Path
breaking initiative on transparency
PUNJAB INTRODUCES QUALITY CONSULTANCY FOR DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS
CHANDIGARH
APRIL 23, 2008
The Punjab government today virtually threw the
decision making process in government investments in development
projects open for transparent and objective scrutiny by introducing
external auditing by independent Quality Assurance Consultants.
A panel of 22 agencies had been finalized by the Punjab Infrastructure
Development Board, which would the nodal agency for the scheme.
A decision to this effect was taken at a high level meeting here
this morning.
Disclosing this, Media Advisor to Chief Minister
Harcharan Bains said the government also decided to introduce
the Standard Bidding Document and E-tendering for all major government
projects. The move is aimed at ensuring transparency and strict
quality control in the development projects in the state.
Each government project would have an inbuilt
system of quality assurance and audit by some independent outside
agency from the stage of preparation of estimates to actual completion
of the project. It was also decided that all the projects with
an outlay of Rs.3 crore or above should be assigned to these consultants
and small projects would be clubbed together to avoid additional
cost of consultancy services.
Of the 22 agencies short-listed for the purpose,
thirteen would monitor projects on highways & bridges while
nine would be tasked for similar work in water supply, sewerage
projects and building projects. Various departments of the government
had been asked to finalize the terms and conditions for quality
assurance and technical support services as per their specific
requirements with in a month.
Referring to the finalization of Standard Bidding
Document for procurement of civil works worth Rs.1 crore or more,
Mr. Bains said that this document would broadly cover important
aspects of bidding and this would be adopted by the departments
after approval by the competent authority.
The Punjab government has also approved a proposal
to introduce E-tendering for government projects.
The meeting chaired by the Chief Minister was
attended amongst others by the Local Government Minister Manoranjan
Kalia, Finance Minister Finance Manpreet Singh Badal, Food &
Civil Supply Minister Adesh Partap Singh Kairon, PWD (B&R)
Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa, Irrigation Minister Janmejha
Singh Sekhon, Water Supply & Sanitation Minister Bikram Singh
Majithia, Chief Secretary RI Singh, Principal Secretary to Chief
Minister DS Guru, Principal Secretary Local Government DS Bains,
Secretary Irrigation & Power Suresh Kumar, Secretary PWD (B&R)
Karan Avtar Singh, Secretary Housing & Urban Development Arun
Goyal, Secretary Water Supply & Sanitation PS Aujla and MD
PIDB SS Sandhu.
PUNJAB IAS OFFICERS WIVES ASSOCIATION
PIOWA WILL HOLD EVENING BAZAAR FOR DEAF & DUMB CHILDREN
Chandigarh April 23 :-
The Punjab IAS Officers Wives Association (PIOWA) would organize
an evening bazaar from 25th to 27th April, 2008 (5pm to 11pm)
at Vatika, School for Deaf & Dumb Children here in Sector-
19.
According to a spokesman of the association 'bazaar' is being
held to raise funds for the education of Deaf & Dumb children
studying at Vatika, by Punjab IAS Officers wives. Apart from this,
the evening Bazaar would offer a gala of festivities viz shopping,
eating in the food court, playing tambola and entertainment.
Bazaar would provide a wide range of suits, sarees, kurties,
jutties, phulkaries, ethnic, dresses, cosmetics, silver jewellery,
pottery, artifacts, bonsai plants, furniture for the home &
garden, durries and food stalls with special attraction of Amritsari
Kulchas & Channa.
SONIA
OWES EXPLANATION TO PEOPLE OF PUNJAB ON
AMRINDER-BHATTAL ULTRA LINK REVELATIONS - MAJITHIA
Chandigarh, April 23, 2008
Shiromani Akali Dal
Mr. Bikram Singh Majithia, Information & Public
Relations Minister and Patron of Shiromani Youth Akali Dal today
said that by initiating so called truce between Amarinder and
Bhattal, Sonia Gandhi can not sweep the serious revelations of
their aiding and abetting terrorism in Punjab.
In a statement issued here today, Mr. Majithia
said that these revelations by two former Chief Ministers charging
each other of their links with Babbar Khalsa can not be ignored
and Union Government should set up a Special Inquiry Commission
headed by a sitting Supreme Court judge to probe Congress role
in fomenting terrorism in Punjab for their petty political gains.
He said that the gravity of revelations of links of these leaders
with the hardcore terrorists cannot get diluted with a politically
convenient truce. . The Minister said that in this brother-sister
spat, the true face of Congress has got unmasked before the public
and people of Punjab have understood that Congress was nursery
of terrorism that claimed over 25000 innocent lives in Punjab.
He said that Shiromani Akali Dal had been crying hoarse since
the day one that Congress and Congress alone was responsible for
creating a wedge between Hindus and Sikhs by fomenting terrorism
in Punjab just to tarnish the image of Punjabis in the country.
This was confirmed from the fact that Captain as a Chief Minister
chose to speak from Khalistan platform during his visit to Canada.
