  I also request that the suspension of Rana Gurit Singh Sodhi may also be revoked to facilitate an amicable end to this sorry chapter. I wish to place on record the collective regrets of the entire House over the whole incident, without prejudice to which party was at  fault. The teachings of my great Gurus, the message of forgiveness in the Holy Sr Guru Granth Sahib ad other holy scriptures,  and my love for my great state and respect for the centuries old rich heritage of this land of five rivers inspires me to set every other consideration aside and extend my hand of friendship to our fellow servants of the people, our brothers and sisters in the opposition. I am also inspired in this by the memories I have of seeing my father and the Leader of this House,  Sardar Parkash Singh setting countless examples of forgiveness and of large-hearted and  gracious conduct  during his long and difficult life as a servant of the people. Let’s all focus on the problems and issues of the people of Punjab. That motivates me to look beyond the merits and demerits of the case and to reach out to my friends in the Congress party to put an end to this sorry chapter in true spirit of Punjabi brotherhood.  And I do so in the hope that our brothers, sisters and my respected seniors in the Congress party, many of whom I respect as I respect my father and other elders in my family, will understand, appreciate and respond to my sincere concern for saving the dignity and honour and reputation of this august temple of democracy. Let’s all rise above our personal egos in the interest of the people of Punjab.  

BADAL MOURNS DEATH OF RAJA NARINDER SINGH

• TERMS IT AS A PERSONAL LOSS

CHANDIGARH, DECEMBER 19-
          Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today expressed profound grief and sorrow over the sad demise of former Minister Raja Narinder Singh, who passed away this morning after a prolonged illness. He was 89 and survived by his wife, a son and a daughter.
          In a condolence message, the Chief Minister described Raja Narinder Singh as a seasoned politician and disciplined solider of the party with rare qualities of head and heart. Raja Narinder Singh was a fine human being and above all a true mass leader who tirelessly served the people at grassroots level throughout his political career starting from Municipal Council Nabha as a Councilor in 1950 besides serving as Minister thrice. Describing Raja Narinder Singh’s demise as a personal loss, the Chief Minister said that the party has been bereft of his valuable services and void has been created which was difficult to be filled.
          Sharing his heartfelt sympathies with the members of the bereaved family, the Chief Minister prayed to the Almighty to grant eternal peace to the departed soul and give courage to bear this huge loss in this hour of grief. 
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 STATE ASSEMBLY ADOPTS RESOLUTION ON FARM
DIVERSIFICATION UNANIMOUSLY

RESOLUTION URGES GoI TO IMMEDIATELY RELEASE DROUGHT RELIEF PACKAGE FOR PUNJAB FARMERS & STATE GOVERNMENT
DURING KHARIF-2012

