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Roll back of increased price of Diesel, Petroleum, LPG & Kerosene

SHIROMANI AKALI DAL

·       SAD-BJP DELEGATION LED BY PUNJAB CM & DY.CM SUBMITS MEMORANDUM TO PUNJAB GOVERNOR FOR ONWARD TRANSMISSION TO PRESIDENT OF INDIA

·       DEMANDS IMMEDIATE ROLL BACK OF INCREASED PRICES OF

PETROLEUM PRODUCTS

·       GOVERNOR ASSURES BADAL TO SEND MEMORANDUM TO PREZ 

 CHANDIGARH JULY 06:    A high level delegation of SAD-BJP led by the Patron of the Shiromani Akali Dal and Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal along with President SAD & Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal today submitted a memorandum to the Punjab Governor Mr. Shivraj V. Patil for onward transmission to the President of India Smt. Pratibha Devi Singh Patil demanding immediate roll back of increased prices of Petroleum products by the Union government. 

In a detailed memorandum addressed to President of India, Mr. Badal also demanded a high level independent inquiry to expose the corrupt nexus between the concerned Union Ministers and Oil Companies and the guilty must be punished at the earliest.  Besides, a mechanism should be evolved to bring an element of transparency in the working of oil companies and the fixation of oil prices. The delegation also demanded that Union Government should further decrease the heavy excise duty being levied on petroleum products.

            On the occasion, the Chief Minister apprised Mr. Patil that the burning issue of hike of prices of petroleum products by the Congress led UPA Government since it came to power in the year 2004, the prices of Diesel, Petrol, LPG & Kerosene oil were touching the skies. The price of Petrol had increased by Rs. 33.59/litre (it was 36.86 on 1.3.2004 and Rs. 70.45/litre today).  If we have a look at the increase in price of petrol in the last two year only, it comes out to be Rs. 21.42/litre, which was unimaginable. Similarly the diesel prices were at Rs. 21.22 per litre at the time the UPA Government came to power but today, the price is Rs.40.81 per litre, which means an increase of Rs.19.58 per litre which was again unprecedented in the history.            In addition there was unbearable increase in the price of LPG, which had reached up to Rs.408 per cylinder. Even the poor of the country have not been spared. The price of Kerosene oil being used by such families has been increased to Rs.14.64/litre. These figures show that prices have almost doubled during the Congress regime.  Consequently, the price rise of petroleum products would burden the people of Punjab to the tune of Rs. 1300 crore per year.

            The Chief Minister also pointed out that the price rise of the petroleum products had adversely affected every section of the society. But instead of providing relief to the people, the Central Government was compelling the State Governments to reduce the VAT on petroleum products. The State Governments have very limited resources of revenue generation to meet their own responsibilities.  He also mentioned that Punjab was one of the states which had been charging the lowest rates of VAT on Diesel as compared to other states.

The Punjab Governor assured Mr. Badal that he would soon send the memorandum to the President of India for her sympathetic consideration to address this issue at the level of Union Government in the larger public interest.

The memorandum also stated that Indian farmers especially farmers in Punjab are the direct victims of hike in the price of diesel. Punjab farmers have to depend on diesel for a number of agricultural activities such as use of tractors, diesel pump sets, combine harvesters and other agriculture equipments. So any hike in the price of diesel adds to input cost of agriculture production. But the farmers do not get adequate price of his production. Therefore, this will further burden the debt ridden peasantry who are already being forced to commit suicides. Similarly, the transport sector which is already facing severe financial crunch is going to suffer further resulting in increase in bus fares as well as freight rates. Apart from this the recent price hike will further add to the woes of the state industry. They have already suffered a lot due to excise concessions being given to the neighbouring states, increase in prices of steel, furnace oil, mobile oil etc. and the present hike will increase their cost of production.  The rise in the prices of petrol will also adversely affect the common man who is using two-wheeler as a mode of personal conveyance. 

