SHIROMANI AKALI DAL MAJITHIA THANKS BADAL
FOR GETTING THE DEATH SENTENCE OF SARABJIT SUSPENDED
INDEFINITELY Chandigarh May 4, 2008
Mr. Bikram Singh Majithia, Information & Public
Relations Minister and Patron, Youth Akali Dal today thanked the
Punjab Chief Minister S. Parkash Singh in getting the death sentence
of Mr.
Sarabjit suspended indefinitely.
Thanking on behalf of people of in general and
residents of Amritsar in particular, Mr. Majithia said that citizens
of this country would remember the role played by S.Parkash Singh
Badal, Chief Minister Punjab in getting Sarabjit back from gallows.
He said that it was S. Badal who mooted the idea of unanimous
resolution requesting the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and
Union External Affair Ministry to plead the case of Sarabjit Singh
effectively with the neighboring country. He said that S. Badal
met many Members of Parliament and Ministers to exert moral pressure
on the Pakistan Government to reconsider the case of Sarabjit.
Effectively launching a campaign on Sarabjit, S.
Badal also invited Mr. Burney former Union Human Rights Minister
of Pakistan to Punjab so that he could meet the family of Sarabjit
and know the realty at ground level. He said that unstinted effort
of S. Badal and our President S. Sukhbir Singh Badal have started
showing result as Pakistan government has now decided to suspend
the death sentence of Sarbjit indefinitely.
S. Majithia said that SAD-BJP government under
the leadership of S. Parkash Singh Badal had taken many measures
to normalize 'people to people' contact with Pakistan and enhance
trade activity with them. He said that S. Badal is taking all
measure to make Amritsar "trading hub of South East Asia".
He said that S. Badal has started the road route for trade and
resultantly import of cement by Attari Border helped the country
in stabilizing cement prices in the country.
Mr. Majithia said that SAD-BJP government under
the dynamic leadership of S. Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister
Punjab and visionary guidance of President SAD Mr. Sukhbir Singh
Badal would continue to work for honorable release of all prisoners
languishing in the jails of neighboring country.
PUNJAB CM GREETS THE PEOPLE OF THE EVE
OF 285TH BIRTH ANNIVERSARY OF S. JASSA SINGH RAMGARHIA
Chandigarh May 04, 2008
Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today greeted
the people of Punjab on the eve of 285th birth anniversary of
great Sikh warrior of 18th century S. Jassa Singh Ramgarhia.
In a message Mr. Badal called upon the people of Punjab in general
and youth in particular to perpetuate the glorious legacy of S.
Ramgarhia who fought the Mougals valiantly to safe guard the moral
and ethical values of humanity based on the tenets of Sikh Panth.
Mr. Badal said that the real tribute to this brave soldier who
avenged the barbaric acts of mougals to restore the glory of Sikh
Panth would be to follow the path of righteousness and self scarifies
preached by him for the uplift and betterment of the society.
He appealed the people to celebrate this pious occasion in unison
rising above the petty consideration of cast, colour, creed and
religion.
MINIMUM WAGES BOARD IN PROCESS OF REVISING MINIMUM WAGES-
TIKSHAN SOOD
Chandigarh May 4, 2008
The Minimum Wages Board constituted by the Punjab Government
is in process of revising minimum wages and it would be revised
soon.
Mr. Tikshan Sood, Labour Minister Punjab said that news reports
suggesting that minimum wages in Punjab have been revised to Rs.
3300 per month were incorrect as Minimum Wages Board has not taken
any decision in this regard. The Labour Minister said that government
on advice of Minimum Wages Board was in way to revise minimum
wages shortly but has not fixed any amount uptill now as Revised
Minimum Wages.
