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Punjab Govt
April 01, 2008

 

PUNJAB INDUSTRIAL INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT BOARD LIKELY TO BE SETUP INDUSTRY LAUDS BADAL'S INITIATIVE ON POWER

CHANDIGARH APRIL 11, 2008

The State Government would soon set up the Punjab Industrial Infrastructure Development Board (PIIDB) to upgrade the industrial infrastructure besides promoting industrialization in a big way.

An assurance to this effect was given by the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal during an interaction with the representatives of PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) here at Punjab Bhawan. The Chief Minister said that the industrialization was the need of the hour and PIIDB would act as a catalyst to bring it a systematic and scientific manner.

The Chief Minister assured the representatives of PHDCCI that the state government was committed to promote industry through the implementation of investor friendly industrial policies and incentives to the advantage of industrialists and entrepreneurs.

The members of the PHDCCI lauded the power reforms initiated by Punjab Chief Minister besides setting up of three new thermal plants to further augment the power generation by 5000 MWs in the state. Mr. Badal asked the members of the PHDCCI to harness the joint energies for fighting unemployment and the resultant frustration amongst the youth. He said this frustration could lead to conditions of social instability thereby threatening the peace and development. He said the Government was considering the setting of joint committee of officers and industrial representatives to explore the potential for absorption of skilled or trained youth in various kinds of employment and industry. He specially mentioned the government's initiative for training the youth for security arrangements especially for industry.

Conceding the demands of PHDCCI, Mr. Badal assured the representatives of industry that an industrial help line would be launched soon to thrash out the issues relating to industry. He also mentioned the setting up of a high level committee under the Chairmanship of Chief Secretary at the state head quarters having representation of officers and the captains of the industry to mutually discuss the problems faced by the industry and their solution in a time bound manner. He asked the Chief Secretary to regularly hold a monthly meeting to evaluate the feedback and suggest remedial measures to boost investors confidence. Apart from this Mr. Badal also announced the setting up of two committees one under the Chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner and another under Assistant Deputy Commissioner (G) to redress the grievances of the industrialists on day to day basis.

The PHDCCI also urged the Chief Minister to take up the matter with GoI for asking Bharat Heavy Electrical Ltd. (BHEL) to setup one of its three proposed Mega Thermal Plants in Punjab. Mr. Badal assured he would soon meet the Prime Minister and the Union Minister of Power in this regard.

In a major move to give fillip to the growth and development of industry, the Chief Minister announced to introduced a system of deemed clearances to avoid unnecessary delay and harassment caused to the prospective industrialists. He said now the requisite clearances from the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) would be issued with in 15 days. However board would issue clarification regarding the requirement of NOC in respect of green category units.

The other major demands agreed by Chief Minister included the slashing of the VAT from 12% to 4% on Compact Florescent Lamps (CFLs) and flavored Milk. He also agreed to the demand of industrialists to issue necessary instructions by the Punjab State Electricity Board directing its staff not to visit the Industrial units where electronic meters are installed.

The Chief Minister also asked the Chief Secretary to review the scheme of one time settlement (OTS) for the sick industrial units amongst the small and medium category and the timely payment of subsidy due to the eligible beneficiaries. He also pointed out that there was no proposal to enhance the octroi on electricity consumption from 4 paisa to 10 paisa. Referring to the development of focal points the chief Minster mentioned that Rs. 20 crore had been allocated under annual plan 2008-09 for this purpose. He also said that the facilitation rules would be made net enabled and made public immediately.

Prominent among others who were present in the meeting included Local Government & industry Minister Mr. Manoranjan Kalia, Media Advisor Mr. Harcharn Bains, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. D.S. Guru, and Financial Commissioner Taxation Mr. S.S. Brar, Principal Secretary Technical Education Mrs. Tejinder Kaur, Principal Secretary Labour P.Ram, Secretary Industries S.S. Channy, Managing Director Punjab Financial Corporation G. Vajralingam, MD PSIEC, S.S. Rajpur, MD Punjab Agro, S.K. Sandhu, Chairman PPCB, Yogesh Goyal and Additional Principal Secretary to Chief Minister A.k. Mahajan.