The delegation comprised Mrs. Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Mr. Balwinder Singh Bhunder, Mrs. Paramjit Kaur Gulshan, Mr. Sher Singh Ghubaya and Mr. Avinash Rai Khanna (all MPs) Speaker Punjab Vidhan Sabha Mr. Nirmal Singh Kahlon, former Deputy Speaker Lok Sabha Mr.Charanjit Singh Atwal, Veteran BJP leader Mr. Balramji Das Tandon, President Punjab BJP State Unit Mr. Ashwani Kumar, Mr. Ranjit Singh Brahampura, Dr. Upinderjit Kaur, Mr. Ajit Singh Kohar, Mr. Gulzar Singh Ranike, Mr. Parminder Singh Dhindsa, Mr. Sucha Singh Langah, Mr. Janmejha Singh Sekhon, Prof. Laxmi Kanta Chawla, Mr. Hira Singh Gabria, Mr. Sewa Singh Sekhwan, Capt. Balbir Singh Bath, (all Cabinet Ministers), Mrs. Mohinder Kaur Josh, Mr. Harish Rai Dhanda, Ch. Nand Lal, Mr. Sital Singh, Mr. Jageep Singh Nakai, Mr. Avinash Chander, Mr. Gurtej Singh Ghuriana, Mr. Sukhpal Singh Nannu, Mr.Amarjit Singh Sahi (all Chief Parliamentary Secretaries).

Besides these Mr. Bikram Singh Majithia, Mr. Gurdev Singh  Badal, Jathedar Tota Singh, Mr. Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal, Prof. Prem Singh Chandumajra, Mr. Sikander Singh Maluka, Ch. Swarna Ram and Master Mohan Lal (all former Ministers).  Mr. Amar Pal Singh Bonny, Dr. Dalbir Singh Verka, Mr. Malkiat Singh, Sant Balbir Singh Ghunas, Mrs. Rajwinder Kaur Bhullar, Mr. Didar Singh Bhatti, Mr. Gurbachan Singh Babbehali, Mr. Lakhbir Singh Lodhi Nangal, Mr. Sohan Singh Thandal, Mr. Sarabjit Singh Makkar, Mr. Darshan Singh Shiwalik, Mr. Jagjivan Singh Khirnia, Mr. Jatinder Singh Kariha, Ch. Mohan Lal, Mr. Jasjeet Singh Bunny, Sant Ajit Singh, Mr. Ujjager Singh Badali, Mr. Iqbal Singh Jhunda, Mr. Anil Joshi, Mr. anjit Singh Mianwind and Prof. Virsa Singh Valtoha (all MLAs) also accompanied the delegation.

 NOTE

A copy of the detailed memorandum submitted to the Punjab governor for your kind perusal

SHIROMANI AKALI DAL & BHARTIYA JANTA PARTY

Head Office Shiromani Akali Dal

Building No. 6, Sector 28-B, Madhya Marg Chandigarh

Dated  July 06, 2011

To,

Her Excellency,

Hon’ble President of India.

 Through

 His Excellency,

Governor of Punjab.

Subject :       Roll back of increased price of Diesel, Petroleum, LPG & Kerosene

                        We would like to draw your kind attention to the burning issue of hike of prices of petroleum products by the Congress led UPA Government. From the time this Government came  to power in the year 2004, the prices of Diesel, Petrol, LPG & Kerosene oil are touching the skies. The price of Petrol has increased by Rs. 33.59/litre (it was 36.86 on 1.3.2004 and Rs. 70.45/litre today). If we have a look at the increase in price of petrol in the last two year only, it comes out to be Rs. 21.42/litre, which is unimaginable. Similarly the diesel prices were at Rs. 21.22 per litre at the time the UPA Government came to power but today, the price is Rs.40.81 per litre, which means an increase of Rs.19.58 per litre. This increase is again unprecedented in the history.

                        In addition there is unbearable increase in the price of LPG, which has reached upto Rs.408 per cylinder. Even the poor of the country have not been spared. The price of Kerosene oil being used by such families has been increased to Rs.14.64/litre.

