Badal expresses shock over tragic bus accident

 by Punjabnewswiere4u (Balbir)
CHANDIGARH JUNE 30

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today expressed deep shock and sorrow over the tragic bus accident near village Kauli (Patiala) in which four passengers were killed and about 21 injured, 5 seriously. This ill-fated bus of PRTC coming from Chandigarh for Patiala, when it collided with a road side tree after loosing balance.  

Expressing profound grief and sorrow over this accident, Mr Badal shared his heartfelt sympathies with the members of the bereaved families and prayed to the Almighty to give them courage to bear this irreparable loss in the hour of crisis and grant peace to the departed souls. Meanwhile the Chief Minister also announced an Ex-Gratia grant Rs 1 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs. 25000/- to each seriously injured and free treatment to passengers of minor injury and seriously injured.

. Mr. Badal also directed the District Administration to provide free treatment to all the injured.

KCPS student bags Rs.4.00 lakhs scholarship

 by Punjabnewswire4u

AMRITSAR, JUNE 30

 Hardeep Kaur, a student of local Khalsa College Public School (KCPS) who recently stood first in school by securing 95 per cent marks in 10+2 exams, has another reason to cheer as she bagged prestigious Rs.4.00 lakhs scholarships from Department of Science and Technology, 

Government of India. School Principal Dr. Sarvjit Kaur Brar said she won scholarship on the basis of her performance in CBSE exams where she was bracketed in the top one per cent students at national level in the examination. 

She congratulated her and said she hopes that Hardeep would make the maximum use of the money to pursue her studies further. She had earlier bagged First position during selection process by Progressive Education Society, working in School to prepare a batch of `Super-50’ students for competitive examinations for engineering.

Punjab targets 40 crore new saplings in eight years

by Punjabnewswire4u (Balbir)

CHANDIGARH, JUNE 30

            Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said that in order to make the state clean, green and pollution free, the SAD-BJP alliance government has set up a target of planting 40 crore new saplings across the state in next eight years.

            Presiding over a high level meeting of the top brass of the state government and all the Deputy Commissioners (DCs), the Chief Minister said that the state government would be formally launching the “Greening Punjab Campaign’ on Sunday from Fazilka for enhancing the forests cover in the state. He said that they have set a target of planting five crore saplings every year for which the DCs are required to play a proactive role for transforming this campaign into a public movement. Mr Badal asked the DCs to identify the vacant government land in their respective districts for ensuring massive plantation on it.

Likewise the Chief Minister asked the Financial Commissioner Forests Mr DS Bains to personally visit all the districts of the state to monitor the plantation drive at ground root level. He said that there was no dearth of fund and keeping in view the importance of greenery in the state, the Punjab Government had already constituted a dedicated “Greening Punjab Fund” specifically for this purpose. Mr Badal also said that he would be regularly monitoring this campaign and asked the DCs to submit weekly reports in his office regarding it. He also asked the DCs to constitute district level monitoring committees apart from appointing the Nodal officers for this campaign so that it could be carried out in an effective manner.     

            Taking part in the deliberations the Chief Minister further said that the state government was fully committed to check the illegal mining in the state for which a new Mining policy would be announced by the state government in coming days. He said that the Cabinet Sub Committee constituted on the matter has already submitted its recommendations to the state government which would be incorporated into the policy. Mr Badal categorically directed the DCs to take strictest possible action against the illegal miners in their respective districts, regardless of their political affiliations, so that it could be checked effectively. Mr Badal further said that any sort of leniency in checking this unlawful trade would not be tolerated at any cost.

            Discussing the measures being taken by the state government for controlling floods in Punjab, the Chief Minister also directed the DCs to personally supervise the ongoing flood protection works in their districts to tackle with any sort of eventuality rising out of ensuing monsoon. He said that the required funds for flood protection have been already released by the state government and the DCs must ensure that all the flood control works were completed by July 7. Mr Badal also approved to release Rs 5 lakh for each district to enable the DCs to pay compensation promptly for any loss of property or cattle of the people during the monsoon season.

            Reiterating the commitment of the state government to provide uninterrupted power supply of eight hours to the farmers during the ongoing paddy season, the Chief Minister asked the Deputy Commissioners to ensure that any sort of power failure due to local power break down was addressed promptly so that the inconvenience caused to the farmers on this count could be avoided.

            Likewise the Chief Minister also said that in the month of September the procurement of paddy crop would start for which the DCs should ensure adequate storage capacity for paddy, well in advance. He asked the officers to remain well prepared by earmarking the required storage capacity of food grains in their districts so that the crop could be properly stored.

