Principal
Secretary Reviews Wheat Procurement in Hoshiarpur
Chandigarh: May 5, 2008
N. Singh
Principal Secretary Transport and Public Relations, Mr. D.S.
Jaspal, today visited Mandis in Hoshiarpur district and accessed
the pace of procurement, lifting and payment to the farmers.
Mr. Jaspal said that 1,92,701 MT of wheat was arrived in the
mandis of Hoshiarpur district which was 20 percent more than the
previous year. He said the FCI and State agencies have lifted
only 55 % of the wheat stocks, so far.
Mr. Jaspal directed the procurement agencies to expedite the
lifting of wheat by augumenting labour force. The FCI was asked
to allow State agencies to utilize their godown space to increase
the speed of lifting operations. Mr. Jaspal also interected with
farmers who expressed satisfaction with the timely payments.
Mr. Jaspal however asked the Deputy Commissioner to inquire
into the cause of fires which destroyed wheat crop in nearly 600
acres and submit report to the Government for further necessary
action.
Mr. Jaspal was accompanied by D.C. Hoshiarpur, Mr. N.K Wadhawan,
Senior FCI and other officials of procurement agencies.
BADAL FELICITATES JUSTICE CHOWDARY BEING SWORN IN AS
FIRST SIKH JUDGE OF UGANDA HIGH COURT
Chandigarh May 05
Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today greeted
Justice Anoop Singh Chowdary for his elevation as High Court Judge
in Uganda.
In a congratulatory message, Mr. Badal said that it was a great
honour and elation for Punjabis that a Sikh had been sworn in
as a Judge of High Court for the first time in any East African
Country.
Meanwhile, Mr. Badal also congratulated Mr. Karpal Singh and
his son Mr. Gobind Singh Deo for being elected as members of the
Parliament of Malaysia and said, " It is a matter of great
pride and honour for each one of us back at home in Punjab".
Mr. Badal said that the Punjabis were known for their unique
qualities of hard work, entrepreneurship and adaptability all
over the world. "Wherever they go, they contribute immensely
for the development & prosperity of the place of their adoption,
besides carving out a niche for themselves due to sheer sincerity,
devotion and zeal" said Mr. Badal.
JASSA SINGH RAMGARHIA REMEMBERED ON HIS
285TH BIRTHDAY
BADAL SEEKS INSPIRATION FROM JASSA SINGH RAMGARHIA TO WAGE A
WAR AGAINST CENTRES' WRONG POLICIES FOR ALL TIME HIGH INFLATION
MOHALI MAY 5, 2008
Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today blamed the
Centre for its arbitrary economic policies that had led an unprecedented
price rise of the essential commodities over a past six months.
Addressing a mammoth gathering after paying floral tributes to
great Sikh Warrior of 18th Century Sardar Jassa Singh Ramgarhia
at a state level function to mark his 285th birth day. He called
the upon the like minded people cutting across the political affiliations
to wage a war thereby seeking inspiration from Sardar Jassa Singh
Ramgarhia against the ill conceived policies of Centre which was
bent to bring the state's industry to a grinding halt due to sky
rocketing prices of steel and cement which had almost registered
an increase of 50%. He said that Centre could not shun its responsibility
in keeping the inflation in control because it was solely responsible
for the steep hike in the prices of steel and cement because the
GoI heavily exported them resulting in its acute shortage. "Had
the Centre viewed the situation seriously it would had not adversely
affected the economy as now, because any country could indulge
in heavy exports only in a situation of surplus production"
said Mr.Badal.
Mr. Badal said that the spiraling prices of essential commodities
had also virtually crushed the common man due to the wrong and
anti-people policies of the UPA government on contrary to its
tall claims of the government aimed at welfare of the general
masses. He said the Congress party was toeing the line of capitalism
thereby blatantly ignoring the basic needs of a people.
Mr.Badal said; 'had Congress serious to the core in mitigating
the sufferings of a common man it would have certainly initiated
measures to check inflation'. The Chief Minister held UPA government
responsible entirely for the price rise due to its self centered
policies just to benefit few industrial houses that could later
on help the Congress party during the ensuing Lok Sabha elections.
Showing deep concern over the highest ever rate of inflation
registered in the recent past, Chief Minister urged the Prime
Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh and Union Finance Minister Mr.P.Chidambaram
to take immediate remedial measures to check inflation which was
playing havoc with the lives of the people rather in dillydallying
the issue on one pretext or the other.
On the procurement front, Mr.Badal shared his happiness and satisfaction
over the achievement of the target of the procurement of 90 lakh
MT of wheat and said; "it is expected to cross the mark of
100 lakh MT as the yield has registered an increase of 40% over
the last year". He categorically said that Punjab had kept
its promise in meeting the target of procurement fixed by GoI
whereas it never bothered to watch our genuine interests by giving
us a fair deal in terms of remunerative MSP to our farmers.
Mr. Badal exhorted the people of Punjab in general and youth
in particular to propagate the glorious legacy of Sardar Ramgarhia
who fought the Mughals valiantly to safe guard the moral and ethical
values of humanity based on the tenets of Sikh Panth. He said
that Jassa Singh was a born leader of unprecedented qualities.