                        The above figures show that prices have almost doubled during the Congress regime. This price rise of petroleum products will burden the people of Punjab to the tune of Rs. 1300 crore per year. The details are as under :--

                        The hike in petroleum products prices has led to an increase in the level of inflation to the double digits. The recent hike in diesel prices will further add 0.30% to the overall inflation. Fuel, power and lighting carry a weight of 14.91% in the wholesale price index. High diesel prices will push up overall inflation as cost of transporting goods will also go up. Higher kerosene & cooking gas price will pinch household budget besides making household products costlier. Rising inflation has burdened the Indian household with an additional Rs. 580,000 crores from 2008-09 to 2010-11 as per survey conducted by a leading research company CRISIL. This is surprising that Central Government’s agencies had defined persons earning Rs. 20 per day as above poverty line. As per UNO survey, about 50 crore Indian citizens earns less than Rs. 60 per day. India occupies 3rd position amongst the poor Nations in South Asia. This reflects on the anti-people economic policies of the Central Congress Government.

                        Even Mr. C. Rangarajan who is Chairman of Prime Minster’s Economic Advisory Council has commented in a leading newspaper (Hindustan Times Dated 28.06.2011) that due to recent hike, inflation could be close to 10% by July 2011.

                        Indian farmers especially farmers in Punjab are the direct victim of hike in the price of diesel. Punjab farmers have to depend on diesel for a number of agricultural activities such as use of tractors, diesel pump sets, combine harvesters and other agriculture equipments. So any hike in the price of diesel adds to input cost of agriculture production. But the farmers do not get adequate price of his production. Therefore, this will further burden the debt ridden peasantry who are already being forced to commit suicide. Similarly, the transport sector which is already facing severe financial crunch is going to suffer further resulting in increase in bus fares as well as freight rates. Apart from this the recent price hike will further add to the woes of the state industry. They have already suffered a lot due to excise concessions being given to the neighbouring states,  increase in prices of steel, furnace oil, mobile oil etc. and the present hike will increase their cost of production.

                        The rise in the prices of petrol will also adversely affect the common man who is using two-wheeler as a mode of personal conveyance.

                        The frequent and steep hike of cooking fuel prices is pinching the  household budget. It has become very difficult for women to run the kitchen, as she fails to manage the domestic budget on account of frequent escalation of cost of LPG cylinder. The poor section of society can’t even afford to buy kerosene for his cooking needs. In the rural areas, the families will be forced to resort to the use of conventional fuel i.e. forest wood and cattle dung etc. This will result in air pollution and will adversely affects the forest wealth.

                        So it is abundantly clear that the price rise of the petroleum products has adversely affected every section of the society. But instead of providing  relief  to the people,  the Central Government is compelling the State Governments to reduce the VAT on petroleum products. The State Governments have very limited resources of revenue generation to meet their own responsibilities. We also want to mention here that Punjab is one of the states which is charging lowest rates of VAT on Diesel as compared to other states. The following figures are worth mentioning:

Rate of VAT in major states

                        We would  also like to bring to your kind notice some very important factors which we feel are responsible for price hike of petroleum products:-

1. Defective Policies of Central Government

                        This price hike of petroleum products is a result of defective and corrupt policies of the Union Government. There seems to be a nexus between the Central Government & oil companies.  These companies are not functioning in the national interest but are operating with an ulterior motive to earn profit and they are manipulating figures to fulfill the nefarious political designs of the ruling congress party. These companies did not declare any price rise in the petroleum products when the elections were due in the States of Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamilnadu & Pondichery. But the moment results for these states were declared, they also immediately raised the prices of petrol & diesel. Similarly the Central Government reduced the prices of petroleum products just before the Lok Sabha election in 2009 and immediately raised the prices of petroleum products again as soon as they came into power. This also shows that instead of public interest, interest of the Congress Party are being watched by these oil companies.

