PUNJAB TO STUDY LANGUAGE ACTS OF OTHER
STATES – BAINS
Chandigarh, March 29, 2008
Mr. Harcharan Bains, Media Advisor to Chief Minister
Punjab today asked Director Information & Public Relations
Punjab to put up a report within a week after studying the language
polices of Tamilnadu , Karnataka, Kerala, Maharastra and Gujarat.
Presiding over a high level meeting to chalk out plan to effectively
implement the unanimous resolution in Vidhan Sabha regarding implementation
of Punjabi in the State, Mr Bains underlined the need to the take
steps at three levels to translate into reality the visionary
step taken by our Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal. Firstly,
making required amendments in it would make Punjab State Language
Act more effective. Secondly, to take steps to ensure working
in Punjabi in all Government offices. Thirdly, to take punitive
action against errant officials, from top to bottom, violating
these guidelines.
Mr. Bains said that major challenge before the Government was
to effectively implement the teaching of Punjabi as first medium
language in all schools from Class I to Class X. A committee has
been constituted to study Karnataka and Kerala models. He said
that no one was denying the fact that the Punjabi language has
not got the due recognition in Punjab. Mr. Bains said that keeping
in view the global competition, role of English language in Medical,
Business, IT education fields cannot be negated.
Mr. Bains said that the state Government was contemplating to
setup effective vigilance machinery at district level to check
the implementation of language act. He said that Right to Information
Act would ensure punishment to every errant official.
Meanwhile various political, religious bodies have welcomed the
move of Mr. Parkash Singh Badal to give due recognition to Punjabi
language.
Mr. Badal today called
Prime Minister for "smooth and prompt supply of DAP for the
fertilizer
Chandigarh March 29, 2008
The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr.Parkash Singh Badal
today called on Prime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh and sought his
intervention for securing "smooth and prompt supply of DAP
for the fertilizer- starved farmers of Punjab.
Mr.Badal also demanded that Punjab be included in the central
scheme for setting up at least one Industrial Manufacturing Region
(IMR) in the state. The Chief Minister said that Mandi Gobind
Garh (Iron and Steel) Batala (Agricultural implements) Ludhiana
(Hosiery) and Jalandhar (sports goods) should be considered for
inclusion in the Government of India's plan for setting up of
IMRs.
Mr.Badal also demanded that the proposed freight corridor from
Sonpur (West Bengal) to Ludhiana be extended to Amritsar in view
of the expected boost in international trade activity through
the Attari- Wagha Border.
Similarly, said Mr. Badal, the Industrial Corridor from Mumbai
to New Delhi should be extended up to Ludhiana.
Giving the details of the meeting, Chief Minister's Media Advisor
Mr. Harcharan Bains told newspersons here that Mr. Badal also
expressed his Government's strong opposition to the reported proposal
of Government of India to include Ravi-Beas Link in the list of
National Projects. River water being a state subject, the Government
of India should not force any such projects on any State. The
river water issue has strong economic, political and emotional
implications and the Centre would do well not to proceed with
any project that had the potential of starting a fresh controversy,
Mr. Badal told the Prime Minister.
The Chief Minister also asked Dr.Singh to take up the issue of
a direct, Visa Free access to Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan with
the Government in that country. He pointed out that the Pak authorities
had reportedly agreed in principle to provide a visa-free corridor
for the purpose from the Attari-Wagha Border.
The Prime Minister assured Mr. Badal of timely necessary steps
on the issue, said Mr. Bains.
Raising the farmers' issues, the Chief Minister regretted that
as against the demand of 1.5 lac Metric Tones (MT) the order for
which had been placed by the Markfed, Punjab, the State had received
only 10,000 MT although Markfed had already released an advance
payment for 40,000 MT. This situation could seriously affect paddy
production in the ensuing season. The Prime Minister assured Mr.
Badal of effective steps for timely supply of fertilizers, including
DAP, to Punjab farmers, according to the Media Advisor.
