RATHER PRETENDING CONCERN, JOIN STRUGGLE TO GET MSP AND BONUS RAISED – MAJITHIA'S POINTER TO AMARINDER

Chandigarh, October 23, 2008

: Mr. Bikram Singh Majithia, Patron, Youth Akali Dal today challenged Capt. Amarinder Singh, former Chief Minister to join the struggle of Punjab farmers against Union Government to get MSP of Paddy raised to Rs. 1300 and bonus enhanced to Rs. 300 rather than pretending his hollow concern for farmers, by confessing that MSP for paddy was "admittedly low".

Referring to Amarinder's photo ops flying visits to selected Mandis of the State, the YAD Patron said that this whole drama of fixing MSP of paddy below CCAP's recommended price of Rs. 1000/- and then granting bonus in peanuts to farmers has exposed the ' anti farmers and anti Punjab' face of Congress Party. He said that Union government was bent upon punishing Punjab Farmers for voting out corrupt Congress from the power in Punjab and was deliberately tailoring the policies to push farmers further in debt trap.

Mr. Majithia said that the earlier debt waiver scheme was custom-made to keep majority of Punjab farmers out of it. Now FCI, a Union Government procurement agency that used to procure over 40% of produce, has procured only 1.3% of procured paddy till date, on the express directions of Congress leadership. Now to further penalize Punjab's farmers, the Union government was creating the shortage of DAP to fail the sowing operations.

He said that PPCC President's demand of MSP at Rs. 950/- below the recommended price of Rs. 1000/- has fully exposed the anti farmer face of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee. The YAD Patron said that Rahul Gandhi's fruitless interaction tamasha with Punjabi's without any concrete announcement for Punjab's welfare has further eroded the credibility of Gandhi families in the eyes of Punjabis.

Demanding immediate decision on allowing export of Non- Basmati Rice, Mr. Majithia said that it was double whammy for the Punjab farmers as he was not being allowed to export rice to other countries at remunerative rates.

Mr. Majithia said that Union Government would have to pay a heavy price for ignoring the interests of Punjab farmers who feed the nation as farmers would be forced to switch to cash crops.

GENERAL RODRIGUES INAUGURATES REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON HEALTH, POPULATION AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT WITH FOCUS ON CHILD SEX RATIO: CALLS FOR A CRUSADE AGAINST UNETHICAL PRACTICE OF FEMALE FOETICIDE

CHANDIGARH, OCTOBER 23, 2008

Strongly advocating the need for action-oriented approach for promoting Gender Equality and improvement in Child Sex Ratio, the Punjab Governor and Administrator, Union Territory, Chandigarh, Gen. (Retd.) S.F. Rodrigues, PVSM VSM, today called for a crusade against the unethical practice of female foeticide, through the vigorous implementation of action plans at the ground level and by making it a mass movement, with the active involvement of the people.

Inaugurating a Regional Conference on Health, Population and Social Development in Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab with a focus on Child Sex Ratio, here today, General Rodrigues said that there is a need of strengthening our monitoring systems to identify the gaps in the implementation processes in this social societal endeavour, followed by corrective measures. We have to create a situation of developing the sense of "us" and shedding the approach "we" and "they" in dealing with this issue of vital social importance to achieve the desired goals.

Expressing his anguish over the lackadaisical of our systems and of our society, towards the social evil of female infanticide, General Rodrigues lamented that the efforts made so far in this programme have not turned into a mass movement and merely remained an academic exercise on paper. There is strong need for reinventing our attitudes and reinforcing our value system to tackle these ills, which are eroding our morality and the social system. He stressed that the need of the hour is, therefore, to activate our conscience and reorient our systems to reach out to every village and town, to educate public opinion. We have also to strengthen our network for empowerment of women and make them self-reliant with active community support.