2. Mismanagement & wasteful expenditure by the oil companies

                        It is surprising that inspite of repeated rise in sale price of petroleum products, the oil companies are shown to be suffering huge losses. This reflects on the mismanagement of these oil companies and wasteful and luxurious expenditure being incurred  by the oil companies. Instead of improving the functioning of these Oil Companies and keeping a check on their wasteful expenditure, the Central Government is resorting to frequent price hike of petroleum products to give undue benefits to the companies.

3. Nexus between oil companies & Union Ministers

                        Corruption & Scams are playing a major role in the game of hike in prices of petroleum products. The draft report of CAG has exposed that the Central Government allowed Reliance Industries & other private operators to hike the capital cost of KG Basin Gas Contract. As per the report, RIL sold per unit gas at a price of Rs. 4.20 whereas government companies were selling the same for just Rs. 1.20 per unit. CBI is also probing this matter to assess the quantum of loss as a result of undue favour extended to RIL & ONGC. The capital cost in KG Basin D-6 Block increased from $2.4 billion to $8.5 billion in two phases. The same pattern was witnessed in the allotment of contract in other gas and oil fields also involving Reliance, Cairn Energy & others. These companies submitted lower capital cost to bag the contract and then in connivance with DGH & Petroleum Ministry, enhanced the capital cost. The CAG report has exposed the murky wheeling-dealing behind the KG Basin Gas Contract. It proves the connivance of Union Ministers with oil companies to allow the “Loot” of national assets.

                        In view of all above factors and in the interest of the common man, we demand that :-

1.                  Union Government should immediately roll back the increased prices of petroleum products.

2.                  A high level independent inquiry should be conducted to expose the corrupt nexus between the concerned Union Ministers and Oil Companies & the guilty must be punished at the earliest.

3.                  A mechanism should be evolved to bring an element of transparency in the working of oil companies and the fixation of oil prices.

4.                  The Union Government should further decrease the heavy excise duty being levied on petroleum products.

                  Through your good offices, we want to convey to the Union Government the hardships being faced by the citizens of India due to this back-breaking burden of hiked prices of petroleum products. We hope that good sense will prevail on the Central Government & they would realize their moral and constitutional duty towards suffering citizens of India

     With regards,

Yours Sincerely,

MPs, MLAs AND SENIOR LEADERS OF

 SHIROMANI AKALI DAL &

BHARTIYA JANTA PARTY,

PUNJAB.

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 RS. 3700 CRORES INVESTMENT ON STRENGTHENING POWER INFRASTRUCTURE SHOWING ITS RESULTS -SUKHBIR

• EACH CONSTITUENCY TO GET RS. 10 CRORES FOR DEVELOPMENT
• LET PUNJAB'S SHARE IN CENTRAL TAXES BE RAISED FROM 1.31% TO 10%, WE ARE READY TO WITHDRAW ALL TAXES FROM PETROL

Samadh Bhai (Moga) , June 6:  Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal  today said that massive investment of Rs. 3700 crores in strengthening Power infrastructure was showing its positive results as all urban and rural areas were getting 24 hours uninterrupted power supply.

            Talking to Media persons at the helipad before Sangat Darshan here today, Mr. Badal said that SAD-BJP government from day one focused on power generation sectors besides strengthening power distribution network. He said that besides the attracting investment of Rs. 90,000 crores in power generation sector, the government spent Rs. 3700 crores on power distribution network. He said that as a part of massive programme over 107  66 KV sub station and 43  132  KV sub station were constructed through out the state to ensure that all citizens get 24 hours power supply without any load shedding.

            When asked about the development initiatives Mr. Badal said that all development projects initiated by SAD-BJP government have started fructifying, leaving Congress Party perplexed. He said that now focus was to strengthen civic amenities in all cities and villages and Punjab government would spent at least Rs, 10 crores  in each constituency.

            Mr. Badal said that all major cities and towns of the state were being connected to 4/6 lane roads to ensure efficient movement of traffic for the convenience of general public. He informed that SAD BJP government has accorded top priority to the infrastructure, education, power besides administrative reforms. He said that the record construction of 33 RoBs / RuBs, recruitment of 70000 teachers, setting up of five Thermal Plants besides path breaking administrative reforms in police as well as civil departments were the major achievements of our government.