Mr. Majithia said that people of Punjab are owed an explanation
from Mrs. Sonia Gandhi on this issue.
Mr. Majithia also called upon Union Government
to book Captain Amarinder Singh for sedition and also for compromising
the security and sovereignty of the Country by aiding and facilitating
the task of an alleged ISI Agent Aroosa Alam.
Mr. Majithia said that acceptance of the fact
by the official spokesman of Congress party that Aroosa Alam has
a 'Shady past' has now finally confirmed the long held apprehensions
of the Indian citizens that Aroosa used the clout of former CM
to gain entry Civil-Military Liaison Conference in Western Command
to smuggle out classified documents to inimical country.
Calling upon Union Defence Minister Mr. A.K.Antony
to reveal to the public the report of Secret Internal Inquiry
conducted by Western Command on the visit of Aroosa and demanded
the initiation of criminal proceedings against Captain Amarinder
Singh for aiding and abetting anti-national activities. He also
called upon Dr.Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister to immediately cancel
the visa of Aroosa.
Referring to the Road Show of Captain to different
parts of Punjab and especially to Majha area, Mr. Majithia said
that Captain Amarinder who detested Congress Ministers MLAs and
workers except few chosen cronies during his regime, is now begging
them to join his road show. He said that Captain under his leadership
could not ensure more than 3 Vidhan Sabha seats out of 27 in Majha
area to the Congress one year ago, was suddenly claiming "huge
following of masses". The Minister said that people of Punjab
have seen through the game of Congress and are determined to teach
them a befitting lesson. Mr. Majithia said that Captain and his
cronies cannot befool the public by enacting road show by hired
goons and transporting the same set of crowd at every location
of road show for photo ops.
CM of Punjab called for a decisive war on global warming
Chandigarh April 23, 2008
The Punjab Chief Minister today
called for a decisive war on global warming and environmental
pollution in order to s"save this planet as a home for our
future generations."
Addressing a galaxy of distinguished environmentalists,
scholars and media luminaries at the Ecology Awards Function organized
jointly by The Times of India Group and the JSW Foundation on
Environment on the 'World Earth Day' last evening at Hotel Taj,
Mr. Badal warned, "The earth faces the greatest threat to
its survival ever in the history of the planet, and, unless drastic
global steps were taken immediately to correct the situation,
the planet could plunge into a deadly darkness for ever. This
danger comes not from wild animals or any alien species from Mars
but from you and me only. Man has become the greatest threat to
life on this planet," he said.
The Chief Minister blamed thoughtless, indiscriminate
and ill-planned use of science for the looming disaster and said,
"It has taken billions of years for life to evolve on this
planet but the blind and unethical application of science for
ill-planned development today can wipe it off the face of this
earth for ever in just a few more years. Throughout the world,
the national budgets for acquiring deadly weapons, bombs and other
war machinery is many, many times higher than budgets for health,
childcare, education or for fighting poverty, crime etc."
The Chief Minister regretted that while our generation
appeared to have acquired immense knowledge, it sorely lacked
wisdom necessary for its own survival. He said that it was as
if the human kind were in the grip of a fatalistic death-wish,
spending billions and billions of dollars on producing instruments
of murder and mass destruction at a time when children cried for
food and basic amenities for life. "Throughout the world,
the national budgets for acquiring deadly weapons of mass destruction
was many times higher than the total budgets reserved for health,
childcare, education or for fighting poverty, crime etc., he said,
adding, " The money spent on acquiring a single hydrogen
bomb would be more than enough to meet the entire expenses on
opening the most sophisticated and well-equipped schools and hospitals
in most parts of the country."
The Chief Minister spoke about the 'proud ecological
legacy of India' and said that the wise men from this land had
always advocated the basic unity and inter-connectedness of all
matter in the universe. This unity and interdependence was the
guiding philosophy of all modern concepts of ecology. "Latest
theories in science have only confirmed the oldest beliefs of
religion that nothing exists in this world independently. The
Vedas are full of prayers for preserving the natural environment.
Western thinkers used to make fun of our religions for preaching
worship of various animals, plants, trees, sun, water, clouds
and even snakes. But now the scientists also tell us that each
species, ecosystem, gene and culture is important to the future
of our planet." The Sikh Gurus, he said, also spoke most
forcefully about this subject. In Japji Sahib, Guru Nanak Dev-ji
described air, water and earth as our spiritual guide, father
and mother respectively
Mr. Badal asked the media to set the political,
social, economic, educational, cultural and environmental agenda
of the country and said, " Media must move away from political
sensationalism which pollutes our moral and spiritual ecology.
It was Media that set the agenda for the Freedom of this country
from its White Yoke. It should now set the agenda for a Cleaner,
Greener India and lead the movement for saving our Green and Beautiful
planet," concluded the Chief Minister.
PUNJAB
TO ADD 100 MORE AC BUSES-MASTER MOHAN LAL
Chandigarh, April 23, 2008
H.S.Grewal
The Punjab Government would add 100 more AC buses
in its existing fleet of Punjab Roadways and Pepsu Roadways Transport
Corporation (PRTC) from this month after finding successful running
and profitable operations of existing eight integral AC coaches
on various routes.