            During the meeting the Chief Minister also directed the DCs to ensure installation of proper fire Fighting systems in the government offices. He said that the state government has already conducted a survey regarding the requirement of up gradation of fire fighting in the big cities of the state, so that Fire fighting staff could be made capable of coping up with any sort of mishap.

            Likewise the Chief Minister also asked the DCs to collaborate with the Gaushalas in their respective districts for tackling the menace of stray cattle. He said that it was the need of the hour to take effective steps to tackle this grave problem, which was causing a lot of inconvenience to the people. In the same manner Mr Badal also said that serious efforts need to be made for tackling the problem of stray dogs both in the cities and villages of the state because it was posing a serious threat to human life. 

            The Chief Minister also asked the DCs to ensure that Shaguns under Shagun Scheme must be disbursed to the beneficiaries’ in-time so that poor people could be benefited. He also asked the officers to ensure that all the pending cases, if any, related to the scheme must be disposed off at the earliest. In the same manner Mr Badal also asked the Deputy Commissioners to ensure that the pending dues of the old and widow pensions is also cleared at the earliest so that people could be benefited from it. The Chief Minister directed the DCs to personally monitor the Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) Scheme of the Pension disbursal by having regular meetings with the concerned banks so that beneficiaries could get the pension at their doorsteps besides checking the malpractice of fraudulent pension cases.

            Mr Badal told the officers that the state government was committed for supply of potable drinking water in all the villages of the state by December 2013 for which the DCs must ensure that the state government’s scheme in collaboration with the World Bank and Government of India (GoI) was properly implemented.

            The Chief Minister reiterated that in order to facilitate the people for getting their routine administrative works done the DCs must attend their offices regularly and ensure their presence for three days viz. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Apart from this, Mr Badal asked the officers to regularly tour the villages under their jurisdiction to make themselves apprised with the problems of their areas to ensure its timely resolution.

            Prominent amongst those present in the meeting included Cabinet Ministers Mr Chunni Lal Bhagat and Mr Sikander Singh Maluka, Chief Secretary Mr Rakesh Singh, Financial Commissioner Revenue Mr NS Kang, Financial Commissioner Forest Mr DS Bains, Principal Secretary Local Government Mr Suresh Kumar, Principal Secretary Irrigation Mr KBS Sidhu, Principal Secretary Finance Mr Satish Chandra, Principal Secretary Rural Development Mr Mandeep Singh Sandhu, Special Principal Secretaries to Chief Minister Mr KJS Cheema and Mr Gurkirat Kirpal Singh, Secretary Social Security Mr R Venkatratnam, Secretary Transport Mr Mandeep Singh, Secretary Personnel and Co-ordination Mr Ashok Gupta besides all the Deputy Commissioners and their representatives.

Iran Ambassador calls on Punjab Chief Minister

 Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal honoured The Ambassador of Iran Mr. Saiyad Mehdi Nabi Zadeh at Chandigarh

 by Punjabnewswire4u (Balbir)

  CHANDIGARH   JUNE 29

The Ambassador of Iran Mr. Saiyad Mehdi Nabi Zadeh today called on Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal.

Taking part in the deliberations during a meeting with Mr. Badal at Chief Minister’s residence this evening, Mr. Mahdi appreciated the hardworking and adventurous character for which Punjabis are renowned across the globe.  

Mr. Badal apprised the visiting envoy that Punjab’s economy was mostly an agrarian and one could easily judge the perseverance Punjabis through the fact that Punjab state even having less than 2% of the entire land of the country was a major contributor of food grains to the national kitty with its 42% share of rice and 50% that of wheat.

Mr. Badal said that their SAD-BJP government had successfully created a congenial atmosphere for the growth of Industrial sector, besides giving good governance and effectively achieved higher economic growth, thus improved the fiscal situation of the state. It had also initiated the process to establish new Power generation plants to over come the acute shortage of Power in the state and these efforts would make Punjab a Power surplus state by next two year. He said that there was a major scope to further expand economic & business ties in wide range of fields like information technology, marketing of petroleum products, agriculture produce, sharing of educational tools, engineering technologies, which could be of immense mutual benefit for the people on both sides.

On the occasion, the Chief Minister honoured the Mr. Mehdi by presenting him a Sword, and a Plaque as a token of love and affection on behalf of the Punjabis.

Secretary PWD (B&R) Mr. PS Aujla and Special Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Mr. Gaggandip Singh Brar were also present in the meeting.