Jassa Singh was honored as Ramgarhia and his name would always
remain alive as the founder of the Great Ramgarhia Misl, who played
a major role in the battles of the Khalsa Panth. Mr. Badal said
that the real tribute to this brave soldier who avenged the barbaric
acts of mughals to restore the glory of Sikh Panth would be to
follow the path of righteousness and self scarifies preached by
him for the uplift and betterment of the mankind.
In a welcome address Tourism & Jails Minister Hira Singh
Gabhria said that Ramgarhia community was committed for the development
and progress of the state. He said that this community was bestowed
with the qualities of skilled craftsmanship and had tremendous
accumen and enterprising skill which should be optimally exploited.
He urged the Chief Minister to name the Punjab Technical University
Jalandarh and the proposed four lanneing road connecting Kharar-Mohali-Zirakpur
to International Airport Mohali after Sardar Jassa Singh Ramgarhia
for his heroic deeds.
Responding to the demands Mr.Badal expressed his inability to
announce the acceptance of these demands in view of the model
code of conducts being enforced for the ensuing Amritsar South
bye-election and Panchayat elections in the state. He assured
the representatives of the Ramgarhia community that after the
elections he would not only concede their demands but also implement
them in true spirit.
Prominent amongst others who spoke on the occasion included
Cooperation Minister Capt. Kanwaljit Singh, Information &
Public Relations Minister Bikram Singh Majithia, MLA Morinda Ujjagar
Singh Wadali, Chairman Punjab State Cooperative Bank Jasjit Singh
Banni and senior vice President SAD Jathedar Tota Singh.
PWRMD holds it's first
Board meeting
Chandigarh May 05
The first meeting of the Board of Directors of Punjab Water Resources
Management and Development Corporation Limited (PWRMDC) held here
today under the chairmanship of Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash
Singh Badal.
It was informed in the meeting that the Government of India
(GoI) , Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Registrar of Companies
had also approved the change of name of the corporation and had
issued new certificate of incorporation i.e. Punjab Water resources
Management and Development Corporation Limited with its corporate
identity number.
The progress of three Command Areas Development & Water
Management Programmes for lining of watercourses was also monitored
in the meeting. It may be mentioned here that the projects of
Kotla Branch Command and Eastern Branch Command had already been
completed, whereas the project Upper Bari Doab Canal (UBDC) Command
at a cost of Rs. 243.05 Crore would be completed by the 31st March
2012. The Board has also reviewed the details of the Sirhind Feeder
Part-II (Rs. 407.03 crore) and Bathinda Branch Part-II (Rs. 242.72
crore) projects to be executed during 2008-09. It was also mentioned
in the meeting that total 274 Tubewells were being installed under
various Tubewell Schemes and 161 has been energized so far.
Prominent amongst those who attended the meeting included Chief
Secretary Punjab RI Singh, Financial Commissioner Development
RS Sandhu, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister DS Guru, Secretary
Irrigation & Power Suresh Kumar, Managing Director PIDB, SS
Sandhu, Managing Director (PWRMDC) Behari Lal, Director Agriculture
BS Sidhu, Chief Engineer Canals RK Goel, beside officers of Finance
and Irrigation departments.
DISTRICT FEROZEPUR LEADS IN WHEAT PROCUREMENT
Chandigarh, May 5, 2008
District Ferozepur led in wheat procurement with10.74 lac tonnes
as wheat procurement in Punjab touched 94 lac tonnes. The spokesman
said that six government agencies and private millers have procured
more than 93.70lac tonnes of wheat in Punjab out of which 89.04
lac tonne (95.0%) has been procured for the central pool and 2,22,823
tonnes (2.4%) has been procured for the State pool. According
to an official spokesman till Sunday evening out of total procurement
of 93,70,396 tonnes of wheat in all the procurement centers of
Punjab, millers have lifted 2,43,247 tonnes (2.6%) of wheat. Till
May 4, PUNGRAIN had procured 16, 63,388 tonnes (18.7%) whereas
MARKFED procured 21, 12,746 tonnes (23.7%). PUNSUP procured 20,
37, 565 tonnes (22.9%), PSWC procured 11, 20,706 tonnes (12.6%)
whereas PAIC was able to procure10, 16,036 tonnes (11.4 %) of
wheat for the central pool. The Central Government agency FCI
had been able to procure 9, 53,885tonnes (10.7%) for the central
pool.
The spokesman said that in addition MARKFED procured 69413 tonnes
(31.2%), PUNSUP procured 76238 tonnes (34.2%) and PAIC procured
46541 tonnes(0.5%) for the State pool. He added that Ferozepur
District with 10,74,879 tonnes of procurement was leading in procurement
operations whereas Sangrur District with 9,20,642 tonnes of procurement
was at second slot and Ludhiana district with 8,13,055 tonnes
of procurement ranked at third position. The Punjab Government
and FCI have made a payment of more than Rs. 8916 crores to the
farmers of the State for wheat procured upto May 3, 2008 ensuring
payment to the farmers within 48 hours of lifting of their wheat.
The spokesman said that Punjab Government has already allocated
Rs. 11116 crores for to six government agencies for ensuring hassle
free payment to the farmers. The State Government has set up over
1615 procurement centres and activated its total machinery to
ensure smooth procurement of wheat, the spokesman added.