Referring to the measures being taken for social development, General Rodrigues said that various programmes impacting our social system have been launched in the Union Territory of Chandigarh with benefit to the whole region. He said that special focus has been given on the inculcation of proper values, so as to make our children good citizens. We have started a novel programme "Focus: Moral Values & Civic Duties in Education' in all the 110 schools of Union Territory. He said that it has three major elements relating to basic human values, with the focus on a personal value system, the inculcation of a sense of responsibility towards society and our duty to the State and the nation. He referred to the philosophy of Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan institutions, which aim to promote our rich heritage and human values and educate our students to the needs of our country. Besides this, as part of upliftment plan of the poor strata, the Chandigarh Administration is implementing an ambitious plan for the rehabilitation of slum dwellers under which 25000 one room tenements are being constructed with all modern facilities to be given them on nominal rent.

General Rodrigues appealed to the members of the Population Foundation of India (PFI) to participate in all these programmes having relevance in the Social Development, Health and Population and incorporate them into national programmes, for the benefit of the people of the Country. He also released a booklet and a wall poster on the relevant theme of the Conference on the occasion.

Mr. B.G. Deshmukh , former Cabinet Secretary Government of India and Vice Chairman of the governing body of Population Foundation of India, while speaking on the occasion highlighted the goals of the national body on family planning, reproductive health and other development issues. He said that the foundation has organized various State Level Conferences as part of its advocacy programmes in different States and helping them in framing their population polices and programmes.

Mr.A.R. Nanda, Executive Director, PFI, welcomed the Guests and Mr. B.G. Verghese, Member Governing Body, PFI proposed vote of thanks.

A Brief Note of Punjab Cooperation Minister Capt. Kanwaljit Singh's Meet the Press

Chandigarh Press Club on 23th October, 2008

The core issue faced by the state is its economic condition which affects the entire societies well being. Keeping that in mind I have taken the initiative to meet the Press today to share and discuss what we in our Cooperative Department have endeavored to improve, revamp and boost the economic condition of the rural Punjab, primarily an agrarian society.

Admittedly the pertinent issue faced by us today is the slow economic growth which directly affects and determines the economy of the state leading to unemployment and putting the state finance under stress. "It is in this context that we have planned and tried to evolve policies in our Cooperative Department which will endeavor to put the state's economic growth on a fast track". It would be interesting fact to share that the agriculture sector contributes 2000 crore to the state revenue as compared to Industry and trade which generates a revenue of 700 crore.Thus Agriculture is the larger contributor to the State exchequer but alas "Punjab's farmers are facing a crisis in form of ever increasing indebt ness, increasing inputs and shrinking farm sizes".

While majority of the state's farmers have holdings less than 5 acres, therefore the role of the Cooperatives is to reduce costs so that the marginal farmers can make agriculture a remunerative occupation. However the Government of India's policy of restricting Punjab to the role of "Food Bowl and following the wheat-paddy rotation where inputs costs are not regulated and produce costs are strictly controlled and influenced by the Government with no prior thought to profit margins for the farmers.' Punjab's agriculture needs to break out of this pattern and make a paradigm shift to a profit motivated occupation. "This strategy has to be essentially a switch over which is demand driven. Shouldering this responsibility we have designed the Cooperative department to play a key role, in fact my vision is to bring about a socio economic transformation in Punjab. Cooperatives have inherent strength to fight lobbies and domination of monopolists. I have asked my officers especially the FCC and Registrar Cooperative Societies to usher in a strong Cooperative movement of the people."

The biggest dilemma facing the farmers is indebt ness and to rescue the agriculture community from the clutches of private money lenders, The Punjab State Cooperative Bank has been advancing Short Term Credit in form of crop loans to the farmers through the network of its branches in villages and Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies.

The department has also come out with Revolving Cash Credit scheme for debt swapping and bringing farmers out of the clutches of private money lenders. This credit facility is available at much lower rate of interest for repaying the private money lenders. Approximately 14165 farmers have availed the benefit under this scheme to the amount of Rs.1980 crore till now. "With a vision to evolve the Cooperative Societies into major service providers as well as reduce production costs we have endeavored that these societies should become consumer hubs giving a major thrust and a boost to rural economy.