CHANDIGARH DECEMBER 19:
            Punjab Vidhan Sabha today unanimously adopted a resolution urging the Government of India to immediately help the state in promoting farm diversification and demanded a technology mission for 'Diversification of Agriculture with an allocation of Rs 5000 crore for green revolution states on the pattern of 'Bringing Green Revolution to Eastern India' (BGREI) in the 12th Five Year Plan.   
            A resolution to this effect was moved by the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal on the floor of the House during 3rd day of the winter session. 
The resolution also requested the GoI to release the relief package forthwith as promised by it to bail out the Punjab farmers and the state government in the wake of drought like conditions during Kharif-2012. The package included; relief of Rs.3000 per hectare to the farmers to save their paddy crops on account of incurring extra costs, besides Rs.1530 crore to compensate the state government for supplying additional power to the farmers in nurturing their paddy by purchasing it from the other states. 
            On the need of diversification of agriculture in the state, the resolution mentioned that due to the constant increase in the costs of agriculture inputs and subsequent non-remunerative Minimum Support Price (MSP) has rendered the traditional wheat-paddy cycle non-profitable.   Punjab farmers were reeling under the heavy debt to the tune of Rs.35000 crore.  Continuous sowing of paddy has resulted in the depletion of the ground water and it was the need of the hour to switch over to other alternative crops from the conventional wheat-paddy rotation.  The state farmers should be motivated in this hour of crisis as now it was a payback time for Centre to acknowledge the services rendered by our farmers by giving them their due share, who made concerted efforts to make our country surplus in food grains production.  The Centre is also impressing upon Punjab to find some alternative crops as other states are also producing surplus paddy. 
            The resolution further said whenever, the farmers faced any hardship, the Centre always shun from its duty.  When the state faced acute shortage of rainfall to the extent of 65-70% in the month of July-August during Kharif-2012 and Punjab farmers were facing severe drought across the state.  The GoI deputed a Group of Ministers (GoM) comprising Union Agriculture Minister Mr. Sharad Pawar and Rural Development & Panchayat Minister Mr. Jairam Ramesh, who visited Chandigarh to review the drought situation in Punjab. The GoM held a Press Conference after the meeting and assured for a relief package, despite that still no such relief has been provided to the state.
            The resolution also emphasized on the need of comprehensive diversification program to effectively tackle the farm crisis.  Therefore, the House demands that the Central Government should immediately initiate these special programs to encourage farm diversification in the right earnest on the line of promoting agriculture in the Eastern states including: remunerative MSP for alternative crops like maize, cotton, sugarcane, oilseeds and pulses besides assured marketing of these crops on the pattern of wheat and paddy, opening of a research center by the Indian Council for Agriculture Research for the production of pulses and soyabean,   interest on loans as well as Income tax exemptions in the livestock sector should be made at par with the agriculture sector.  Likewise, a Central Research Center in Fisheries should be established for the promotion of fisheries in the state besides similar concessions/incentives be extended to the agriculture industry in Punjab as already given to the neighbouring hill states. 

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SUKHBIR, MAJITHIA CONDOLE DEMISE OF FORMER MINISTER RAJA NARINDER SINGH

CHANDIGARH, DECEMBER 19: Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal, Deputy Chief Minister, Punjab today expressed profound grief over the demise of Former Minister Raja Narinder Singh (90), who was expired after brief illness.

          In a condolence message, Mr. Badal said that leader of masses Raja Narinder Singh would always be remembered for his commitment and contribution for strengthening of SAD. Mr. Bikram Singh Majithia, Public Relations Minister, Punjab also condoled the demise of Raja Narinder Singh.

          Expressing heartfelt sympathies with the members of bereaved family, Mr. Badal and Mr. Majithia prayed to the Almighty to grant peace to the departed soul and strength to the family members to bear this irreparable loss.

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NO PROPOSAL TO CLOSE ALL PRIMARY SCHOOLS HAVING LESS THAN 20 STUDENTS-MALUKA
Chandigarh, December 19: The Punjab Education Minister Mr. Sikander Singh Maluka today categorically said that there was no proposal of closure of all primary schools having less than 20 students. He said that where two or more schools in a locality or village and one school have less than 20 students only there such schools would be merged.
Reiterating the Punjab government’s commitment to provide quality education, Mr. Maluka said that the Education department would make all out efforts to ensure education to the little kids that too near their houses.

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ZIRAKPUR-DERA BASSI BELT TO BE DEVELOPED AS URBAN CONGLOMERATE -SUKHBIR

·        Rs 80 CRORE INTERNATIONAL SPORTS COMPLEX TO BE DEVELOPED IN ZIRAKPUR
·        PROMISES SUB-TEHSIL STATUS TO ZIRAKPUR
·        GMADA TOLD TO LINK ZIRAKPUR TO KAJAULI WATER WORKS
·        WORK ON 4 LANING OF ZIRAKPUR-BATHINDA ROAD TO BEGIN IN JANUARY
·        LAYS THE FOUNDATION STONE OF Rs 100 CRORE RING ROAD OF ZIRAKPUR

 

ZIRAKPUR/MOHALI/CHANDIGARH, DECEMBER 18: The ambitious plan to develop Zirakpur and Dera Bassi belt as most modern urban satellite towns was on the final stages of discussion and Punjab Government was contemplating to attract international real estate players in this area.

This was announced by Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal, Deputy Chief Minister, Punjab  while laying the foundation stone of 3.5 km long 6 lane Ring Road in Zirakpur to divert Delhi- Mohali traffic away from the Zirakpur.

       Mr. Badal said that he has envisioned this plan to facelift the total region and the focus was on planned growth of total area. He said that GMADA was also finalizing the contours of sectoral grid of this whole area and he has already ordered for planned development of inter sector roads.

