PUNJAB TO FLOAT RS. 500 CRORE LOAN

Chandigarh, October 21, 2008

The Punjab government in consultation with Reserve Bank of India(RBI) today floated Rs. 500 crore loan to finance part of Capital Expenditure of Plan Schemes and other development schemes under execution.

According to an official spokesman the State government today notified the sale of Punjab Government Stock (Securities) of 10 year tenure for a aggregate amount of Rs. 500 crore (Nominal). The spokesman said that consent of Central government has already been obtained to the floatation of this loan.

The spokesman said that the government stock would be sold through RBI Mumbai by auction that would be conducted by them in his Mumbai office on October 22, 2008. The application form duly filled in with the bids should be submitted to the RBI, Mumbai on October 22 by 12.30 P.M. Result of auction would be displayed on October 23 and successful bidders would make payment on October 23, 2008.

The spokesman added that this 10 year tenure loan would be repaid at par on October 23, 2018. He said that interest will be paid every half yearly on April 23 and October 23 and cut off yield determined at the auction would be the coupon rate percent per annum of the stock sold at the auction.

PUNJAB CM GREETS PEOPLE ON THE GURU-TA-GADDI DIVAS OF SRI GURU GRANTH SAHIB

TALWANDI SABO OCTOBER 20, 2008

Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today extended his greetings to the Sikhs all over the world on the auspicious occasion of Tercentenary of Guru-ta-Gaddi Divas of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji.

Mr. Badal was addressing a historic congregation of devotees from allover the country and abroad here at Takhat Sri Damdama Sahib during a function organized by SGPC in commemoration of the worldwide celebrations of the 300th Guru-ta-Gaddi Divas of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. Speaking on the occasion Mr, Badal said that today we all should offer our deep and sincere gratitude to Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji for blessing us with such a wonderful creation in the form of a Holi Granth as our eleventh Guru. He said that Sri Guru Granth Sahib, completed earlier by Sri Guru Arjan Dev ji in 1604 at Amritsar had been finalized here on the poised soil of Talwandi Sabo by Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji in 1706 and installed later in 1706 as the living and Eternal Guru for the Sikhs at Nanded (Maharahshtra). He said that Sri Guru Granth Sahib is a Matchless Divine Treasure of the whole global community and a glory of spiritual harmony.

Mr. Badal exhorted the people to draw inspiration from Sri Guru Granth Sahib and follow the teachings & ideology of our great Gurus to carve out an ideal society with equal rights for everyone regardless of caste, colour and creed. "Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji is the only solution to all the problems that has griped the entire world today with a sense of hatred and mistrust, which must be replaced by love and faith at all costs with the blessings of Sri Guru Granth Sahib", said Mr. Badal.

Referring to the economic disparity between the rich & poor that had resulted the problems of hunger, unemployment, illiteracy and caused wide spread pain anger and unrest in the minds of the poor and underprivileged section of the society, the Chief Minister called upon all the Political, Social and Educational organizations to follow the path of 'Secularism' as shown by Sri Guru Granth Sahib. He said that the composition of Sri Guru Granth Sahib with holy hymns of 36 divine Gurus and Saints from the length and breadth of Indian sub-continent characterized it as one of the most unique and secular creations of the universe. He hoped that to make us an ideal citizens of the society only the eternal message of Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji could plant a deep-rooted feeling in the minds of the people.

On this occasion, Mr. Badal also released a prestigious publication of Information Public Relations Department Punjab titled 'So Said Guru Arjan Dev' – a work first of its kind based on the teaching of Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji in the form of a dictionary of thoughts, edited by Dr. Harnam Singh Shan , a Renowned Sikhs Scholar along with a souvenir published by SGPC. Mr. Badal also disbursed the cheques to the intelligent disserving students as scholarship under Rs. 30 lakh Scholarship Scheme launched by SGPC for providing financial assistance to poor intelligent students.

Earlier, Mr. Badal paid obeisance at Takhat Sri Damdama Sahib and received Siropa from Jathedar of Takhat Sri Damdama Bhai Sahib Bhai Balwant Singh Nandgarh.

Later, addressing the Media persons Mr. Badal made it clear that there was no enhancement of cess on cotton. Regarding the development programmes being implemented in the state by SAD-BJP government, Mr. Badal said that they would achieve high target of multifaceted development within 3 to 4 years that had never been dreamed by Congress in the past history of 61 years. Mr. Badal said that the anti-economic and destructive behaviour of Congress had dragged the country to a situation that about 20 crore people are suffering from hunger today in the country.