Playing a pivotal role to encourage and provide facility for education the Cooperative Department has come forward with a scheme in which the banks provide Education Loans up to Rs 10.00 lacs for studies in India or Abroad at a nominal rate of 9 percent without any margin money. This loan is to be repaid after the completion of the course. Also loan to the children of Dalits, poor families and Backward Classes is available at 7.2 under Cooperative Education Loan scheme unto Rs 10.00 lacs to be repaid in 5 years.

The Cooperative movement stands committed for the dignity of labour, social and economic justice to every human being. It is towards this objective that we have flouted Mai Bhago Istri Shakti Scheme ,the only scheme in the country initiated to economically empower rural women and encourage them to find there latent potential and play a larger role in a mainly patriarchal society .This scheme is essentially to give self respect ,dignity and economic empowerment to the rural women. Hassle free credit is available at preferential rate of interest of 10 percent. Nearly 2500members have availed a loan of 640 lacs and the recoveries near 100 percent.7063 women have got training in Cutting, Tailoring, Beauty Parlour, Jam-Chutni making in the state. In another Bhai Ghanaya Sehat Seva Scheme launched on 1.10.2008, 1.83 main members have registered with 5.68 dependent members also being covered under this scheme. Till 22.10.2008 1451 members have taken a benefit of 2.31 crores. At the launch there were 171 hospitals on the panel but today we have 240 hospitals providing medical services to the people covered under this scheme in the state. We are pioneering to provide medical health cover to the rural segment.

The emphasis of industrialization in the state is of course paramount, with agro based industry to be promoted. It is in this role that Milkfed and Markfed have been directed to play a larger and an extended role to create demand for agri produce and create and consequently generate employment .Milkfed has successfully provided an alternative to wheat-paddy rotation by ensuring high returns to farmers in dairy business. The procurement of the Milkfed has increased by 30 percent in the last one year. The department facing stiff competition from MNC and private players has given higher price for milk. Lately the department has initiated to increase production and modernize its production techniques.

While Markfed has set into motion a plan to set up a 55 crore Food processing complex in Ludhiana to meet the demand of the modern society for proceed food. For the plant backward Linkages and an innovative scheme of promoting vegetable producing cooperatives in the villages has been initiated. Punjab also produces high quality of rice which is well accepted in international market keeping that in mind the foundation of a state of the art 6TPH rice mill to process basmati, non basmati paddy and pulses will be laid in November 2008.

The Cooperative department in its social commitment has launched an ambitious endeavor to provide cheaper housing to the vulnerable sections of the society.

The Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies are also providing all types of agriculture inputs and services needed by the farmers and other members of society. High cost agriculture implements like tractors, laser levelers, seed grader, and seed driller. Farmers need not borrow for purchasing these implements. Rather they can go for custom hiring. If a society has two tractors for the village; it results in saving at least 20 farmers from debt of purchasing tractors. "we want to turn our cooperatives into optimum service providers". .

The Cooperative Department in its commitment to revive the Cooperative Sugar Industry has planned to set up Co-generation plants in running sugar mills along with modernization on BOOT basis on which approximately Rs 675 crores will be invested by the Public/Private Entrepreneur. For revival of six closed sugar mills and three distilleries a consultant is being appointment who will evaluate the assets and recommend what is the best option for revival of these sugar mills/distilleries. The tender has been already been called and will be opened on 24.10/ 2008.

we can confidently claim credit that Cooperative Department stands committed to ensure efficiency, quick administrative disposal, economic progress, women empowerment and stands committed to a "Prosperous and a Progressive Punjab."

Interestingly, all this is being done with the resources of the Cooperative department without causing any burden on the State exchequer.

