Badal blames Congress for plight of Punjabi farmers in Gujarat

By Punjabnewswire4u

SANGRUR, AUGUST 5

           Squarely blaming the Congress for the crisis faced by the Punjabi farmers in Gujarat, the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today said that despite of the fact that the then Congress government had issued a circular regarding it way back in 1973, its leaders were now shamelessly shedding ‘crocodile tears’ on the issue.

            Talking to the media persons here after administering oath to the newly elected Sarpanchs and Panchs of Sangrur district there today, the Chief Minister categorically said that ever since the inception Congress have always remained anti-farmers in general and anti-Punjab in particular. He said that in 1973 a Congress government of Gujarat had issued a circular that if any agriculturist from outside Gujarat purchases agricultural land in that state, he was declared a non-agriculturist. Mr. Badal said that the decision to freeze agricultural lands of Punjabi farmers was totally based on this circular issued by the Congress government but ironically instead of making any effort to save the farmers of Gujarat, the Congress leadership was making hoarse cry over this matter.

          The Chief Minister said that it was on record that only Congress could formulate such anti-farmers laws whereas the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has always fought vehemently for safeguarding the interests of the farmers. Citing the example of Wealth Tax, he said that owing to the crusade of SAD against this barbaric tax imposed by the Congress led UPA government; the Centre was forced to roll it back. Mr. Badal in the context of Gujarat farmers also the SAD would fight the political and legal for preserving the interest of Punjabi farmers of Gujarat from the forefront.

        Earlier addressing the mammoth gathering during the function, the Chief Minister slammed the Congress led UPA government for ruing the farmers of the state. He said that the Punjabi farmers through their sheer hard work had played a vanguard role in making the country self reliant in food production but the wrong policies of the centre government have now brought them on crossroads.  Mr. Badal said that due to massive hike in agriculture inputs and lack of remunerative MSP, farming was no longer a profitable venture.  

         The Chief Minister said that though the framers of the state had over exploited their precious resources to feed the nation but the Union government has made them difficult to survive. He said that as now the centre has dragged its feet from purchasing the paddy in future so diversification was the need of the hour. However Mr. Badal said that instead of bailing the farmers out of this mess by crop diversification through a package of Rs 5100 crore as demanded by the state government, the Union government has allocated a minuscule amount of Rs 200 crore, which was a cruel joke with the Punjabi farmers. He said that though on its part the state government was encouraging the farmers to adopt crop diversification but by denying the MSP to Maize and Price support mechanism to Basmati, the Union government was scuttling the efforts of Punjab government.

          The Chief Minister further said that the state government was laying special thrust on ensuring clean and green Punjab especially in the rural areas for which a major program has been embarked at cost of Rs 400 crore for cleaning of Ponds in the villages. Likewise he said that keeping in view the health and hygiene of people in the rural areas the state government was mulling to shift the sites of dumping the garbage and cow dung from the interior of the villages to specially earmarked vacant Panchayst lands. Mr. Badal said that the decision to this would be taken soon in the upcoming meeting of the Cabinet schedule to take place this week.

         The Chief Minister said that in order to provide 70 litres potable drinking waste to every resident of village per day the Government has also initiated a major project under which RO systems were being installed in the villages. Likewise he said that efforts were afoot to provide basic civic amenities to the villages at par with the urban areas. Mr. Badal reiterated that the state government was committed to check the trend of migration of population from the villages to cities.

        The Chief Minister also said that special thrust was being laid by the state government to impart world class education to the meritorious rural students. He said that six special schools were being opened across the state at the cost of Rs 150 crore to provide world class education to the bright rural students after matriculation. Likewise Mr. Badal said that the all the students studying in government schools but securing more than 80% marks in matriculation would also be entitled for Dr Hargobind Khurana post matric scholarship scheme under which Rs 30000 per annum would be given to them by the state government.

