WORK ON 24 RAILWAY OVER BRIDGES IN PUNJAB
PUT ON FAST TRACK
Chandigarh, July 10, 2008
The construction work on 24 Railway Over Bridges (ROB) in Punjab
was put on fast track as PWD (B&R) and Railway authorities
today held a joint meeting to sort out problems being faced in
the expeditious completion of these vital bridges.
Mr. Parminder Singh Dhindsa, PWD (B&R) Minister today held
a detailed meeting with Railway authorities at Civil Secretariat
and reviewed the progress of each ROB. The Minister pointed out
that with the increasing traffic and expansion of road network;
the incomplete Railway Over Bridges were acting as traffic bottle
necks. He pointed out that though work on 50 percent of Railway
Over Bridges was slightly behind the schedule but in others the
delay was quite long. It was pointed out that Railway authorities
should sort out problems with concerned contractors for ROB Beas,
ROB Morinda bye pass, ROB Jagraon, ROB Tanda, ROB Suche pind,
ROB Jalandhar city (Maksoodan) as construction was quite tardy.
The Minister requested the railway authorities to allot the work
expeditiously on various ROBs and also sort out contractual problems
with past contractors.
Mr. Dhindsa pointed out that PWD department has already completed
its part of work on most of the Railway Over Bridges and Railway
has to get the work completed on their portion. He said that due
to delay in the completion of ROBs, besides cost escalation, public
at large was being put to quite inconvenience as service roads
constructed beside the bridge have also caved in.
The Minister also sought the intervention of Railway authorities
in early completion of two ROBs in Bhatinda beside one Railway
Under Bridge. The Railway was requested to expedite work on Railway
Under Bridge Mansa and ROB Phagwara.
The Divisional Railway Manager, Ambala Mr. H.K. Jaggi assured
the Minister that he would coordinate with various agencies and
Divisions of Railway to get the work on these 24 ROBs completed
at the earliest.
The Minister also requested the Railway to introduce sufficient
shuttle trains on Ludhiana-Chandigarh route to relieve public
from road traffic congestion. The Railway was also requested to
reconstruct bridges and culverts on water channels on sharing
basis. The Minister also made a plea for introducing computerized
ticket reservation from Sunam Railway Station. A request was made
to upgrade maximum number of Railway Stations in Punjab in view
of increased rail traffic.
Besides Senior officials of PWD department, Mr. Gulshan, Senior
Division Operational Manager and Mr. Karam Singh, Senior Division
Commercial Manager also participated in the meeting.
POWER SHORTAGE IN PUNJAB - MAJITHIA ASKS
PEDA
TO PROVIDE 10% RENEWABLE ENERGY
Chandigarh, July 10:Mr. Bikram Singh Majithia, Science, Technology,
Environment & NCES Minister today asked PEDA to take steps
to expedite various renewable energy projects in Punjab to meet
its commitments to achieve 10% renewable energy share of the total
installed capacity in the State.
Reviewing the progress of renewable energy projects being set
up / facilitated by PEDA in the biomass, hydro, cogeneration and
solar sector, Mr. Majithia said that in present time of power
shortage being faced by the State, it becomes imperative for PEDA
to expedite its project to contribute maximum power in the power
kitty.
The Chief Executive, PEDA, Sh.T.P.S.Sidhu, and other senior officers
of the PEDA gave a detailed presentation about the present status
and tentative completion dates for various renewable energy projects.
The Minister was informed that 60MW co-generation projects in
addition to 104 MW already commissioned in the month of March,2008,
would start generating power by March 2009.
The Minister also reviewed the progress of biomass power projects,
cogeneration and hydel projects taht have been allotted to various
developers. He directed PEDA officials to extend all assistance
to private developers for completing these projects in time bound
manner. PEDA Chief Executive informed that five projects of capacity
3.9MW on Sidhwan branch canal are at advance stage of completion
and will be commissioned by March 2009. He said that the work
will commence at mini hydel project Khanpur, Sadhar, Akhara, Channowal
and Gholian on Abohar branch canal during this month and these
projects of total 5.5 MW capacity will be completed by Dec.2009.
The PEDA officials assured the minister that it will provide required
assistance, clearances to the developers in a time bound manner
and will ensure the completion of the projects on time
Mr. Majithia was also given a presentation by M/s Banayan Environment
Innovations Pvt. Ltd. Hyderabad, alongwith PSEB officials for
providing CFL in the domestic sector through Clean Development
Mechanism. The Minister asked the PSEB officials to move fast
on energy conservation programme and work out the modalities so
that energy efficiency in the lighting sector could be achieved
by providing CFL.
Mr. A.S. Chhatwal, Secretary Science & Technology was also
present in the meeting.
ARYANS TO TARGET SAARC COUNTRIES FOR ADMISSIONS
Chandigarh (10/07/08)
Chandigarh based Aryans Group of Institutes (AGOI) after achieving
remarkable progress in the past one year, is now planning to target
SAARC countries for its new courses. On the one hand, the Aryans
Group is targeting SAARC countries like Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh
etc. for its intake. On the other hand, the Group is making collaborative
arrangements with Organizations of USA, Canada, UK etc. for sending
students abroad for higher studies as well as for the placements.
