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Punjab
June, 2008

 

 

PUNJAB TO INTRODUCE CAREER COUNSELING SCHEME TO IMPROVE HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT AND QUALITY EDUCATION

Chandigarh June 15, 2008

For the first time in the history, Punjab today introduced career counseling for all 10+2 students in the state in order to facilitate aptitude-oriented professional placement for the state's youth.

This landmark decision aimed at improving both quality education and human resource development, was taken here today at a high level meeting. Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal had with all the Vice chancellors of the Universities in the state. With this decision, Punjab becomes the first state in the country to introduce career counseling for all the students prior to college level.

Giving details of the new scheme Chief Minister's Media Advisor Mr. Harcharn Bains said in a press release that this exercise would also help the students to choose subjects in view of their scope and vocational potential. The counseling exercise for students securing first division or above would be held from June 20 to July 3 in the Government colleges affiliated to the concerned University. This would be held under direct supervision of Secretary, School Education, Punjab and the Vice Chancellor. Other students would be provided career counseling by the principals of their respective colleges. Special counseling session would be organized at district head quarters. Mr. Badal ordered the schedule for counseling to be prepared and advertise today itself. Accordingly, the Government notified the schedule as per details given below. The Punjabi University Patiala would hold counseling of first divisioners at Dashmesh College Badal in Mukatsar district on June 20, Government Mohindra College Patiala on June 23, Government College S.A.S. Nagar (Mohali) on June 24, Government Ranbir College Sangrur on June 25, Mata Gujari College Fatehgrah Sahib on June 26, Government Rajindra College on June 27, Government College Ropar on June 28 and S.D. College Barnala on July 2 and Government College Mansa on July 3. Similarly, the Guru Nanak Dev University would conduct counseling at Government College, Kapurthala on June 23, Khalsa College Amritsar on June 24, Government college Gurdaspur on June 25, DAV College Jalandhar on June 26. Punjab University Chandigarh would undertake the programme of counseling at Government College for Boys, Ludhiana on June 23, DM. College Moga on June 24, R.S.D. College Ferozepur June 25, Government College Hoshiarpur on June 26 and DAV College of Education Nawanshahar on June 27.

Mr. Badal asked the Social Security Department to advertise all the scholarship schemes for Schedule Castes, Backward Classes and minority students in the leading newspapers and publishing publicity material so that maximum students could reap the benefits of the schemes. Mr. Badal also directed all the Vice Chancellors to introduce the scheme of free education to the single girl child on the pattern of already adopted by Punjab University Chandigarh.

Mr. Badal further asked the VCs to regularly convene the meetings of the Principals of the affiliated colleges to update them on the various ongoing Centrally Sponsored and University Grants Commission's schemes in the field of higher education. At the behest of Mr. Badal, Vice Chancellor Panjab University Dr. R.C. Sobti agreed to host such meeting at Chandigarh in the mid of July. The meeting would also attended by the senior officers of school, higher and technical education, besides senior functionaries of the Ministry of Human Resources Development and University Grant Commission.

This meeting was attended, apart from the Vice Chancellors of all the universities in the state, by Chief Minister's Media Advisor Mr. Harcharn Bains, Chief Secretary Mr. R.I. Singh, Principal Secretary D.S. Guru, Principal Secretary Technical Education-cum-Vice Chancellor Punjab Technical University Jalandhar Tejinder Kaur, Principal Secretary Animal Husbandry Subodh Aggarwal, Secretary Industries S.S. Channy, Secretary Higher Education Iqbal Singh Sandhu, Secretary School Education K.B.S. Sidhu, Secretary Social Security Narinderjit Singh and Additional Director Social Security Lakha Singh.

Later, in the evening the Chief Minister held an interactive session with the Principals and the Heads of the Private Engineering Colleges in the state. He asked the management of these colleges to reserve at least 10% seats for the poor and bright students with rural background and to provide them totally free education covering fees, books and boarding or traveling expenses. He offered wholesome government support to colleges opting for this scheme. Responding to the Chief Minister's proposal, the management of the Engineering, pharmacy and Architectural Colleges group agreed in Principle to reserve 1600 seats in degree courses and 2000 seats in diploma courses. The Chief Minister also asked the management of these colleges to start evening course for short-term technical certificate for these poor students.

