Badal to honour Olympian
Mr. Abhinav Bindra
A function is being organised by the Sports Department Government
of Punjab on August 18, 2008 at Hotel Taj in Sector 17, Chandigarh
at 7 P.M to honour Olympian Mr. Abhinav Bindra. Punjab Chief Minister
S. Parkash Singh Badal will preside over the function.
BADAL FLAGS OFF CITY BUS SERVICE IN JALANDHAR
Grants Rs. 101 crore to Municipal Corporation
Jalandhar August 17, 2008
Making rapid strides towards the overall urban development in
the state, Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal here
today launched first City Bus Service as he travelled in a Blue
Line Bus from BMC chowk to Namdev Chowk along with Local Government
Minister Mr. Manoranjan Kalia and other prominent dignitaries
.
Addressing a function on this occasion here at Red Cross Bhawan,
Mr. Badal also presented a cheque of Rs. 101 crore to the Local
Municipal Corporation to undertake various development works in
the city. He reiterated that Jalandhar would be soon developed
as an ultra modern city as the state government had already conceptualized
a master plan for its growth and modernization in consultation
with an internationally acclaimed architects and planners. He
also mentioned about the vision of SAD-BJP government to accord
the highest priority to the planned growth of the urban sector
to check unplanned and haphazard development. He said the formation
of development authorities for the corporation cities of Jalandhar,
Ludhiana, Mohali and Bathinda was a right step in this direction.
He said all the on going development works in Jalandhar would
be completed within a stipulated time frame. He also announced
that the Punjab Institute of Medical Science Jalandhar would be
made functional within next three months and assured it would
provide medical facilities to the people at the rates prescribed
by PGI Chandigarh.
He also mentioned that the State Government was already in touch
with Sulab International-a NGO engaged in the construction of
low cost public toilets for the provision of the facilities like
public conveniences at all the public places in both rural and
urban areas.
Referring to an issue for the grant of special incentives by
Govt. of India to the neighboring states of J & K, Uttrakhand
and Himachal Pradesh, Mr. Badal assured that he had already impressed
upon the Centre not to extend these concessions any more as these
were detrimental to the interests of Punjab's Industry. Mr. Badal
also cautioned the people to be wary of dubious and malafide intentions
of the UPA government for flaring up communal tension in the country.
He however said that India was burning due to communalism and
naxalism because of widespread unemployment, poverty and illiteracy
and the Central Government was completely insensitive to this
issue of utmost national concern. He also bemoaned that India
after 61 years of Independence had yet not been able to provide
basic civic amenities to its citizens. He said it was the foremost
duty of any government to satiate their basic needs.
Earlier, the Chief Minister laid the foundation stone of Rs.
42.60 crore Railway over Bridge (ROB) near Layalpur Khalsa College
which would be completed within a period of 18 months.
Earlier, speaking on the occasion Local Govt. Minister Mr. Manoranjan
Kalia said that Centre should give special concessions to Agro
Industry in Punjab rather giving these incentives irrespective
any laid down criteria as done in the case J&K, Uttrakhand
and Himachal Pradesh. He said these incentives should be given
on the basis of excellence potential of particular state that
would not only result in the increase of Gross National Product
(GDP) but also give an impetus to the growth and prosperity of
the states.
Mr. Kalia informed that the State Government had started this
service initially in Jalandhar and subsequently, the other corporation
cities of Ludhian and Amritsar would be covered soon to provide
efficient and quality local bus service to common the people.
He hoped these ultra modern Buses would usher in an era of public
transport in the city to mitigate the hardships of lacs of daily
commuters who could now easily travel from one part of the city
to another not only comfortably but economically too.
In his address National General Secretary of BJP and Incharge
Punjab Affairs of State Unit , Mr. Balbir Punj also assured that
if the National Damocratic Alliance (NDA) was voted to power in
the forth coming Lok Sabha polls, then Punjab would be the first
state to be eligible for a special economic package as its industry
had suffered miserably over the past few years.
President State BJP Unit Prof. Rajinder Bhandari in his address
said that SAD-BJP alliance would make all out efforts to emerge
Punjab as the No. one state in the country. He said our alliance
was committed to develop Punjab's economy on all fronts be it
agriculture, Industry, IT and infrastructure.
In his welcome address local mayor Mr. Rakesh Rathore briefly
highlighted the ongoing development projects being executed by
the Local Corporation. He assured that the Damoria Bridgel would
be completed by 31st March 2009.
Prominent among other who spoke on the occasion included BJP
MP Mr.
Navjot Sidhu, MLA Mr. Jagbir Singh Brar besides Managing Editor
of Ajit Dr. Barjinder Singh, Editor Uttam Hindu Mr. Irvin Khanna
and Editor Vir Pratap Chander Mohan. of Mayor Rakesh Rathore.
PUNJAB CM URGES TO CENTRE TO PROVIDE IMMEDIATE
RELIEF TO THE FLOOD AFFECTED POPULATION
Chandigarh August 17, 2008
The Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal toady asked
the Union Government to provide liberal assistance to help the
states in providing immediate relief to the affected population
due to torrential rains in the state so that the people could
be compensated for the loss of their livelihood due to damages
to their houses and standing crops. Besides Mr. Badal has also
urged the Centre Government to revise the norms of compensation
to provide adequate relief from the Calamity Relief Fund (CRF).
He said that relief must not be confused with compensation.
In separate letters to the Sh. Sharad Pawar, Union Minister
for Agriculture, Mr. Shivraj Patil Union Home Minister and Prof.