This was disclosed by Mr. Mohan Lal Transport
Minister Punjab in a meeting with department officers here today.
He added that state government had already formulated a transport
policy aimed at providing best public transport services at affordable
rates. He advised the officers to work hard in order to make the
transport a profitable venture.
The Transport Minister further added that in
order to provide comfortable, hassle free and convenient services
to the passengers in the state, the SAD-BJP government during
its stint in one year had added 258 more new buses into the Punjab
Roadways and PRTC. He also asked the officers to add more kilometer
scheme buses in the state on viable routes in both the state transport
operators.
Master Mohan Lal has directed the officers to
draft the rules regarding insurance of Roadways and PRTC buses
at the earliest. For this a committee has been constituted to
place a report within week. He directed them to initiate checking
drive to curb the mence of illegal bus operations by private transporters
in the state.
Among others Mr. D.S. Jaspal Principal Secretary,
Mr. R. Venkatratnam State Transport Commissioner, Mr. Mandeep
Singh Director Transport and Mr. R.S Bal, Managing Director (purchase)
PRTC Patiala were also present in the meeting.
PUNJ DEMANDS CBI PROBE
FROM PRIME MINISTER
Chandigarh April 23, 2008
Rajni Gupta
Mr. Balbir Punj, Member Rajya Sabha, today demanded
probe by a central agency like CBI from Prime Minister of India,
regarding the links of two former Congress Chief Ministers of
Punjab with the Babbar Khalsa International a banned terrorists
outfit.
Mr. Punj said that captain Amarinder Singh former
Chief Minister quoted a book "Bikhra Painda" written
by the wife of a Slain Terrorist had alleged that Mrs. Rajinder
Kaur Bhattal former Chief Minister and leader of apposition provided
shelter to Sikh terrorists and in counter attack Mrs. Bhattal
said that Capt. Amarinder had close links with Babbars.
Mr. Punj said that these counter attacks proves
that congress party was mother of terrorism and was responsible
for innocent killings in the state as the truth was revealed by
Bhattal and Amarinder in their press statement.
Mr. Punjab demanded immediate through proble
and Mrs. Bhattal should resign from the post till she was proved
not guilty by the CBI
WORLD CLASS CENTRAL UNIVERSITY
AT AMRITSAR
CHANDIGARH APRIL 23, 2008
The Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government
of India has cleared the Punjab government’s proposal to
set up a ‘World Class Central University’ at Amritsar.
A decision to this effect has been conveyed by
Union Human Resource Development Minister Mr.Arjun Singh through
a letter to the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal.
Disclosing this, Media Advisor to Chief Minister
Mr. Harcharan Bains said the Government of India had agreed to
set up this university in or around Amritsar. The land for the
purpose would be provided by the state government. The premium
institution would be in addition to the central university proposed
for the state.
It may be recalled that Mr. Badal had lobbied
hard with the Center for securing this university for Punjab.
An Indian Institute of Management (IIM) had already been allotted
to the state. The Punjab government also proposes to set up a
Police Universty near Maharaja Ranjit Singh police training academy
at Phillaur.
No.CMO-08-116
PUNJAB
ALL SET TO CROSS THE MARK OF 90 LAKH MT OF WHEAT PROCUREMENT
CHANDIGARH APRIL 23, 2008
Wheat procurement in Punjab, which appeared to
be a source of anxiety for the country for sometimes, is likely
to touch the record figure of 90 lakh Metric tones. This was stated
by the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal here this
morning.
Talking to media persons here, Mr. Badal said
that despite the delay in the start of the procurement operations
because of inclement weather, a total of 44 lakh MT of wheat had
already been purchased till last Tuesday evening. Significantly,
68% of the total wheat arrived in the mandis had already been
lifted and payment had been made for 69% of the wheat procured.
Mr. Badal attributed the relative drop in purchase
by private agencies to the strict vigil being kept by the government
against hoarding and black-marketeering tendencies. 'In addition,
as per the new regulations, any private player who bought more
than 10,000 MTs of wheat was now required to file a return with
the government and government's prior permission was also required
for the purchase more than 15,000 MTs of wheat, said Mr. Badal.
The Chief Minister pointed out that the government
agencies were fully geared to pick up and clear the entire stock
from the Mandis. The logistics coupled with the supervision by
the Administrative Secretaries deputed by the Food & Supplies
department had further streamlined the entire procurement process
across the state.
On the issue of relief to the farmers whose crop
had suffered damaged due to fire, Mr. Badal said that crop over
1230 acres had suffered total lose. Out of this 798 acres had
been destroyed due to the short circuit in electricity wires while
crop on 432 acres suffered damage by fire for other reasons .
The Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) would
pay Rs. 5000 per acres as a relief to the crop loss due to short
circuit to the affected farmers and the state government would
provide relief of same quantum for the crop loss on account of
fire due to other reasons.