Prominent amongst those who greeted the people on this auspicious occasion included Bhai Sahib Bhai Balwant Singh Nandgarh Jathedar Takhat Sri Damdama Singh, Giani Gurbachan Singh Jathedar Sri Akal Takhat Sahib, Giani Tirlochan Singh Jathedar Takhat Sri Keshgarh Sahib, Sant Baba Harnam Singh Dhuma, Head of Damdami Taksal, Nihang Baba Balbir Singh Budha Dal, Baba Nihal Singh, Harian Belan Wale, Sant Baba Saroop Singh (Bidhi Chand), Local Government Minister Mr. Manoranjan Kalia, Mr. Tota Singh and Shikander Singh Maluka (both former Ministers) and Sh. Avtar Singh Makkar,President, SGPC.

MOHALLA SANITATION COMMITTEES IN ALL THE CITIES WILL BE ABOLISHED-BADAL

A DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE TO BE CONSTITUTED FOR AMICABLE SOLUTION OF THE ISSUE OF BHAGWAN VALMIKI SHRINE

PATIALA OCTOBER 19, 2008

The Punjab Government would abolish Mohalla Sanitation Committee in all the cities in the state and chalk out a plan to regularize the employees of these committees.

An announcement to this effect was made by Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal while presiding over a state level function to commemorate the Parkash Utsav of Bhagwan Valmik Ji, here today. Mr. Badal assured that he would take up this matter with Local Government Minister to abolish these committees in all the cities in the state on the same patron that was adopted in five Municipal Corporation towns. He further gave assurance that all the employees (Safai Karamcharies) would be regularized.

Regarding the issue of Bhagwan Valmiki Shrine in Amritsar district Mr. Badal announced that a 'Development Committee' would be constituted to sort-out this issue amicably. The Chief Minister also announced that a grant of Rs. 1 crore would also be released to this committee for undertaking immediate development program of the Shrine. He said that as committee would decide the government could also provide a chunk of land along with some financial assistance for the families of the priests presently residing in the Shrine to shift them some other place.

Mr. Badal called the people belonging to different communities to strengthen the social fabric of our country by displaying the age-old ethos of understanding and good will as preached by our Great Gurus, Saints and Seers.

Greeting people on the occasion of Bhagwan Valmik Ji's Parkash Utsav AAMr. Badal underscored the need for religious tolerance, magnanimity and unity in the larger interest of our society. He said that the existence of different religions had made our country a unique land of cultural diversity. He further said that Punjab also was specially known for its composite culture and religious magnificence. "We can turn it into an ideal society if we try to follow the path shown by him", said Mr. Badal.

He also called upon the people of Punjab to carve out an ideal, value based harmonious society to strengthen the bonds of compassion, love, peace and brotherhood by following the secular teachings of Bhagwan Valmik ji. Mr. Badal further said that for establishing true secularism every one should respect other religions while practicing his own religious principles to further strengthen amity and communal harmony in the state.

Reiterating firm commitment of SAD-BJP Government to uplift the downtrodden and unprivileged section of the society i.e. Dalits, SCs/BCs who were made the target of systematic neglect and injustice during the regime of previous Government, Mr.Badal said that it was the agony of the fate of our country that 70% of the total population was earning just Rs.20 per day. The policies and programmes of various governments ruled for a longer period in the country were responsible for such like situation, added Mr.Badal.

Speaking on the occasion Punjab Cooperative Minister Capt. Kanwaljit Singh said that SAD-BJP government was committed to uplift the social & economic status of poor and downtrodden section of the society by implementing its welfare schemes and programme in the state. He said that Congress was a party of rich people and had never bothered for an ordinary man whereas Shiromani Akali Dal was a party of common poor people and attached at a grass root level with them. This was the reason that SAD-BJP government from the day one started thinking about poor and implemented a unique Rs. 700 crore Atta-Daal scheme to provide wheat and daal at subsidize rates to 13 lakh poor families every month.

Speaking on the occasion Advisor to the Chief Minister Dr. Daljit Singh Cheema said that with his ever first epic creation 'the holy Ramayana', Bhagwan Valmik Ji in fact had promoted the rich values of Indian culture & civilisation in such beautifully that Ramayana got a high place in Indian religious literature and has become part and parcel of our culture and civilization. He further added that the teachings of Bhagwan Valmik Ji are very much relevant to our present day Indian society. He said that with this view the SAD-BJP Government first time in the history of the state had started celebration of all-important festivals of different communities and religions as State-level functions.