The PHDCCI was represented by its Chairman Rajiv Bali, Senior Vice President Satish Bagrodia, Co-Chairman R.S. Sachdeva besides past presidents Amarjit Goyal and Ashok Khanna.


 

NO UPFRONT TUTION FEE TO BE CHARGED FROM SC STUDENTS SEEKING ADMISSION IN MEDICAL COURSES- TIKSHAN SUD

Chandigarh, April 11, 2008

The Punjab Government today issued directions to all government and private Medical, Ayurvedic, Homeopathy, Dental and Nursing Colleges in the State not to charge any tuition fee and non refundable fees from all Scheduled Caste students who are eligible for post matric scholarship.

Disclosing this here today Mr. Tikshan Sud, Medical Education and Research Minister said that this decision was taken by Chief Minister, Mr. Parkash Singh Badal keeping in view the poor financial conditions of S.C. students. He said that it was noticed that some genuine SC students failed to get admission due to their failure to pay upfront fee to the institutions. He said that according to early system, student was required to pay fee and other charges upfront and later seek reimbursement from the government.

Mr. Sud said that with this decision Scheduled Castes students' eligible for Post-Matric Scholarships would not have to pay their fees, as the present system of up-front payment. Now the concerned institutes after admitting eligible students would seek reimbursement of fee and scholarship from the Punjab Government, after completing the process of admission. The decision would benefit thousands of students belonging to Scheduled Castes.

Secretary, Medical Education and Research Mr. Jagjit Puri explained that instructions have been issued to Registrar Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Director Medical Education & Research, Director Ayush and Principles of All Medical / Ayurvedic, Homeopathy, Dental and Nursing Colleges in the State to make this decision part of prospectus of their Institutes and also bring this decision to the notice of every scheduled Caste Students at the time of counselling.

Mr. Puri said that while seeking reimbursement of fee, from Social Welfare Department through proper channel, every institute would submitt an affidavit affirming that they have not charged claimed fee from the SC students.

Mr. Puri said that eligible students are entitled for reimbursement of compulsory non refundable fee for the complete course and scholarship including maintenance allowance, study tour charges, thesis charges, printing charges and book allowances etc.


 

PUNJAB CM CALLS UPON ENGINEERING & TECHNICAL COLLEGES
TO UNDERTAKE 10+2 CLASSES AS FEEDER INSTITUTIONS

LANDRAN (MOHALI) APRIL 11, 2008

Punjab Chief Minister Mr.Parkash Singh Badal today announced that the Punjab government would soon formulate a policy to allow private engineering and technical colleges in the state to run 10+2 classes in their institutions to impart quality education in the science stream to the students to compete globally.

Presiding over a state level placement drive at Chandigarh Engineering College here, Mr.Badal asked the management of such institutions of repute to provide quality education to the students especially in the rural areas up to 10+2 level as feeder institutions in the state. He said that once such students were admitted in these institutions of excellence then their career was assured. He also impressed upon the management of Chandigarh Group of Colleges to adopt some Government Sr. Secondary schools in its vicinity to provide quality education to the students upto +2 level and the state government would extend fulsome support and cooperation to them.

The Chief Minister appreciated the Chandigarh College of Engineering for its excellent and proven track record of the placement of its students in the national as well as multinational companies.

Emphasizing the importance of the quality education, Mr.Badal lamented and described the gross neglect of education and human resource development in the country's planning as an 'alarming trend' which could inflict long term damage on the nation's overall development and progress. He squarely held the governments both States and Centre for the constant deterioration in the educational system and said now it was a high time to make concerted efforts to revamp the entire system according to the emerging trends worldwide in the changed scenario.

The Chief Minister pointed out that Punjab was predominately an agricultural state but with changing scenario in the country industrialization has come to the fore front and therefore, Punjab should also keep a pace with industrialization as the growth rate in the agriculture sector was almost stagnant. He mentioned that engineering, technical education and skill development in the country occupied a critical role in our knowledge economy. "With the industrialization the need for technical and skilled man power at various levels has increased many folds. Our Government has created a new Department of Employment Generation with an objective to provide job opportunities and self-employment to unemployed youth every year through special targeted skill development initiatives" observed Mr.Badal. He said that under this scheme Universities and the Government would jointly initiate efforts to enhance the employability of Punjabi youth through job oriented courses, vocational training and skill development.