The Minister added that Minimum Wages Act required the appropriate
government to fix minimum rates of wages in scheduled employment
and to review the same and revise, if necessary, at such intervals
as it may think fit, but not exceeding five years. The Minister
said that it was unfortunate that revision of minimum wages that
became due in the year 2006 and Congress Government failed to
revise the same. The SAD-BJP Government has now reconstituted
Minimum Wages Board on December 19, 2007 giving top priority to
the revision of minimum wages.
The Minister said that three tripartite meetings consisting
of representatives of employers and workers were held in February,
March and April and minimum wages would be shortly revised by
the State on the recommendation of the Board.
Giving the details of the present wage structure the Minister
said that the minimum wages fixed for an unskilled worker w.e.f.
1.1.2001 were Rs. 2000 per month or Rs. 76.95 per day. Similarly
wages for agricultural labour were fixed at Rs. 71.05 (with meals)
or 80.75 (without meals) per day and Rs. 15363.95 were fixed for
an attached labour (consolidated per annum) with meals or food
grains equivalent there of. Consumer price index number is prepared
by Economic and Statistical Organization, Punjab (state series
1987 =100). As a result of this linkage, the minimum wages of
unskilled industrial worker have risen from 2570 per month as
on 1.9.2007 to Rs. 2620 per month or Rs. 100.51 per day. w.e.f.
1.3.2008. The minimum wages of an unskilled agriculture labour
have also risen to Rs. 94.61 (with meals) or Rs. 104.31 (without
meals) per day and the attached labourer is now entitled to get
Rs. 19083.95 w.e.f. 01-03-08(per annum).
The Minister said that last revision of minimum wages was done
on 01.01.2001. The rates of wages are linked with Consumer Price
Index numbers. The rate of neutralization being provided is @
Rs. 5 per point for monthly rated workers and Rs. 0.19 paisa per
point for daily rated workers. The Minister said that adjustment
in wages is done on six monthly basis i.e. 1st March and 1st September
of every year.
WHEAT PROCUREMENT IN PUNJAB TOUCHES 92
LAC TONNES
Chandigarh, May 4, 2008
Wheat procurement in Punjab touched 92 lac tonnes mark and state
contributed over 87.65 lac tonnes to the central pool till date.
The spokesman said that six government agencies and private millers
have procured more than 92.12lac tonnes of wheat in Punjab out
of which 87.65 lac tonne (95.1%) has been procured for the central
pool and 2,11,522 tonnes (2.3%) has been procured for the State
pool.
According to an official spokesman till Saturday evening out
of total procurement of 92,12,702 tonnes of wheat in all the procurement
centers of Punjab, millers have lifted 2,35,509 tonnes (2.6%)
of wheat. Till May 3, PUNGRAIN had procured 16, 32,990 tonnes
(18.6%) whereas MARKFED procured 20, 73,669 tonnes (23.7%). PUNSUP
procured 20, 00, 372 tonnes (22.8%), PSWC procured 11, 08,661
tonnes (12.6%) whereas PAIC was able to procure10, 04,286 tonnes
(11.5 %) of wheat for the central pool. The Central Government
agency FCI had been able to procure 9, 45,693 tonnes (10.8%) for
the central pool.
The spokesman said that in addition MARKFED procured 67932 tonnes
(32.1%), PUNSUP procured 75,408 tonnes (35.7%) and PAIC procured
41460 tonnes(0.4%) for the State pool.
He added that Ferozepur District with 10,49,084 tonnes of procurement
was leading in procurement operations whereas Sangrur District
with 9,19,793 tonnes of procurement was at second slot and Ludhiana
district with 8,07,235 tonnes of procurement ranked at third position.
The Punjab Government has made a payment of more than Rs. 8500
crores to the farmers of the State for wheat procured upto May
2, 2008 ensuring payment to the farmers within 48 hours of lifting
of their wheat. The spokesman said that Punjab Government has
already set aside Rs. 11176 crores for total procurement season
to ensure hassle free payment to the farmers.
The State Government has set up over 1615 procurement centres
and activated its total machinery to ensure smooth procurement
of wheat, the spokesman added.