Badal asks Centre to allot wheat export share to states

 by Punjabnewswire4u (Balbir)

CHANDIGARH JUNE 29

        As the Government of India (GoI) is likely to get the permission to export four million tones of wheat from India, Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal demanded from the Central Government that the wheat should be exported from the states on the proportion on which wheat stock was lying with the respective states.

Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of Chief Minister’s office said that Mr. Badal had demanded that larger export share must be allotted to those states where the stored quantity of wheat was more.

        Expressing his apprehension, Mr. Badal categorically said that it would be unjust if wheat from the states with low holding be lifted first for export. In the larger interest of the beleaguered farming community in the state, priority must be given to Punjab with had large stock of surplus wheat, added Mr. Badal.  The Chief Minister also reminded the centre that the state had not only exhausted its natural resources like ground water and soil but also beared the expanse of costly diesel, fertilizers and other agro inputs to produce record crops for the nation. Mr. Badal asked the centre to consider all these facts before deciding to allot export share of wheat to the states. 

Badal announces help to Surjeet Singh for rehabilitation

by Punjabsportswire4u (Balbir)
CHANDIGARH, JULY 29

            Punjab Vidhan Sabha today unanimously adopted a resolution urging the Government of India (GoI) to again take up the matter of the release of Indian convict Mr Sarabjeet Singh, who was on death row with the Pakistan Government.

            A resolution to this effect was moved by the Punjab Chief Minister Mr Parkash Singh Badal in the legislative assembly, which also requested the GoI to take necessary steps for the release of several Prisoners of War (PoW) and other Indians who were languishing in jails of Pakistan due to legal impediments.

            Expressing happiness over the recent release of Mr Surjeet Singh, who had spent almost 30 years of his life in Pakistan jail, the Chief Minister felicitated him, his family members, all the Punjabis and countrymen on behalf of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and SAD-BJP alliance government. He also announced that Punjab Government would seriously contemplate to extend appropriate help for the rehabilitation of Mr Surjeet Singh within the legal frame work, as per the wishes of his family.   

            The Chief Minister in the resolution further said that he along with the entire countrymen welcomed the decision for release of Mr Surjeet Singh and felt the need to create an atmosphere of harmony between both the countries, which would be beneficial for people across the border, by releasing Mr Sarabjeet Singh, who was on death row since long. Mr Badal also mentioned that the immediate release of Mr Sarabjeet Singh would further boost the ties between both the nations in the present cordial scenario, especially created after the opening of Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Attari. 
The Chief Minister said that he had already taken up the issue for seeking release of Mr Sarabjeet Singh with the Union Government several times personally and through correspondence also. The resolution also specifically pointed out that even some organizations in Pakistan have also raised the issue of Sarabjeet’s innocence.  

Summer vacations in Punjab schools extended

 by Punjabnewswire4u (Balbir)
CHANDIGARH, JUNE 28
The Punjab Government has extended the summer vacations in primary schools of Punjab for another one week.
Disclosing this here today Punjab Education Minister Mr. Sikander Singh Maluka that the Punjab Government considering the blazing hot condition decided to extend the summer vacations in primary schools.
He said that primary schools would reopen on 9th July whereas middle, high and secondary would open as per the schedule i.e. on 2nd July.

KCA starts journalism course

by Punjabnewswire4u

AMRITSAR, JUNE 27

The prestigious Khalsa College Amritsar (KCA) has started a new course `Bachelor of Journalism and Mass Communication (BJMC)’ at it campus from current, 2012-13 academic session. The admissions, said Principal of College Dr. Daljit Singh, are open for meritorious students.
 He said media is emerging as a major career choice for hundreds of young boys and girls and country needs trained and professional journalists in future due to the ever-growing print and electronic media houses. 
He said the College has received the required approval for degree from Guru Nanak Dev University. The College, he said, has the state of the art studio, camera equipments, editing rooms, computer labs, library for books on journalism and mass communication.

Kamal Sharma takes over as CM’s Political Advisor

Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal offering sweets to his newly appointed Political Advisor Mr. Kamal Sharma on the occasion of assuming charge in his office at Punjab Civil Secretariat Chandigarh.

by Punjabnewswire4u (Balbir)

Chandigarh, June 27

Mr Kamal Sharma today took over as political advisor to Chief Minister Punjab at Punjab secretariat in the presence of Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Prakash Singh Badal and BJP state president and MLA Mr Ashwani Sharma.