The Chief Minister also demanded that the Centre should take
up the projects for Sheet-lining of Sirhind and Rajasthan canals
in Punjab. The projects would cost Rs 650 crore as per the report
submitted by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) to the Ministry
of Water Resources. This, said Mr. Badal, should be treated as
a "one time central package "for fighting the menace
of water-logging and water-pollution in 332 villages, covering
2 lac (two lac) acres of agriculture land in Punjab. The spring
level of water in the affected areas had risen to just three feet
from the 25-30feet in the 1960s. The seepage was not only ravaging
vast and fertile areas but also causing alarming water-pollution
and giving rise to serious spread of cancer among the affected
population. The water lining of the Rajasthan canal would cost
Rs 425 crore while another Rs 225 crore would be needed for similar
project for the Sirhind Canal.
The Chief Minister also raised the issue of Shahpur Kandi Canal
and demanded that the Centre should fund the power component of
the project as per the policy in force. While the irrigation component
of the project would cost of Rs 285 crore, the power component
is expected to cost Rs 1730 crore.
Mr. Badal also sought the Prime Minister's "personal and
direct`` intervention to expedite the setting up of helipad at
the Holy city of Hemkunt Sahib. In addition, the historic and
holy destination should have a direct and wide-road linkage with
Punjab. Although the matter related to the concerned state Governments,
the Centre should extend all fiscal and procedural assistance
in the matter, said Mr. Badal.
Mr. Badal asked NDA, a
package of industrial concession his state
Chandigarh March 29, 2008,
The Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today asked
the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) constituents to include
Punjab- specific issues, including a package of industrial concession
to the state, in its programme for the forthcoming Lok Sabha poll.
Participating in a National meet of the Chief Ministers of the
States ruled by NDA constitutes, Mr. Badal said that while Punjab
did not oppose any concessions given to any state, it wanted parity
in such packages has extended to Himachal Pradesh, Uttranchal
Pardesh and Jammu and Kashmir."Punjab Industry desperately
needs a package along those lines. Also, the people of the State
deserve special consideration as they had to bear the brunt of
an active international border" said Mr Badal.
Mr Harcharan Bains, Media Advisor to the Chief Minister, told
newspersons after the meeting that Mr. Badal also raised the issue
of the preservation, promotion and growth of the Punjabi language
in states which had sizeable Punjabi population. The Punjabi language
has a natural claim to being treated as the second most important
language in many of the Northern States and steps needed to be
taken to accord it the status which is its due. Also, the role
of Punjabi language in spreading the message of Freedom Struggle
through every nook and corner of the world needs to be better
understood and appreciated," said Mr Badal.
Thanking the former Prime Minister Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee
for his personal role in the 300th Birth Anniversary of the Khalsa
in 1999, Mr Badal said that similar zeal must be shown in observing
other land marks in Sikh and national history. He requested the
Uttranchal Pradesh Chief Minister Major Gen. (Retd) B.C.Khanduri
to "personally" monitor the progress on providing a
modern and wide road linkage between Punjab and Hemkunt Sahib.
Mr.Badal had already approached the Government of India for securing
a regular helipad near the Holy shrine of Hemkunt Sahib.
Emphasising the need for greater cooperation and coordination
among the Chief Ministers from the NDA Ruled-States, Mr. Badal
said that political and economic net-working had become necessary
for development and peace.
The Chief Minister submitted a set of proposals for NDA's success
in the forthcoming Lok Sabha Poll, said Mr.Bains.
Government Committed to strengthen Cooperative
Movement :
Capt. Kanwaljit Singh Conference of Cooperative Ministers
Chandigarh, March 29 : SAD-BJP combine government of Punjab
is fully committed to strengthen Cooperative Movement in the state
for upliftment of farming community and it has taken several initiatives
which have started showing positive results. This was disclosed
by Punjab Cooperation Minister Capt. Kanwaljit Singh.
While addressing a conference of Cooperation Ministers of NDA
ruled state in New Delhi, he said that farming community in the
state was facing a serious crisis and in order to bail out the
farmers from the current mess, Cooperation Department has taken
several initiatives. He disclosed that maximum ceiling for raising
of crop loans by the farmers from the cooperative credit institutions
had been removed in order to provide sufficient credit to the
farmers. He said that a special limit of Rs. 2000/- per acre per
crop for purchase of diesel to cope with the power scarcity had
been made available to the farmers in the state. He said besides
this a special one time settlement scheme was implemented under
which 35223 farmers had already availed a relief of 7883.99 lacs.
