PUNJAB HOME SECRETARY BREAVED,
BADAL CONDOLES SAD DEMISE OF J.P. MITTAL

Chandigarh December 8, 2008

Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today condoled the sad demise of Mr. J.P. Mittal Senior Retd. IAS Officer of Uttar Pradesh Cadre and father of Punjab Home Secretary Mr. Sudhir Mittal who died at Dehradun this morning after a brief illness.

Mr. Badal expressed his heartfelt sympathies with the members of the bereaved family and prayed to the
Almighty to grant strength and courage to bear this irreparable loss and grant piece to the departed soul.

His cremation would be held at Dehradun tomorrow, according to the family sources.

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Secretary Mr. R.I Singh and President of the Punjab State IAS Officers Association Mrs. Tejinder Kaur also shared their condolences with the members of the bereaved family on the passing away of Mr. J.P. Mittal.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT MINISTER SUSPENDS TWO OFFICERS OF MUNICIPAL COUNCILS

Chandigarh December 8, 2008

Local Government Minister Punjab Mr. Manoranjan Kalia has suspended Mr. Girish Verma, the then Executive Officer and Mr. Nirmalpreet Singh, Assistant Town Planner Municipal Council Zirakpur in an effort to curb the corrupt practices adopted by the officials. It had come to notice that officials of MC Zirakpur had allowed construction of housing units in peace meals rather than taking the case as a group housing scheme or residential colony which would have ensured deposition of requisite fee and leaving of open land in the complex for common utility services Mr. A.K. Prabhakar, Chief Vigilance Officer, Department of Local Government, Punjab conducted an enquiry into the construction of residential colony at Preet Colony, Zirakpur.

Delhi experience will strengthen the base Sukhbir thanked the voters

Chandigarh December 8, 2008

Shiromani Akali Dal President Sardar Sukhbir Singh Badal thanked the voters in Delhi for helping the Party in putting up a tough fight against the Congress. He said that electoral exercise helped the Shiromani Akali Dal in creating and strengthening the base in future.

In a statement here Mr. Badal said that this was the first time since the formation of the Shiromani Akali Dal that the Party had contested in Delhi, considering that this was our maiden entry into electoral field in the capital. We got overwhelming response and came close to winning the seat which we had contested at our own symbol. He said that the electoral exercise has helped the Shiromani Akali Dal in creating a grass root cadre which will help us in our future battles.

Mr. Badal also thanked the leaders, office bearers and the rank and file of the Party for the dedication and commitments with which they conducted the election campaign. He said that the Party would initiate steps to consolidate the base which have been created through this election campaign.

IRRIGATION PROGRAMME FOR RABI SEASON ANNOUNCED

CHANDIGARH, December 06:

The Irrigation Department, Punjab has announced the Rotational irrigation Programme for the Rabi Season through Canal water from 7th December to 14th December, 2008. The channels of Sirhind Canal System would run on priority basis from Abohar Branch, Patiala Feeder,Bathinda Branch Bist Doab Canal, and Sidhwan Branch respectively.

Disclosing this here today, a spokesman of the Irrigation department said that direct distributaries Ghaggar link and its off taking channels i.e. Ghaggar Branch and Patiala Minor in Group 'B' being in the 1st preference will run to thir indent. Balance water supplies available will be utilized in direct distributaries of B.M.L. of Group 'A'.

The spokesman further said that the Abohar branch off taking from Sirhind Feeder and its distributaries in Group 'B' being in the first preference would run to their indent. Balance water supplies would be utilised in direct distributaries of Group 'A'.

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

International Cooperatiave Alliance President to visit India in February
Capt. Kanwaljit Singh meets representatives of different countries

Chandigar, December 6, 2008

President of the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) Mr. Ivano Barbaini will visit India in the end of February next year. He gave this assurance to Punjab Cooperation Minister Capt. Kanwaljit Singh who had extended a warm invitation to him to visit India particularly Punjab.

Capt. Singh, who is leading a high level Indian delegation to Vietnam, called on him at the meeting of the 8th ICA-AP General Assembly and 5th Asia Pacific Cooperative forum yesterday. He invited him to inaugrated a national seminar on the revival of credit cooperative structure with Punjab would be hosting. President ICA happily accepted the invitation and stated that he looked forward to seing Punjab's initiative's personally.

During the bilateral discussions with Mr. Ivano, Punjab Minister informed him about the recent initiatives in Punjab in the Cooperative Sector focussed primarily on the economic growth of the rural and agricultural sector with a specail emphasis on the financial and social empowerment of women. He also told him about the practical approach adopted to extending the scope and reach of the cooperative network specially in the areas of providing sufficient cheap credit to the rural sector, micro finance to women, self help groups, lower agricultural machinery to all members was highly appreciated by Mr. Barbaini who observed that this was in the true spirit of cooperation where even the weakest member is given support by the group.

Capt. Singh informed the President ICA that Punjab has one of the most successful track records in managing profitable cooperative which deliever in a strong socially useful way. He told him that state has three profitable mega cooperatives Markfed, Milkfed and Cooperative Banks give us a huge asset and instrument for social upliftment without comprising on quality, profitability and standards.

President ICA noted that India is one of the best examples of the cooperative movement having over 5 lac cooperatives and Punjab's initiatives would serve as models for other cooperatives to follow internationally.

Meanwhile Capt. Kanwaljit Singh also had meetings with representatives of different countries including Israel. He called on Mr. Yehudapaz of Israel. Both shared ideas on areas of mutual concern specially in the areas of agricultural productivity, conservation of water, water harvesting, drip irrigation, optimum usage of fertilizer and agro chemicals, newsly developed high yielding varieties of wheat which use up 30% less water.

Mr. Yehudapaz invited Capt. Singh to visit Israel which has developed a global leadership role in water harvesting and conservation techniques.

Badal terms cut in petrol, diesel prices as "grossly inadequate"
Urges PM to reduce prices of all petroleum products by 30%

Chandigarh, December 6, 2008

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today strongly criticized the Union Government for the "nominal" reduction in prices of petrol and diesel by Rs. 5 and 2 per litre respectively.

Terming the long-overdue reduction as "grossly inadequate", Badal stated that the recent reduction was in effect a "cruel joke" on the people of the country. Elaborating further, the Chief Minister said that he had written to the Prime Minister some time back that in view of the fallen international prices of crude oil from a peak of $147 per barrel to around $46 per barrel, the Union Government was duty-bound to pass on the benefit to the country's people who had been forced to endure the increased prices since last year.

The Chief Minister stated that the prices of petrol and diesel as well as LPG and kerosene must be reduced by at least 30% in view of the nearly two-third reduction in international crude oil prices during the year. He lamented that while the Union Government had provided only "nominal cut" in petrol and diesel prices, it had completely chosen to bypass the need to reduce LPG and kerosene prices. "Both kerosene and LPG impact directly upon the lives of the country's entire households, be it rich and poor, and thus their prices deserve to be reduced immediately" said Badal.

On the other hand, Punjab being an agrarian state, was dependent upon use of diesel for its farming operations, said the Chief Minister. The meager reduction in diesel would also affect the entire transport sector as well as the common commuter. He urged Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to review this "unfriendly decision" at the earliest and announce at least 30% reduction in prices of all petroleum products in the country.