       Announcing a Rs 80 crore new International Sports Stadium at Nabha Sahib, Mr. Badal said that focus of the Punjab Government was nurturing the sports talent at the ground level besides providing them expert coaching from international coaches. Announcing tri-nation (India, Pakistan and Iran) traditional wrestling championship, Mr. Badal said that after ensuring Kabaddi a global recognition, the Punjab Government was also focusing on other traditional games like hockey and wrestling.

       Promising a Sub-Tehsil status to Zirakpur keeping in view its fastest development in Punjab, Mr Badal said that he has asked the Deputy Commissioner to submit a proposal in this regard so that it could be taken into the next cabinet. Mr. Badal also asked Chief Administrator GMADA Mr. Ajoy Kumar Sinha to submit a proposal for linking Zirakpur with Kajoli water works to solve the chronic drinking water problem of this area.

       Promising a total facelift of this region Mr. Badal said that besides this Rs. 100 Crore Ring Road, he would also lay the foundation stone of Rs. 2500 crore Chandigarh-Bathinda 4 laning project that would connect Zirakpur with Malwa through expressway.

Reiterating the resolve to develop Lalru as Industrial Cluster, Mr. Badal said that he has asked local representative Mr. N.K. Sharma to finalize the plan and submit it to the cabinet. He also asked GMADA to work in coordination with NHAI for reengineering the Zirakpur over bridge to resolve the traffic congestion under and over the bridge permanently.

       Earlier, Mr. N.K. Sharma, Chief Parliamentary Secretary and local MLA thanked Mr. Badal for sanctioning multi crore development projects for the area.  Mr. Badal also announced a grant of Rs. 5 lakh for ‘Saanjh Dilan Di Sports Club’ of Lohgarh that organized the Kabaddi tournament. 

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PUNJAB APPROVES AMENDMENTS IN MARRIAGE PALACE REGULARIZATION POLICY
LAST DATE FOR APPLICATIONS EXTENDED TO 31ST DECEMBER 2012
CHANDIGARH, DECEMBER 18: The Punjab Government has approved certain amendments in the Marriage Palace Regularisation Policy announced few days ago for regularization of existing Marriage Palaces and for setting up of new Marriage Palaces in the State of Punjab keeping in view the problems being faced by the owners of marriage palaces. 

        According to an official spokesman the last date for submission of applications for regularization was fixed as 20-12-2012 that has been now extended to 31st December 2012. He said that as per this policy, 50% of the total charges of regularization were to be paid at the time of approval that has been now reduced to 25%. The Marriage Palace Owners felt that the time for submission of applications is too short and the 1st installment of 50% charges is too high.  The Spokesman said that Marriage Palace Owners had brought this problem to the notice of  Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal, Punjab. The Spokesman said that keeping in view these hardships, the Punjab Government has amended the Marriage Palace policy to the extent that the last date for submission of applications has been extended to 31-12-2012 and the date for granting approval has been extended to 15-01-2013. He said that the 1st installment to be paid at the time of approval has been fixed as 25% of total charges instead of 50% as fixed earlier.
Another relaxation in the new policy was that the condition of minimum area for existing Marriage Palaces on the link roads has also been relaxed for the existing Marriage Palaces only. He said that besides this, a number of other amendments in building norms have been affected in the Marriage Palace Policy. He said that the state government has approved all these amendments keeping in view the problems being faced by the existing Marriage Palace Owners, public conveniences, security and safety of the public.

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ALBERTA MLA PETER SANDHU WITNESSES ASSEMBLY PROCEEDING

CHANDIGARH, DECEMBER 18:
Dr. Charanjit Singh Atwal, Speaker, Punjab Legislative assembly today extended warm welcome to Mr. Peter Sandhu, Member of Legislative Assembly, Alberta, Canada, who was here to witness the second day of winter session of the Assembly. While speaking with the media, Mr. Sandhu said that India is one of the oldest and biggest democracies of the world. He said the proceedings of the assembly are similar to that of Canada’s. Mr. Sandhu further said that the relation between India and Canada are cordial. He expressed hope that the NRI conference would pave way for the confidence building in NRIs and more and more expats would invest in Punjab. Dr. Atwal also presented a memento as a token to love to Mr. Sandhu.
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51 MORE CITIZEN SERVICES TO BE BROUGHT UNDER THE AMBIT OF RIGHT TO SERVICE ACT- S.C. AGARWAL