Mr.Badal desired that Chandigarh College of Engineering should be upgraded as a deemed university as it was fully equipped with the ultra modern infrastructure and well qualified faculty.

On the occasion, the Chief Minister handed over the placement letters to the students and wished them a bright and successful career.

Speaking on the occasion, Chairman of the Chandigarh Group of Colleges, Satnam Singh Sandhu urged the Chief Minister to frame a policy to make technical education far more viable with tremendous employment potential. He said that the number of engineering colleges had risen from merely 4 to 44 within a short span of five years. He emphasized the need to streamline the distance technical education programme which was almost posing a major threat to the growing unemployment amongst the youth. He said that obliviously the students of distance education could not compete well with the regular students. He said that the companies like Wipro, TCS, Satyam, Oracle, Convergys had evinced keen interest to start their development centres in Mohali and had also selected many students from the campus.

Prominent amongst others who were present on the occasion included President of Chandigarh Group of Colleges Rashpal Singh Dhaliwal, Director General Dr.GD Bansal, Director HR & Administration Er.AC Sharma and Director Chandigarh Business School Dr.SPS Bedi. The Chief Minister was accompanied by his Special Principal Secretary KJS Cheema and Additional Principal Secretary Gagandeep Singh Brar.


LAHORE HIGH COURT JUDGE CALLS ON PUNJAB CM

Chandigarh 11 April, 2008

Hon'ble Justice Mr. Syed Sabbar Raza Rizvi, Senior Judge of Lahore High Court (Pakistan) here today called on Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal to seek his personal intervention for rehabilitation and renovation of Muslim Shrines at Samana. He said that 'Dargah' of Imam Ali (Panj Peer), which had immense religious and historic importance, being a memorial of the descendants of Hazrat Mohammad Sahib. Justice Rizvi also informed the Chief Minister that he was the lineal descendant of 'Zanab Meer Amman Ula', one of the founders of the Samana town. He further said the 'Dargah' of Meer Sahib was also needed renovation.

Evincing keen interest in the historical perspective of Samana, Mr. Badal immediately directed his Special Principal Secretary Mr. KJS Cheema, to visit Samana along with the some top technical experts and officers of District Administration to chalk out a time bound action plan for the renovation of these places referred to by Justice Rizvi. Mr. Badal also approved to constitute a committee, to guide the district administration for the renovation work. He also directed that the archaeological designs of these places to be preserved in their original shapes.

The Chief Minister assured Justice Rizvi for fulsome sport and cooperation of the State Government for this purpose.


Union Fertilizer and Chemical Minister agreed to full supply of DAP to the Punjab

 

NewDelhi, April 11, 2008

Capt.Kanwaljit Singh Cooperation Minister Punjab today called on the Union Fertilizer and Chemical Minister Mr.Ram Vilas Paswan in his office and discussed various issues related with the Fertilizers and problems of the Punjab farmers facing for the shortage of DAP and sought his cooperation and support for the quick and timely supply of the fertilizer to the Punjab.

Capt Kanwaljit Singh also informed the Union Fertilizer Minister about the total requirement of DAP for Kharif 2008 i.e. 2.6 Metric tonnes and also requested him to release the balance supply immediately to the Punjab.

Mr. Ram Vilas Paswan Union Fertilizer and Chemical Minister assured him the timely and full supply of DAP to the Punjab. He also said that a necessary order in this regard was being issued tomorrow positively and he also assured that he himself will personally monitor the supply of DAP to the Punjab.

Prominent amongst others who attended the meeting were the senior officers of the Cooperative and Agriculture Department of Punjab and a team of the Fertilizer Ministry headed by Special Secretary Fertilizer and Director's and other senior officers of the DAP supply wing of the Union Fertilizer Ministry.

 

 

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