Capt. Kanwaljit Singh informed that at village level revolutionary
changes were been made in the working of Primary Agriculture Cooperative
Socieities (PACS). He said that there are 50 lacs members of 3500
PACS in the state for whom a special scheme for marketing of consumer
goods on the pattern of CSD had been made available. He said that
under the scheme member would get the goods at their doorsteps
that too at much cheaper rates than market. He also disclosed
that high powered committee constituted by the government for
improving the working of PACS had submitted its report and an
action plan would be implemented soon based on the recommendations
of the above committee.
He said for Housefed had launched special schemes for providing
houses in rural areas. He said that it had launched a special
scheme for economically weakers section under which houses with
a cost of Rs. 3.50 lacs to Rs. 6.50 lacs would be provided to
the poor. He said that this scheme was being implemented at all
the district headquarters and it had already been launched at
Banur in Patiala District.
The Minister disclosed that Cooperative Department had launched
special drive for empowerment of women both economically and socially.
He told that separate societies were being set up for them which
would imbibe leadership qualities among them. Mai Bhago Istri
Shakti Scheme had been launched under which women were provided
training for various ventures and were provided loans at much
cheaper rates.
Capt. Kanwaljit Singh said that in order to help farmers increase
their income Milkfed had launched a commercial dairy project which
had yielded good results and till date more than 250 such dairies
had been established. He said that loans were also provided to
the marginal and small farmers for purchasing cows.
He said that department had taken up special scheme for encouring
production of vegetables and fruits by the farmers. He said that
Markfed was establishing a processing plant at Ludhiand with a
cost of Rs. 20 crore which would help in gradation of Vegetables
and fruits after which they would be exported. He said that Markfed
was also providing fertilizers to the farmers at cheaper rates.
Mr. Badal requested Home
Minister for immediate action on Kartar Marg issue
Chandigarh March 28 – The Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash
Singh Badal today called on the Union Home Minister Mr. Shivraj
Patil and sought a Comprehensive Development Package for border
areas in Punjab.
The Chief Minster also asked Mr. Patil to facilitate early interaction
between the Governments of India and Pakistan on the proposed
free corridor from Indo-border to the historic and holy town of
Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan. The corridor would allow devotes
from India to visit the holy place connected with the life of
Guru Nanak Devji without the mandatory visa. The Pak authorities
had reportedly given their consent in principle to the proposal.
Disclosing this, Mr. Harcharan Bains, Media Advisor to Chief
Minister, Mr. Bains described the Union Home Minister's response
as "extremely positive and helpful" and said that Mr.
Badal raised the issue of development of 11 border towns, including
a cantonment, in tune with modern town planning. He sought funds
under central schemes for improving water supply and sewerage
system in these areas and said that the state had not got its
due share in the on going schemes. Mr. Badal also told the Union
Home Minister that the Border Roads Development Authority needed
to pay greater attention to the plight of infrastructure in the
Punjab along the belt neighboring Pakistan. The plight of roads
and even pontoon bridges was 'pathetic'.
The Chief Minister also sought compensation of Rs. 5000 (five
thousand) per acre per annum for farmers whose lands fall beyond
the border fence as they had been facing major handicaps in the
interest of the defense of the country.
Mr. Badal also raised the issue of modernization of the police
force and said that the state should not be penalized for the
failure of the previous regime headed by Captain Amarinder Singh
to issue utilization certificates on the central funds meant for
the purpose. He said that the present government in Punjab had
been prompt in certifying the usage of all central assistance.
As a result of the failure of the previous government, central
funds for the purpose had been slashed by nearly 300 per cent.
He Chief Minister also emphasized the need for recruiting more
female security staff for border areas in central security forces.
Mr. Badal asked Mr. Patil's to use his good offices to ensure
early clearances for the proposed highway to link the holy City
of Hemkunt Sahib with Punjab.