• PEOPLE COULD TRACK THE STATUS OF APPLICATION THROUGH SMSes
• EMPHASISES ON THE NEED TO DEVELOP ‘JOINT SOFTWARE’ IN ALL DISTRICTS
• ORDERS TO PROVIDE ALL SERVICES IN TIME BOUND MANNER

CHANDIGARH, DECEMBER 17: The Punjab Government is all set to expand the ambit of Right To Service Act by adding 51 more new citizen services into the RTS, which would increase the number of existing services to 120.
            Disclosing this here today while presiding over a review meeting at Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration, Mr. S.C. Agarwal, Chairman Right To Service Act said that these new 51 services would be included to the existing services of RTS immediate after release of notification in this regard. He said that people of Punjab were already availing 69 citizen services under this act and with the inclusion of new lot of services the numbers would be increased to 120.
            Reviewing the status of ongoing services, Mr. Agarwal said that Punjab Government would soon start the SMS services for the applicants through which they can track their applications to know the status of applications. He said that this move would expedite the process of providing services to the applicants. The Chairman also directed all RTS Nodal Officers and the concerned authorities at various districts to provide the services to the applicants in time bound manner.
            The Chairman also emphasized on the need to develop joint software for all the districts to ensure the proper implementation of RTS Act in all districts. He also informed that the basic infrastructure including recruitment of staff, computers and other necessities would be provided soon besides creating awareness amongst the masses about RTS Act, it’s functioning and services covered under it.       
            Mr. Agarwal said that Punjab has become the first state in the country to introduce Right To Service Act and the SAD-BJP Government was fully committed to implement this act in true spirit. He said that efforts were on to popularize this act at the ground level with a view to provide benefits to the masses at every level. He also informed that under RTS Act out of 51,89205 applications of various kinds 51,48002 has been sorted out, while the pendency of 43000 applications would be disposed off soon. He said that all ADCs (General) and IGs of Punjab Police would ensure the proper publicity of RTS Act.
            Prominent amongst those present in the meeting were included Mr. Jaspal Mittal, Secretary Right to Service Commission, Mr. S.M. Sharma, Mr. I.S. Sidhu, Mr. Dalbir Singh Verka and Mr. H.S. Dhillon (All Commissioners Punjab Right To Service Commission). 
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PUNJAB TO START RADIO CLASSROOMS FROM
DECEMBER 20- MALUKA

·        NEW INITIATIVE AIMED TO IMPART PRIMARY EDUCATION IN AN INTERESTING MANNER
Chandigarh, December 17: The Punjab government has decided to start Radio Classrooms in all government Primary Schools from December 20 under its Parvesh Project, aimed to bring qualitative improvement in primary education.
Disclosing this here today, Mr. Sikander Singh Maluka, Education Minister Punjab said that under this new arrangement a special 20 minutes education programme would be telecast through regional centre of FM Jalandhar, FM Rainbow, Jalandhar, Local Radio Station, Bathinda and Patiala from 2:30 PM to 2:50 PM for primary education. He said that this new initiative was aimed to impart education on selected subjects in a simple but an interesting manner by using the strong medium of radio. He said that the Punjab government was committed to upgrade primary education and decided to adopt different mediums and interesting manners to develop more interest for education amongst tender minds. He said that after comprehensive study it was found that by using the medium of radio, some tough concepts could be explained to the kids in a simple manner and the special radio classroom initiative would also help the young minds to concentrate on studies.
Meanwhile, the Education Minister has directed Mr. K.S. Pannu, Director General School Education to ensure provision of radio sets in all the government primary schools besides educating the teachers about the channel and its frequency for this new radio classroom system. He has also directed to finalize the schedule for telecast of radio programme so that the concerned teachers could organize their students before the start of this programme. He also directed all District Education Officers (Elementary Education) to ensure that radio sets in each school were in a working condition and if there was any problem in any school it should be fixed well before the start of telecast.
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