BJP legislative leader Bhagat Chunni Lal, National Coordinator of Morchas & Cells of BJP Mahinder Pandey, Ex Minister & Ex State president BJP Balramji Dass Tandon, Public Relations Minister Mr. Bikram Singh Majithia, Forest Minister Mr. Surjit Kumar Jayani, Industry Minister Mr. Anil Joshi, Irrigation Minister S. Janmeja Singh Sekhon, Education Minister S. Sikander Singh Malooka, State General Secretary Mr. Ajay Jamwal & Manjit Singh Rai, Chief Parliamentary Secretary Mr. Somprakash, Mr. KD Bhandari and Mr. Inder Bir Bularia, MLA Seema Devi, Ranit Singh Dhillon, Joginder Singh Jindu & Avtar Singh Brar, MP Sher Singh Ghubaya, Former Minister Tikshan Sood & Arunesh Shakar, Former State President BJP Punjab Prof Rajinder Bhandari, Chairman Punjab Infotech HS Grewal, Chairman PSIEC Rajinder Mohan Singh Chinna, Chairman Sewerage Board Dr Baldev Chawla, Chairman Traders Board Narrotam Dev Ratti, state media in-charge Vineet Joshi and others were present at the occasion.

Move to make Punjab clean, green and pollution free

by Punjabnewswire4u (Balbir)

CHANDIGARH, JUNE 27

In a bid to make Punjab clean, green and pollution free, Forest Research Institute (FRI) Dehradun has assured all technical support and assistance to the state Forests Department for undertaking plantation drive across the state.    

Disclosing this here today Financial Commissioner (Forests) Mr Dhanbir Singh Bains said that this assurance was given by Director, FRI Mr PP Bhojvaid and Director General, Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) Dehradun Mr VK Bahuguna during a meeting at Dehrdun, last week. It may be recalled that Mr Bains was deputed by the Punjab Chief Minister Mr Parkash Singh Badal to visit FRI for chalking out a detailed action plan for the massive plantation drive.

Mr Bains further said that the senior officers of the FRI emphasised the need for the preparation of seed orchards of good quality genetic material for producing high quality plants during a detailed presentation. They also laid thrust on how best genetic material could be prepared out of clonal nurseries. Seven to eight lac plants, which get ready in about 60-65 days, could be prepared in a nursery, twice a year. They further asked the senior officers of Punjab to visit the clonal nursery set up by the Haryana government at Seonthi, Kurukshetra as per the recommendations of FRI.  

During the deliberations, the FRI officials recommended as many as 14 tree species to be planted in the state viz. Shisham, Encalyptus (Safeda), Poplar, Melia (Dek), Acacia (Kikar), Bael, Suhanjana, White Albizia (Chitta Siris), Black Albizia (Kaala Siris), Mulberry (Shehtoot), Toon (Tun), Zizyphus (Ber), Peepal (Pippal) and Neem (Nim).

Mr Bains informed that the Punjab Forest Department had six to seven clonal nurseries at the moment. It was also observed that the plants produced in the clonal nurseries have a better survival rate as well as a better Root-Shoot ratio than the normal plants. Besides these, medicinal plants such as Gooseberry (Amla) may also be planted in Punjab.

Meanwhile Director, FRI Mr PP Bhojvaid assured the Punjab Government that FRI would design orientation course for the officers and forest guards from Punjab in which they would be imparted basic training to plant forest tree saplings, new techniques in Farm Forestry, management of insects and diseases besides equipping them to raise Clonal Nurseries.

FRI also suggested that a research campus of 2.5-3 acre area may be set up on the National Highway No. 1 in which training, research and development works as per the local needs of different areas of Punjab may be taken up on ongoing basis under the guidance of FRI. The production centre of this research campus (institute) would consist of nurseries of the Punjab Forest Department and the areas taken on lease from the farmers. Director, FRI also observed that after the expected success of farm forestry in Punjab, a lot of timber would become available in Punjab.

Dwelling on the concept of agro-forestry to improve the economic lot of the farmers of the state, FRI asked the Punjab government to complete a value chain in terms of Nursery/ farm forestry and industry so that the farmers could link up with nurseries to maximise their income. FRI team also observed that if the forest area in Punjab was increased to 15% it would automatically increase carbon sequestration levels and a benefit could be drawn by claiming Carbon Credits. Mr Bains further said that Mr Bhojvaid would call on the Chief Minister on June 29 to give him a detailed presentation about the concept and scope of agro-forestry in the state, besides the proposed plantation drive ‘Greening Punjab Campaign’.

Badal and Capt Amarinder hail release of Sarabjit

by Punjabnewswire (Balbir)

CHANDIGARH, JUNE 26

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh today hailed the release of Indian convict on death row Sarbjit Singh by the Pakistan Government.

            In a statement the Chief Minister profusely thanked the President of Pakistan for allowing his mercy petition. Mr. Badal said that this goodwill gesture would further boost the congenial ties between the two countries.