Prominent among others who attended the meeting included Chairman Satnam Singh Sandhu and President Rashpal Singh Dhaliwal of Chandigarh Group of Colleges, Mr. Manjit Singh of Doaba Group of Colleges, Dr. Zora Singh of Desh Bhagat Group of Colleges and Mr. Sukhdev Singla Chairman Indo-Global Group of Colleges.


PUNAB TO BE DEVELOPED AS VEG EXPORT BASE-BADAL

Chandigarh June 15, 2008
The Punjab Government today announced a series of measures to develop the state as a national hub for vegetable export. A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting Chief Minister Punjab Mr. Parkash Singh Badal had with a delegation of individual exporters vegetable perishables.

Chief Minister's Media Advisor Mr. Harcharn Bains said that the government would treat vegetable exports as a priority sector. Mr. Badal would also meet the Union Agriculture Minister Mr. Shard Pawar to seek preferential status to Punjab for vegetable exports. The Chief Minister would also press for expanding the present scale of trade through the Attari-Wagha Border to turn it into a full scale commercial zone, said Mr. Bains.

The state government also announced a package of incentives to boost vegetables exports from the state, especially to the Middle East, Europe and South East.

The Punjab Government would extend the facility of uninterrupted power supply and direct supply lines from the urban feeders to pre-cooling chambers and refrigeration units on the farms of the exporters. The entire expenditure for shifting of the electricity line from rural to urban feeders to would be borne by the Punjab Agri Export Corporation (PAGREXCO). Similarly, power for the cooling chambers and refrigerated vans would be supplied as per agriculture rates instead of commercial as at present. Mr. Badal would soon take up the issue of the certification of Animal quarantine Center to be set up at Attari-Wagha Border in Amritsar district with the Ministry of Agriculture.

The Chief Minister appreciated the initiatives taken by these exporters to promote the concept of diversification of agriculture in true spirit and asked the other farmers of the state to replicate the experiment. He also promised to allot them a chunk of Panchayat Lands on lease basis for the cultivation of fruit and vegetables on large scale. Mr. Badal also asked the PAGREXO to provide reefer vans for the export of these fruits and vegetables on the nominal charges, said Mr. Bains.

The meeting was attended by Chief Minister's Media Advisor Mr. Harcharn Bains, Chief Secretary Punjab Mr. R.I Singh, Financial Commissioner Development Mr. R.S. Sandhu, Deputy Commissioner Amritsar K.S. Pannu, M.D. Punjab Agro Mr. S.K. Sandhu and Additional Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Mr. Gagandeep Singh Brar. The delegation of exporters consisted of ;K.B.S Sidhu (Patiala horticulture Pvt. Ltd, H.P.S. Bajwa, Upinder Singh Randhawa (Amrtisar district) and Sukhpal Singh Bhullar( Bhullar Orchid, Bathinda).


FOLLOW THE LEGACY OF GURU ARJAN DEV JI - BADAL

CHANDIGARH JUNE 15, 2008

Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today called upon the people to follow the precious legacy and the noble path shown by Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji, the fifth master of the Sikhs who made a supreme sacrifice for preserving the rich values of humanism, secularism and unity of mankind.
In a message on the 402nd martyrdom day of Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji, Mr. Badal said that Guru ji laid down his life for a noble cause and his unparalleled selfless sacrifice would ever act as a source of inspiration for the future genrations. Guru ji compiled the sacred 'Bani' of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji, which is a 'beacon light and will continue to guide the destiny of human beings to lead a pious and perfect life. The real homage to the great Guru would be to follow his noble teachings, high ideals in true spirit and strive hard to safeguard the interests of oppressed and disadvantaged sections of the society.
"We must remember the underlying spirit and message associated with Sri Guru Arjan Dev ji's unprecedented sacrifice", said Mr. Badal.

 

 

 

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