          Prominent amongst those present on the occasion included Rajya Sabha MP Mr. Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Cabinet Ministers Mr. Surjit Singh Rakhra, Chief Parliamentary Secretary Babu Parkash Chand Garg, Sant Balbir Singh Ghunas and Mrs. Farzana Aalam and Chairman Punjab Waqf Board Mr. Mohammed Izhar Aalam.   

Jangveer Singh appointed Media Advisor to Deputy CM

By Punjabnewswire4u

CHANDIGARH, AUGUST  2

The Punjab Government today appointed noted journalist and Principal Correspondent of The Tribune Mr. Jangveer Singh as Media Advisor to the Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal in the rank of Minister of State with immediate effect.

          Disclosing this here today, a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office said the detailed terms and conditions of Mr. Jangveer Singh’s appointment would be issued shortly.

Mr. Jangveer Singh has a long innings in journalism. He has earlier served in the United News of India (UNI) in Chandigarh for four years besides having served in The Tribune for 16 years. Mr. Jangveer was till recently posted in the Punjab Bureau of The Tribune and was handling political affairs besides other key responsibilities. He is known for his integrity and credible writing.

Mr. Jangveer has done his initial schooling from Sherwood College, Nainital and has acquired a post graduate degree in Mass Communications and History of Art, both from the Panjab University, Chandigarh. He is an avid reader and nature lover and is passionate about horticulture and Art and heritage conservation.

The new Media Adviser while thanking Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal for reposing faith in him said he would try his best to rise to the occasion and work in an effective manner to portray the pro people achievements of the government led by the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal. He also conveyed his sense of gratitude to Public Relations Minister Mr. Bikram Singh Majithia for the guidance extended by him at this crucial juncture.

Punjab Government issues guidelines on transfer

By Punjabnewswire4u

CHANDIGARH, AUG 1

 The Punjab Government on Thursday issued guidelines for the general postings and transfers of officers and officials of the government in the state during 2013-14Disclosing this here today, a spokesman of the Punjab Government said that the transfers would be done from  August 1, 2013 to  August 31..

A Government spokesman said that as per the policy of the state government transfers would be kept to the barest minimum and would be made against vacant post except where the transfers were justified on administrative or compassionate grounds. He also said the employees whether gazetted or non-gazetted due to retire within next two years, would be allowed to continue in the same district or at the same station of postings till retirement as far as possible.

Referring to the transfer policy for couple cases, he said that when husband and wife both were serving the Government it was desirable to keep them at one station for a period of not more than five years, thereafter they would be transferred as per the policy. Even in the cases where the wife was in government service and the husband was working in private under taking, the same attitude would be adopted. However, efforts would be made to post unmarried girls and widows at stations suitable to them as far as possible. The spokesman explained that unmarried girls and widows would be given preference over couple cases in the matter of posting and transfers at stations convenient to them.

The spokesman further said that to mitigate the suffering of the handicapped and the blind employees, the state government would be considerate in posting and transferring them. Sympathetic attitude would be adopted while posting or transferring a government employee or officers whose child was mentally challenged and efforts would be made to post them at the place of their choice.

Adding further, he said that a stay of three years and five years would be treated respectively as the minimum and maximum period at a particular place. Similarly for employees transferable within the state particularly Group 'A' and Group 'B' officers, no employee would be allowed to serve in one district beyond a period of 7 years in his center service, within particular office, seats having sensitive nature of work such as extensive public dealings, establishment, monetary sanctions etc. would be clearly defined and maximum stay would be kept at 2 years.

Premature transfers i.e. transfer of any employee before he has completed minimum three years would not be ordered except under rare circumstances of punishment or clearly spelt out administrative reasons, the spokesman clarified. The employees or officers who were posted in the border areas, bet areas and Kandi areas would remain there for a minimum period of 2 years, he added.

Plan to revolutionize cotton cultivation in Punjab

by Punjabnewswire4u

JALANDHAR, AUG 1

          In a leap forward towards revolutionizing the cotton cultivation in the state to promote agriculture diversification, the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today gave nod for introducing highly mechanized cotton pickers in the 53 blocks falling in 10 districts of the cotton belt of the state on trial basis.