            Lashing at Congress led UPA government for crushing the common masses under hefty price hike of petroleum products, Mr. Badal said that all leaders of SAD-BJP today submitted the memorandum to Punjab Governor Mr. Shivraj Patil demanding immediate rollback of price hike.  When asked about Center's appeal to state to reduce taxes on Petrol, Mr. Badal said that let Union government raise the share of Punjab in Central taxes from existing 1.31 % to at least 10% and Punjab government is ready to withdraw all state taxes from the petroleum products.

Later on, the Deputy Chief Minister presided over four Sanagat Darshan Programmes at Tharaj, Samadh Bhai , Nathoke and Nihalsinghwala and disbursed grants to the tune of Rs. 6.50 crore to 42 panchayats of Baghapurana and Nihalsinghwala assembly constituencies.

Prominent amongst others who were present on the occasion included Mr. Sital Singh Dharamkot Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Former Minister Mr. Tota Singh, Mr. Jagtar Singh Rajeana, Mr. Mahesh Inder Singh Nihalsinghwala, Mr. Tirath Singh Mahla and SGPC Member Mr. Gurmail Singh Sangatpura.

PUNJAB DOUBLES THE ALLOWANCE OF DRIVERS

Chandigarh, July 6:  

The Punjab government has decided to revise special Pay/Special Allowance to the drivers working in the Departments/Offices other them Secretariat Offices.         

According to an official spokesman the departments have been asked to identified that such drivers working in the departments/offices and other than Secretariat Offices, who were working after working hours, holidays and Sundays.  The Allowance of such drivers have been revised from Rs. 300/- to 700/- from 5-9-2008 and from Rs. 700 to 1400 from 1-10-2010.  The special allowance is not to be paid to the Drivers who have retired before 5-9-2008 or expired or not in services from any other reason. The staff car drivers posted in projects where Project Allowance is admissible would not be granted this allowance.

STOP HARYANA FROM GOING AHEAD WITH PROPOSED TOE WALL ALONG WITH HANSI-BUTANA CANAL - BADAL WRITES TO PM

ASKS PM TO SEND A CENTRAL TEAM TO ACCESS THE GROUND SITUATION

CHANDIGARH JULY 06:

            Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today sought the personal intervention of Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to impress upon the Haryana government to stop its unilateral action of going ahead with the proposed toe wall and other measures which could cause tragedy of epic proportion in the state. 

            In a communiqué addressed to Prime Minister, Mr. Badal urged Dr. Singh to depute a team of senior Central government officials to visit and access the ground situation so that he could be well apprised about the true facts of the case. 

The Chief Minster referred to an urgent matter endangering and affecting the health and safety of a large number of the inhabitants of Punjab which has been threatened as a result of unilateral action of the state of Haryana by constructing Hansi Branch-Butana Branch Multipurpose Link Channel (MPLC) in April, 2005.  The said canal has been constructed without any technical studies on the aspect of blockade of sheet flow of flood waters caused by the construction of its high embankments leading to submergence of agricultural land and abadies of Patiala district. 

            The Chief Minister also informed that the Punjab state had filed original suit under Article 131 of the Constitutions before the Supreme Court and a order was passed on August 17, 2007 restraining the state of Haryana from rupturing the Bhakra Main Line Canal and consequently the canal could not be made operational.  The suit was still pending in the supreme Court.   It was further stated in the letter that the apprehension of the state of Punjab unfortunately proved to be correct in the years 2008, 2009 and 2010, when suffering was caused to the people of Punjab due to submergence of its areas by blockade of sheet flow of flood waters by the said MPLC. 