The group has taken affiliation from Yashwantrao Chawan Maharashtra
Open University (YCMOU), Nasik to admit NRI or foreign students.
It is to be mentioned here that YCMOU is one of the the largest
university of the Country having 15.5 lakh students on roll. The
Group has also obtained approval of the Punjab Government to offer
YCMOU Courses.
Addressing the Press Conference in Hotel Jullundur today, Anshu
kataria, Chairman, Aryans Group said that recently a team of Aryans
group visited Nepal and Bangladesh. In the 3rd week of July, the
team is proposed to meet delegates in Sri Lanka and Bangkok. The
group has also signed MoU with Nepal based leading educational
consultancy organization i.e. Nepal International Educational
Consultancy (NIEC), Kathmandu for the intake as there is no visa
requirements for Nepali students.
Kataria also said that the Group has designed 2 different strategies
for its international collaboration. One is to target under-developed
countries for admissions in various courses like MBA, MCA, E-MBA,
BBA, BCA, B.Sc (IT) etc. Another is to tie up with organizations
of developed countries for higher studies as well as for international
placements. Aryans School of International studies (ASIS), an
international arm of Aryans Group has signed Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) with London School of Management Education (LSME), London.
The delegates from London would also be visiting Chandigarh on
19th July, 08 & is planning to organize Seminars on 22nd July,
08.
The Group has signed MoU with a US based IT giant 'Outline Systems
Inc.' for the placement of its students. According to MoU, 20
students from ABS will be placed in India or US according to the
requirements of the company at a very handsome salary, Kataria
added.
Anshu Kataria, Chairman, Aryans Group, said that India is considered
as a hot destination for higher learning for students of various
Countries like USA, UK, Fiji, South Africa, Dubai and SAARC Countries.
Now the dream for NRI parents has reversed with sending their
children to India for better education. The major attraction for
NRI students is the good quality and low cost of living of education
in India.
The Press Conference was also addressed by Dr. S.P. Singh (Mentor,
ABS), Dr. K. K. Mangla (Director, ASM), and Dr. Parveen Kataria
(Director, ABS).
Highlights:
• Aryans Group to target SAARC Countries like Nepal, Bangladesh
for its intake in various courses.
• A team of Aryans Group is also proposed to meet delegates
in Sri Lanka and Bangkok for admissions of NRI or Foreign students.
• Aryans Group has also tied up with Yashwantrao Chawan
Maharashtra Open University (YCMOU), Nasik for admitting NRI
or
Foreign students.
• ASIS, which is formed under Aryans Group has signed MoU
with LSME, London for offering higher studies.
• The Group has signed MoU with a US based IT giant 'Outline
Systems Inc.' for the placement of its students.
Ludhiana to be soon linked
up with Mumbai and Kolkatta through special Railway Freight Corridors
Ludhiana July 10, 2008
On the constant persuasion of the Punjab Government, the Center
has agreed in principle to allot another Railway Freight Corridor
from Mumbai to Ludhiana –an industrial hub of the state,
in addition to the Railway Freight Corridor from Kotlkatta to
Ludhiana already approved by the Ministry of Railways.
After laying the a series of foundation stones of various infrastructure
and development projects in an around Ludhiana city at a total
cost of Rs 56 crore, as a part of Mega development plan of Rs
1000 crore, Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal made
an announcement to this effect, while addressing the public gathering
here today. He hoped that the industrial growth would further
gain momentum in Punjab with the setting up of these two Railway
Freight Corridors, as these would facilitate the transportation
of manufactured goods and raw materials from different destination
of state to other parts of the country. Mr. Badal also pointed
out the Rail link from Chandigarh to Ludhiana would soon be completed,
as the Ministry of Railways had already earmarked adequate funds
in the Union budget during the current financial year to extend
this link from Morinda to Shanewal, which would ultimately connect
it with Ludhiana. He also mentioned that a high level team of
Ministry of Railways was scheduled to meet him within a day or
two to discuss the modalities to finalize projects of the Ludhiana-
Mumbai Railway Freight Corridor, besides the direct rail-link
for Chandigarh to Ludhiana.
Making a firm resolve to ensure all round development and economic
growth in the state, Mr. Badal said that Punjab Government was
already in the mode to prepare master plans for all the cities
and towns with the provision of water supply, sanitation and sewerage
facilities to the inhabitants. The basic objective to prepare
these master plans was to ensure integrated and planned urban
growth in view of long term perceptive. He said as many as 7000
dwelling units for the economically weaker sections would be constructed
at a cost of Rs. 92 crores in Ludhiana city. Under the first phase,
Mr.. Badal said he had today launched the scheme at village Gyaspur
and Mundian to construct 4000 such units at a cost of Rs 40 crore
and would be completed within next two years, besides he also
laid the foundation stone of the fly over at Gill Chowk at a cost
of Rs 16 core to de-congest the vehicular traffic in the city.