          A decision to this effect was taken after a high level team from Gujarat gave the demonstration regarding these cotton picking machines to the Chief Minister here late evening. 

          It may be recalled that during a recent visit of his Gujarat counterpart Mr. Narendra Modi to Punjab, the Chief Minister had discussed the problems faced by the cotton cultivators of the state in picking the harvest, with him. During the deliberations Mr. Modi had assured the Chief Minister that he would soon send a high level team from the state to solve this problem. Likewise on the directions of Mr. Modi a team comprising Mr. AK Jadeja and Mr. Kartik Doshi gave presentation to the Chief Minister regarding the machine. The team apprised the Chief Minister that this ‘handy machine’ with back up eight hours could perform very well during the farming operations.

          The Chief Minister asked the members of the team to visit the state during the cotton season in the month of February and give demonstration to the farmers regarding the operation of this machine. He said that if the machines were successful than the state government would launch it throughout the cotton belt of the state. Mr. Badal categorically said that the state government would do everything possible to promote crop diversification in the state. 

          Talking to the media persons the Chief Minister said that due to the exorbitant hike in costs of farming operations and squeezing margins of profit, agriculture was no longer a profitable venture. He said that the problems of the Punjab farmer have increased manifolds after the centre had announced that they would not purchase the paddy from the state in future. Mr. Badal said that in wake of all these problems the state has embarked upon a major program of crop diversification to encourage the farmers to adopt less water consuming crops like Maize, Basmati, Sugarcane and Cotton.

However the Chief Minister said that apart from assured marketing and support price thrust should be laid on mechanization of agriculture so that the profits of the farmers could be increased. He hoped that this new technique of Cotton cultivation could go a long way in enhancing the profits of the farmers on one hand and facilitating them for the cultivation of the crop on the other. Mr. Badal said that these machines would be distributed to the farmers for the trail and once it was successful than it would be launched in the state from the next cotton season.

Earlier the Chief Minister also visited the local Sports College to finalize the site for the construction of a special school for meritorious rural students. It may be recalled that in order to ensure congenial atmosphere to the meritorious poor students of rural areas securing above 80% marks, the Chief Minister has asked the Education department to construct six special schools in Jalandhar, Amritsar, Mohali, Patiala, Ludhiana and Bathinda. These upcoming School with hostel facilities would start functioning from next academic year.

The Chief Minister was accompanied by MLA Mr. Pargat Singh, former MLA ands Chairman District Planning Committee Kapurthala Mr. Sarabjeet Singh Makkar, Special Principal Secreatry to Chief Minister Mr. Gurkirat Kirpal Singh and Director Agriculture Dr. Mangal Singh Dhillon.   

CM announces to double the beneficiaries of Atta-Dal Scheme

By Punjabnewswire4u

AMRITSAR, AUGUST 1

        The  Punjab Chief Minister, Mr. Parkash Singh Bada,l today said that the state government would soon widen the ambit of Atta-Dal scheme by doubling the number of beneficiaries of this scheme from current 15 lakh to 30 lakh people.

          Addressing a mammoth gathering at a function organized to administer the oath to newly elected Panchs and Sarpanchs here today, the Chief Minister, while reiterating the firm commitment of the state government to ensure the well being of the weaker and downtrodden sections of the society, said that this decision has been taken for facilitating more and more number of people to get subsidized food grains. He said that even in future the state government would provide Atta-Dal to the beneficiaries at much more cheaper rates than the existing Rs 4 and Rs 20 for per kilogram of Atta and Dal respectively. Mr. Badal categorically said that the sole aim of extending this scheme was to ensure that not even a single person should starve in the state.

Congratulating the newly elected Panchs and Sarpanchs of the villages, the Chief Minister said that by electing them people of villages have entrusted them a huge responsibility of ushering in an era of unparalleled development in the state. He said that the Panches and Sarpanches should join hands with the state government for this herculean task by effectively monitoring the ongoing development works in the rural areas of the state. “On this solemn occasion every one of us should take the pledge to take the state on the zenith of development process by ensuring sustainable development in every sector”, Mr. Badal added.