Saif-u-Din Soz, Minister for Water Resources, the Punjab Chief
Minister stated that the torrential rains in Punjab and heavy
inflow of water from neighbouring hills have caused substantial
damages in 8 districts of the State namely, Amritsar, Tarn Taran,
Gurdaspur, Kapurthala, Moga, Jalandhar, Ferozepur and Ropar. "A
large number of villages of these districts are completely marooned.
The standing crops, houses, school buildings, hospital buildings
and other community infrastructure had been badly affected, uprooting
a substantial rural population of the State from their respective
homes. The Army is assisting Civil Administration in evacuating
the affected persons" he added.
In his letters to the Union Ministers Mr. Badal said, "One
of the major reasons for the floods has also been inadequate rehabilitation
and strengthening of Water Resources Infrastructure of the State
namely, dhussi's/bands, canals, minors, distributaries, river
embankments, etc. Most of this infrastructure is maintained by
the State Government though a substantial quantum of water goes
to the neighhbouring State, leaving Punjab to suffer for being
a riparian State. We have, time and again, written to the Ministry
of Water Resources, Government of India, to provide us requisite
funds for rehabilitation and strengthening of Water Resources
Infrastructure and some of our major projects including the project
for rehabilitation of major canals in the State, Relining of Rajasthan
Canal, Relining of Sirhind Feeder Canal and Construction of Shahpur
Kandi Dam, are pending with the Ministry of Water Resources for
a long time. Had these projects been cleared, these would, among
other things, have helped to attenuate floods as well".
Mr. Badal said that in the present situation, the state needs
to provide not only the immediate relief to the affected population
till such time they are fully rehabilitated, but we also need
to compensate them for the loss of their livelihood as a result
of damage to their standing crops.
In his letter to Mr. Sharad Pawar, Mr. Badal said "For the
present situation, we need to provide not only the immediate relief
to the affected population till such time they are fully rehabilitated,
but we also need to compensate them for the loss of their livelihood
as a result of damage to their standing crops. I may mention here
that the present norms of Government of India to provide relief
from the Calamity Relief Fund (CRF) neither provide sufficient
relief nor do these fully compensate the affected persons. These
norms need to be reworked to ensure that the affected persons
not only get immediate relief but they are also fully compensated
for the loss they suffer".
In a telephonic conversation with Mr. Shivraj Patil Union Home
Minister, the Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal urged him
to revise the norms of CRF and announce a comprehensive relief
and rehabilitation package for the affected population of Punjab.
He has also requested to send a team of senior officers of the
Ministry for an on-the-spot study of the grim situation. However,
such study should not preclude or delay announcement of a financial
package for immediate relief to the affected population, he added.
CANAL BREACHES BEING PLUGGED: WATERS BEGIN
TO RECEDE: SPOKESMAN
Chandigarh August 17, 2008
The water in the Punjab rivers has begun to show signs of receding,
giving hope for an early end to the flood menace in the state.
The level of water in most Punjab rivers is slowly declining and
if there is no major renewed rainfall in the region, the situation
could be brought under control very soon.
Stating this, Mr. Harcharan Bains, Media Advisor to Chief Minster
Punjab, Mr. Parkash Singh Badal said here this evening that army
and civil authorities had already made head way in plugging the
breaches in water courses in Jalandhar and Moga districts. "Although
we are faced with a problem of rehabilitation and rescue, there
is no cause for panic," he said.
The Chief Minister, said Mr. Bains, had had ordered fresh girdwaris
to assess the loss caused by floods. These girdawaris would be
completed as soon as flood water recedes. Mr. Badal has issued
strict instructions for a round the rehabilitation work. Officials
from areas adjoining the flood affected districts have also been
mobilized so that there is no let up in relief and rehabilitation
activity. Mr. Badal spoke to the Union Home Minister Mr. Shiv
Raj Patil asking to expedite central relief for the state for
flood fighting measures.
Mr. Badal also urged Mr. Patil to send a central team to make
an on the spot assessment of the damage done by flood waters in
the state, said Mr. Bains.
PUNJAB CM CONDOLES THE SAD DEMISE OF BHAG
SINGH
Chandigarh August 17, 2008
The Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today expressed
profound grief and sorrow over the sad demise of Mr. Bhag Singh,
the celebrated dramatist, Punjabi film actor-director and writer,
who died here today after a brief illness.
He was 82 and is survived by his wife and two daughters, one
of whom is with All India Radio.
In a condolence message, Mr. Badal said that Mr. Bhag Singh was
Punjabi film actor-director who performed his professional duties
with utmost dedication, commitment and sincerity. In his death
the state has lost a gem and a vacuum has been created which was
difficult to be filled.
Mr. Badal expressed his heartfelt sympathies with the members
of the bereaved family and prayed to the Almighty to grant peace
to the departed soul and give strength and courage to them to
bear this irreparable loss.
Meanwhile, Member Parliament and President Shiromani Akali Dal
Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal also condoled the death of Mr. Bhag Singh.
Information & Public Relations Minister Punjab Mr.Bikram
Singh Majithia also shared his condolences with the family of
Mr. Bhag Singh and described him a multi faceted personality dedicated
to the cause of Punjabi films and drama.
Media Advisor to Chief Minister Mr.Harcharan Bains also mourned
the death of Mr. Bhag Singh. He said; Mr. Bhag Singh was a celebrated
dramatist and Punjabi film artist to the core and a social activist
who sincerely propagated the ethics of drama.