NCC ACTIVITIES NEED BE STRENGTHENED-----UPINDERJIT KAUR

Chandigarh: Oct. 23, 2008

Dr. Upinderjit Kaur, Education Minister Punjab said that the NCC activities need to be strengthened in the state so as to create human resource of organized, trained and motivated youth besides building their character morally and physically. She was presiding over the third meeting of the State Advisory Committee meeting of NCC here today. She agreed that the NCC training schedule has been hampered because of the big gap between the demand and the allocation of the funds meant for the NCC activities. She also said that the matter regarding the revised allocation of the budget for state NCC group would be taken up with the chief minister and the Finance Minister Punjab. She has also assured them of providing adequate infrastructure like computers and other related set-up for the unit offices.

Taking part in the deliberations Brig. Rajinder Singh, Deputy Director General NCC Punjab said that at present there were 29 units of NCC managing 562 institutes all over the state. He urged the state government to enhance the budgetary allocations for NCC cadets so that the youth should not suffer because of the financial crunch. He regretted that Punjab was lagging behind the other states in matter of NCC.

Col. KJ Singh Cdr, NCC group and Coordinator for NCC in Punjab gave a detailed presentation of the NCC units and their activities all over the state. He said that 48,000 cadets have been enrolled for imparting training through NCC units.

As far as the NCC complexes were concerned the NCC directorate had asked the state government to construct four NCC housing units at Patiala, Ludhiana, Jullundhar and Amritsar for which each complex required three to four acres of land. The government has asked the deputy commissioners to identify the required land and it was observed that if these complexes came into being then the government could save a huge amount which was being spent on rents annually. It could also give impetus to NCC training besides accelerating co-ordination between NCC units.

Mrs. Anjali Bhawra, Secretary higher education, Mr. Ashok Kumar ADPI Colleges Punjab, besides other senior officers of the education and finance departments, principals of a few government colleges attended the meeting.

RATHER PRETENDING CONCERN, JOIN STRUGGLE TO GET MSP AND BONUS RAISED – MAJITHIA'S POINTER TO AMARINDER

Chandigarh, October 23, 2008

Mr. Bikram Singh Majithia, Patron, Youth Akali Dal today challenged Capt. Amarinder Singh, former Chief Minister to join the struggle of Punjab farmers against Union Government to get MSP of Paddy raised to Rs. 1300 and bonus enhanced to Rs. 300 rather than pretending his hollow concern for farmers, by confessing that MSP for paddy was "admittedly low".

Referring to Amarinder's photo ops flying visits to selected Mandis of the State, the YAD Patron said that this whole drama of fixing MSP of paddy below CCAP's recommended price of Rs. 1000/- and then granting bonus in peanuts to farmers has exposed the ' anti farmers and anti Punjab' face of Congress Party. He said that Union government was bent upon punishing Punjab Farmers for voting out corrupt Congress from the power in Punjab and was deliberately tailoring the policies to push farmers further in debt trap.

Mr. Majithia said that the earlier debt waiver scheme was custom-made to keep majority of Punjab farmers out of it. Now FCI, a Union Government procurement agency that used to procure over 40% of produce, has procured only 1.3% of procured paddy till date, on the express directions of Congress leadership. Now to further penalize Punjab's farmers, the Union government was creating the shortage of DAP to fail the sowing operations.

He said that PPCC President's demand of MSP at Rs. 950/- below the recommended price of Rs. 1000/- has fully exposed the anti farmer face of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee. The YAD Patron said that Rahul Gandhi's fruitless interaction tamasha with Punjabi's without any concrete announcement for Punjab's welfare has further eroded the credibility of Gandhi families in the eyes of Punjabis.

Demanding immediate decision on allowing export of Non- Basmati Rice, Mr. Majithia said that it was double whammy for the Punjab farmers as he was not being allowed to export rice to other countries at remunerative rates.

Mr. Majithia said that Union Government would have to pay a heavy price for ignoring the interests of Punjab farmers who feed the nation as farmers would be forced to switch to cash crops.