The Chief Minster further said that owing to the stupendous efforts of the state government Punjab would soon become a Power Surplus state. Likewise he said that all the villages of the state would be soon provided the potable drinking water adding that 1507 RO System would be soon installed in the villages. In the same manner Mr. Badal said that Rs 349 crore would be spent on the cleaning of Ponds in the villages.

The Chief Minister called upon the farmers to adopt crop diversification for preventing the further depletion of precious resources of state on one hand and to supplement their income on the other. He said that due the escalating costs of agriculture inputs and declining margins of profit, farming was no longer a profitable venture. Moreover Mr. Badal said that with the Union government drawing its foot back from purchasing the paddy, it was the need of the hour that Punjab farmers should adopt crop diversification.

The Chief Minister said that with the stupendous hike in the Price of petrol and diesel along with other farming inputs, the beleaguered peasantry of the state was reeling under a heavy debt of Rs 32000 crore. He said that in this crucial hour it was the moral duty of the state government to bail them out by giving them free power. Mr. Badal said that though the state was incurring an additional burden Rs 5000 crore per year for giving free power to the farmers but it was nothing before the valuable contribution made by the peasantry in making the country self reliant in food production.   

Earlier in his address the Revenue and Information & Public Relation Minister, Punjab, Mr. Bikram Singh Majithia congratulated the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal for strengthening the democracy at the grass root level by conducting free and fair Panchayat polls in the state. Mr. Majithia said that it was on record that every initiative aimed at welfare of the people, whether it was starting of Atta-Dal, Pension or Shagun scheme, had been taken only during the regime of Mr. Badal. He said that even the food security ordinance which has been brought by the Union government was a copied act of SAD-BJP government, which had started this scheme about seven years ago.

Batting for the enactment of comprehensive need based scheme for the states, Mr, Majithia said that only such a formula could ensure balanced regional development in the country. He said that it was the need of hour that every state was given equal share of funds for development without any political considerations. The Minister while congratulating the newly elected Sarpanches and Panches called upon them to work whole heartedly for the development of the rural areas.

Later on talking to the media persons, the Chief Minister said that he would take up the matter of displacement of Punjabi farmers in the Kutch region of Gujarat, with the Chief Minister Mr. Narendra Modi. Mr. Badal further said that the state government would take every possible step to protect the interests of the Punjabis living in Gujarat.

Lashing out at the centre for its failure to check the supply of drugs from Pakistan border, the Chief Minister said that despite of the fact that he had taken this issue at the highest level in the Government of India (GoI), the centre has miserably failed to act on it. He said that the worst thing was that the Union government was not also banning open sale of poppy husk in Rajasthan, which was proving bane for Punjab.

When asked about the rising demand of formation of new states in the country, the Chief Minister said that the main reason for surge in this demand was the discrimination of centre in ensuring the development of states. Mr. Badal said that formation of Telangana state was a welcome step adding that centre should also consider the demands of smaller states sympathetically. He further said that with the centralization of powers by the union government the Federal structure of country has turned into unitary one due to which the state governments have virtually became beggars.

Reiterating that only Punjab has legitimate right over capital city of Chandigarh, the Chief Minister said that the Congress has done grave injustice with the state by depriving it from capital despite of the fact that the parent state has the first and foremost right over capital.

The Chief Minister was accompanied by Cabinet Ministers Mr. Bikram Singh Majithia, Mr. Gulzar Singh Ranike, Mr. Surjit Singh Rakhra and Mr. Anil Joshi, Lok Sabha MP Dr. Rattan Singh Ajnala, Chief Parliamentary Secretaries Mr. IS Bularia and Mr. Amarpal Singh Bonny, MLAs Mr. Manjeet Singh Manna and Mr. Baljeet Singh Jalal Usma, Special Principal Secreatry to Chief Minister Mr. Gurkirat Kirpal Singh and Director Rural Development Mr. Raj Kamal Chaudhary.