He said the release of Sarbjit Singh would give further impetus to the on going Confidence Building measures between India and Pakistan for strengthening the bonds of friendship, amity, peace and brotherhood amongst the people of India and Pakistan.

The Chief Minister also congratulated the family members especially the sister of Sarbjit Singh Ms. Sarbjit Kaur for mobilizing support for the release of her brother not within the country but in Pakistan also through making use of diplomatic channels besides people to people contact.

 Capt Amarinder said this was really a goodwill gesture by the Pakistani President towards Sarbjit facing capital punishment in that country. He said, it will further strengthen the mutual trust and confidence between the people of the two countries.
Punjab Congress Committee president Captain Amarinder Singh said, people of Punjab in particular really feel grateful towards President Zardari for his noble and generous gesture that not only saved a precious life but also strengthened the faith and confidence of the people of this region about the Pakistani goodwill towards India.

Punjab Congress for peace memorial outside Darbar Sahib complex

by Punjabnewswire (Balbir)

CHANDIGARH, JUNE 26

Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee President Captain Amarinder Singh today said that the party was in favour of setting up a peace memorial in memory of all those who lost their lives during the dark days of terror in Punjab. The party said, setting up a memorial about Operation Bluestar within the precincts of the Darbar Sahib will defile it sanctity.

“You can’t raise a memorial to anybody parallel to the Darbar Sahib and Akal Takhat Sahib”, he asserted. Besides, he added, the memorial should be for peace and harmony and not for mistrust and disharmony.

Addressing a press conference here today, Capt Amarinder appealed to all the Punjabis in general and the Sikhs in particular to think seriously as where the Akalis were heading for. He said, it was the issue of the sanctity of the Holiest Shrine of the Sikhs and no memorials should be allowed to be raised parallel to it.

Condemning Mr Badal for facilitating the honouring of Balwant Singh Rajoana, the assassin of late Beant Singh, he said, it was shameful as how Mr Badal as Chief Minister had presided over the self proclaimed assassin of another Chief Minister who laid down his life for peace and harmony in the state.

The PCC President said, the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had once again behaved in a cowardly manner and succumbed to the pressure of the radicals. He said, had Mr Badal summoned the guts and courage and put down his foot the memorial would not have come up inside the Darbar Sahib.

He pointed out, the Darbar Sahib has been attacked on a number of occasions earlier also but never were any memorials set up inside. He said, there are ‘kallughara’ (massacre) memorials at different places in Punjab but none in the Holy Shrine.

Capt Amarinder questioned the very assertion of Mr Badal that the memorial coming up inside the Darbar Sahib will be a memorial to peace. He asked, “how can it be when you are leaving out thousands of others who laid down their lives for peace in Punjab”. He said, the memorials cannot be selective.

He asked, what about 1784 police cops including two DIGs, 7 SPs,12 DSPs and others who were killed while fighting terrorism.

He pointed out, there were a number of Congress, Akali, BJP and Communist leaders who were killed by the terrorists. “Does Mr Badal think their sacrifices were not worth the memory?” he asked, while referring to the killing of senior Congress leaders like late Beant Singh and others.

He said, similarly other Congress leaders like Joginder Pal Pandey, Lala Bhagwan Das, Former Food Supply Minister, Jagat Ram, Former Cabinet Minister,Brij Bhushan Mehra, Former Speaker, Darshan Singh Kay Pee, Ex-Minister, V.N. Tiwari, Ex-MP, Satpal Parasar, MLA, Baldev Singh, MLA, Sudesh Kumar, Satnam Singh Bajwa, Former Minister (Father of Pratap Singh Bajwa, MP), Sant Singh Gill and others.

Besides, veteran journalist and Lala Jagat Narain and his son Shri Ramesh ji were also killed by the terrorists.

He said, Mr Badal had even forgotten his own Akali leaders like Sant Harchand Singh Longowal, Balwant Singh (Ex Minister), Bhai Shaminder Singh (ex-MP), Dr Rajinder Kaur (ex-MP and daughter of Master Tara Singh), Harbhajan Singh Sandhu (ex Minister), Bhan Singh Secretary SGPC, Sher Singh Dhumakheri (President Youth Akali Dal), besides attacks on Tohra and Talwandi leaving some SGPC members dead.

Besides, senior BJP Leaders like Shri Hit Abhilashi, President Punjab BJP, Harbans Lal Khanna (ex-MLA) and Tarsem Singh Kohar (President Bhartiya Yuva Janata Morcha) were also killed.