Addressing the Public on this occasion the Patron, Backward Classes wing of SAD and Senior Vice President (SAD) Mr. Gurdev Singh Badal said that government had implemented various programme under which many welfare schemes were being implemented like provision of Rs. 15000/- at the wedding of every girl belonging to Dalit section without any pre-condition such as below poverty line (as imposed by the previous Govt.), to allot 5 marlas of construction space to every SC/BC/Dalit families to construct houses/flats and the financial assistance given under this would be increased to Rs. 50,000/-.

The Chief Minister along with many SAD and BJP leaders included Mr. Gurjzar Singh Ranike (Minister), Prof. Prem Singh Chandumajra, Mr. Surjit Singh Rakhra, Prof. Kirpal Singh Badungar, Mr. Harmail Singh Tohra, Mr. Surjit Singh Kohli, Mr. Ajaib Singh Mukhmailpur and Mr. Dulip Singh Pandhi (all foremer Minister) and Mr. Inderiqbal Singh Atwal (former MLA) paid obeisance to Bhagwan Valmik ji .

Earlier, the Valmiki Community leaders Mr. Vijay Danav, Mr. Raj Kumar Attika, Mr. Laxman Daravid, Mr. Raj Kumar Gharu, Mr. Naresh Nindi, Bibi Nirmla Devi, Mr. Gurcharan Singh Bibi Sharda Devi welcomed the Chief Minister and honored him with a SIROPAO and a Sword.

Release of 'So Said Guru Arjan Dev'

Chandigarh, 19 October, 2008

S. Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister of Punjab, will be releasing tomorrow on 20 October 2008 "So Said Guru Arjan Dev", a prestigious publication of Information & Public Relations Department Punjab, at a large and historic congregation being held at Damdama Sahib, Sabo Ki Tawandi (Bhatinda) in commemoration of the world-wide celebrations of the 300th year of the finalization there in 1706 by Guru Gobind Singh of Sri Guru Garanth Sahib, compiled earlier by Guru Arjan Dev in 1604 at Amritsar and installed later in 1706 by Guru Gobind Singh as the Living and Eternal Guru for the Sikhs at Nanded (Maharahshtra ).

It is a very valuable and laudable work, first of its kind on the life, work and teaching of the Great Guru in the form of a dictionary of thought, designed so wisely, executed so exquisitely and produced so beautifully by the highly learned scholar and well-known author, Dr. Harnam Singh Shan, Professor Emeritus, Punjab University , Chandigarh. Being mostly an anthology of the Guru's select sayings gleaned from his sacred writings which cover over one-third of Guru Garanth Sahib, strung together in a rosary of precious gems which glitter as instructive and inspiring in their content, direct and forthright in their approach, moral and catholic in their applicability, touching almost every aspect and activity of human life.

This is a highly admirable effort to disseminate thereby the universal message of love and peace, unity and harmony conveyed in Guru Granth Sahib, the unique and only Interfaith Scripture of mankind.

PADDY PROCUREMENT TOUCHES 60 LAC TONNES MARK

Chandigarh, October 19, 2008

Six government agencies and millers procured over 59,86,1742 tonnes of paddy on Saturday .

An official spokesman today said that PUNGRAIN procured 1481195 tonnes of paddy (27.2%) whereas MARKFED procured 1262010 tonnes of paddy (23.2%). PUNSUP procured 1244340 tonnes of paddy (22.9%) whereas Punjab State Warehousing Corporation procured 717188 tonnes of paddy (13.2%) besides 6,58857 tonnes of paddy (12.1%) procured by Punjab Agro. The Central Government Agency FCI procured only 72983 tonnes of paddy (1.3%). The Millers procured 549691 tonnes of paddy (9.2 %) by Thursday.

The mandis in Amritsar Division recorded 1768063 tonnes of paddy with Jalandhar recording maximum paddy by Saturday to the tune of 441480 tonnes. The mandis of Ferozepur division maintained their lead by recording 2831284 tonnes of paddy with maximum of 1015552 tonnes of paddy being recorded by Ferozepur district. Meanwhile procurement in the mandis Patiala division recorded 1386827 procurement of paddy with Patiala district recording maximum paddy to the tune of 477519.

The spokesman said that lifting of procured paddy from the mandis has started showing positive results with PUNGRAIN (94.8%), MARKFED (85%), PUNSUP (88.3%), PSWC (88.8%), PUNJAB AGRO (92.1%) and FCI (96.5%).

Six government agencies have paid over Rs. 2982.81 crores for paddy procured by agencies during first 18 days of current Kharif Marketing Season. The spokesman said that farmers of the State are being made payment of paddy procured by the government agencies within 48 hours of lifting of paddy from the procurement centres.

The Punjab Food Supply had setup 1622 procurement centres throughout the state to ensure smooth procurement of paddy.