            Mr. Badal also apprised the Prime Minister that during floods of July 2010, there was huge accumulation of flood waters due to synchronization of flood discharges in River Ghaggar and its tributaries and the high embankment of Hansi-Butana Canal prevented the free flow of these flood waters.  There being hardly any escape route for the accumulated water, nature took its course and the embankment breached at RD 53000 of the Hansi-Butana Canal.  This breach provided relief to the people on upstream of the left bank of the canal who were under extreme stress due to submergence of habitations/fields.  

            The Chief Minister also pointed out that Haryana state now intends providing a concrete toe wall/concrete lining on the outer slope of the left embankment of the canal in a length of about 3.50 KM.  These measures will hinder the flow of flood water leading to a submergence of hundred of villages.  Tens of thousands of farmers and their families would be uprooted.  Unprecedented loss of human lives, cattle, destruction of property would lead to extremely serious law and order problem. 

CM ASKS IRRIGATION DEPARTMENT TO INITIATE GROUND WATER RECHARGING PLAN IMMEDIATELY

CHANDIGARH JULY 6:

            Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today directed the Irrigation department to promptly initiate its ground water recharging plan at war footing in 77 identified sites in the low lying and water logged areas across the state to save the life and property from the substantial damage caused to the farmers due to menace of water logging.

A decision to this effect was taken by Mr. Badal in a meeting with the senior officers of the drainage wing of the Irrigation department at the Chief Minister’s residence this morning.

Showing deep concern over the slow pace of drainage cleaning process, Mr. Badal warned that no laxity in the anti-water logging works would be tolerated at any level.  He also approved Rs. 3 crore for the execution of these works and directed Principal Secretary Irrigation to accomplish the entire task within two weeks.

Prominent amongst others who were present in the meeting including Irrigation Minister Mr. Janmeja Singh Sekhon, General Secretary SAD Prof. Prem Singh Chandumajra, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Mr. DS Guru, Principal Secretary Irrigation Mr. G. Vajralingam, Chief Engineer Drainage Mr. Vinod Chaudhary and Member Secretary PPCB Mr. Babu Ram  besides senior officers of Irrigation department.

…

CM APPROVES DESIGNS OF KHANDAS FOR THREE UP COMING SIKH MEMORIALS

 CHANDIGARH JULY 6:

Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today approved the designs of Khandas in consultation with eminent Sikh scholars and historians for the three upcoming Sikh Memorials dedicated to the great Sikh Warrior Baba Banda Singh Bahadur’s first victory over the Mugals at Chapperchiri (Mohali) besides two memorials as a befitting tribute to the Sikh martyrs of Wadda & Chhota Ghallugharas (Holocausts) in Sangrur and Gurdaspur districts.

Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office said that a decision to this effect was taken by Mr. Badal while presiding over a high level meeting here at Chief Minister's residence. It was informed in the meeting that the work at all the three sites was in full swing and would be completed by this mid October.  All the statues including that of Baba Banda Singh Ji Bahadur and his other co-warriors to be installed at Chapperchiri Memorial had been carved under the supervision of Sikh historians.

The Chief Minister also gave approval to introduce a unique concept of Immersive Show of 15 minutes first of its kind in India with 360 degree Doom Projection for Chapperchiri Memorial. It may be recalled here that City of Dreams - Macou has one such show based on this modern technique. Besides Mr. Badal also approved to make a documentary film on the life of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur under the direction of Mr. Harjit Singh Ricky by the Cine Vision Films.

Prominent amongst others who were present in the meeting included Tourism & Cultural Affairs Minister Mr. Hira Singh Gabria, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Mr. DS Guru, Special Secretary to the Chief Minister Mr. KJS Cheema, Technical Advisor to Chief Minister Maj. Gen. (Retd.) BS Dhaliwal, Secretary Tourism & Cultural Affairs Mr. Hussan Lal, Vice-Chancellor Punjabi University Dr. Jaspal Singh, Sikh Historian Prof. Kirpal Singh, Prof. JS Grewal and Prof Indu Banga.    …

SCHEDULE FOR PHYSICAL TRIALS FOR RECRUITMENT OF

ASSISTANT INTELLIGENCE OFFICER S ANNOUNCED

Chandigarh , July 6: The Punjab police has announced the schedule for physical trials for recruitment of 50 Assistant Intelligence Officers ( male & female) from  July 14 to 21 .