Making a fervent appeal to the residents of Ludhiana especially
the industrialists not to discharge untreated effluents and municipal
waste in the Budha Nala, which was causing havoc with the health
of lacs of people in the state, who were residing along the banks
of Satluj river. He also stated that the pollutants in the rivers,
canals and ground water had rendered water not only unfit for
human consumption, but for irrigation purposes due the high level
of toxicity. He said, " state government alone can not check
this menace rather people should launch a mass awareness campaign
to tackle this problem of high magnitude resulting in the poor
health of the people day by day even proving to be fatal in some
rare cases. Mr. Badal also announced to construct an elevated
road over the Sidhwan Canal to ensure the smooth flow of traffic
to and fro from the city.
On the power front, Mr. Badal blamed the previous Conress government
for blatantly ignoring this core sector and for the reasons best
known to them. He said our government had planned to set up four
new thermal plants at Rajpura, Bathinda, Giddarbaha and Goindwal
Sahib in the state within next four years with an additional generation
capacity of 7500 MW, besides the existing capacity of 6200 MW.
He also stated that the Center had also given green signal to
set up Sharpur Kandi Hydro- power project declaring it as the
" National Project".
Mr. Manoranjan Kalia Local Government and Industries Minister
said that the development and prosperity in the state was synonymous
with the SAD- BJP government. He mentioned that Ludhiana City
would soon emerge as one of the best Metropolitan cites of the
country. He also announced that Inter- city Bus service would
be launched in the mid of August to facilitate the local commuters
to have hassle free travel in and around city.
Earlier the Chief Minister addressed the annual convocation
at Master Tara Singh Memorial college for Women and exhorted the
students to excel in the fields of academics as Punjab had tremendous
opportunities for them with a superb net work of technical educational
institutions in the state. He said the Punjab government has already
chalked out a policy to ensure its strict implementation of the
10% total seats exclusively reserved for the brilliant and economically
poor with rural back ground in the private engineering colleges.
Outlining the prospects of higher education, Mr. Badal said
a World Class University would be soon set up at Amritsar to impart
the state-of-the-art education to our youth to enable them to
compete globally. He also said that a team from Ministry of Human
Resource Development was likely to visit Punjab this week to finalize
the site for setting up of a Central University in the state,
which had already been approved by the Government of India. Mr.
Badal announced a grant of Rs 10 lakhs to the Management of the
college for the up-gradation infrastructure and expansion of the
building. He also assured the Management of the College that the
local Municipal Corporation would soon finalize the modalities
to transfer the adjoining vacant land to the college for expansion
of the campus .
Later addressing the media persons, Mr. Badal said that the state
government had already asked all the Municipal Corporations and
Improvement Trusts to identify the vacant land in their possession,
so that these sites could be suitably utilized in the public interest.
Asked to clarify on Shiromani Akali Dal's stand on the Nuclear
deal, Mr. Badal categorically said that his party's stand on this
issue was crystal clear as SAD would go with the NDA. However,
he said the final decision would be taken at the party level meeting
, which was scheduled to be held on 15th July.
Prominent among others who addressed the function included Mr.
Hira Singh Gabria Jails Minister, Mr. Harish Rai Dhanda CPS, Mr.
D S Bains Principal Secretary Local Bodies Government, Mr. Harish
Bedi MLA, Mr. S S Dhillon MP, Mr. Hakam Singh Gyaspura Mayor MC,
Mr. Harcharan Bains Media Advisor to CM Punjab, Principal Special
Secretary to CM Mr. KJS Cheema, District SAD President Santa Singh
Umedpuri, District BJP O P Bhardwaj, besides the Senior Officers
of Civil and Police administration
FOUR IAS OFFICERS TRANSFERRED IN PUNJAB
Chandigarh, 10 July:
The Punjab Government today ordered posting and transfers of
four IAS Officer with immediate effect.
Mr. Surinderjit Singh Sandhu, IAS, Presiding Officer, State
Colleges & State Schools Tribunal has been transferred and
posted as Secretary, Revenue and in addition Presiding Officer,
State Colleges and State Schools Tribunal.
Mrs. Jaspreet Talwar, IAS, Special Secretary Finance has been
transferred and posted as Special Secretary, Finance and in addition
Special Secretary, Tourism vice Mr. Hussan Lal, IAS.
The services of Mr. Hussan Lal, IAS Executive Director, Punjab
Sate SC Land Dev. & Finance Corporation & in addition
Director, Welfare of SCs/ BCs in addition Special Secretary Tourism
has been placed at the disposal of the department of Power for
appointment as Secretary PSEB, Patiala vice Mr. Kumar Rahul, IAS
(on training).
Mrs. Rakhee Gupta Bhandari, IAS, Director, Social Security,
Women & Children Development has been transferred and posted
as Director, Social Security, Women & Children Dev. &
in addition executive Director, Punjab State SC Land Dev. &
Finance Corporation & in addition Director, Welfare of SCs/BCs
. vice Mr. Hussan Lal, IAS.