Disclosing this here today a spokesman of Punjab police said that these trials would be held simultaneously at PAP, Jalandhar and Police lines , Ropar . He added that trials for district wise male candidates at PAP, Jalandhar would be held as per program i.e Jalandhar & Kapurthala on July 14, Hoshiarpur & Moga on July 15, Ludhiana on July 16, Amritsar & Barnala on July 18, Bathinda & Faridkot on July 19, Ferozepur on July 20, Gurdaspur on July 21 and Muktsar & Tarn Taran on july 22.

Similarly, physical trials for male candidates belonging to remaining  districts and Chandigarh would be held  Police lines, Ropar as per program i.e. Chandigarh, Fatehgarh Sahib & SBS Nagar on July 14, Mansa & others on July 15, Patiala on July 16, Roopnagar & SAS nagar on July 18 and  Sangrur on July 19.

The spokesman further said that physical trials of female candidates would be held district wise  at Police Lines, Ropar as per program i.e. Amritsar, Ferozepur, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Patiala  & Tarn Taran on July 20  and  Mohali, Sangrur, Barnala, Bathinda, Chandigarh, Faridkot, Fatehgarh Sahib, Ropar, Mansa, Moga, Muktsar, SBS Nagar & others on July 21.

PAP, Jalandhar (Male)

Police Line, Ropar (Male)

Police Line, Ropar (Female)

48 POSTS OF STAFF FOR PPSC ALREADY SANCTIONED

Chandigarh, June 6:   The Punjab government has sanctioned over 48 posts for strengthening the establishment  of Punjab Public Service Commission over two and half months back and recruitment process was on to  fill these posts.

            A spokesman of Punjab government today denied the assertion of Punjab Public Service Commission that it was not providing Commission Human Resource and logistic support to carry out the process of recruitment of PCS officers. He said that Punjab government was providing complete support to PPSC and has even created 20 new posts and restored 15 besides and allowed PPSC to fill 13 posts through outsourcing process in the month of May.

The spokesman clarified that the on request of PPSC , the government has created 20 posts including those of  OSD, Superintendents, Stenographers, Clerks, Accountants, System Analysts, programmers and network Engineers. Besides this the posts of Under Secretary, Superintendent and clerks have been restored. He said that Commission has been allowed to fill 13 posts of Drivers, Sweepers, Peons and Jamadaar through the process of outsourcing.

            The spokesman said that the Punjab government had been requesting PPSC to conclude the process of PCS officers and other vacant posts as the earliest.

RAID CONDUCTS ON CHEMIST SHOPS OPPOSITE NIS PATIALA

1. ·         Banned steroid recover from three shops
2. ·         Gosian orders cancellation of licenses and registration of criminal cases against guilty

Chandigarh, July 6: 

The Punjab Health Department today swooped down on chemist shops near National Institute of Sports (NIS) Patiala and found three shops selling banned steroids without prescription. The raids were ordered by Punjab Health Minister Mr. Satpal Gosian after the reports of these shops selling steroids to the players getting training in NIS. It may be mentioned that eight national athletes who got training in NIS failed in doping test.

The raids were conducted on 11 shops and steroids were found in three shops where as records of other shops was not found in order. The Minister has ordered the immediate cancellation license of erring shops and registration of criminal case against them. The Minister said that Punjab Government was determined to act strongly against the miscreants.

The official spokesman said that the Health Minister today took a serious note on the issue of selling banned steroids at some chemist shops in Patiala. He said that the Health Minister ordered the Civil Surgeon Patiala to conduct raids at the chemist shops in the city. Civil Surgeon constituted teams of drug inspectors which swooped down the medical stores located especially in the surrounding area of NIS Patiala.

PUNJAB STARTS NEW VOCATIONAL COURSES FOR THE RESCUED CHILD LABOUR

Chandigarh, July 6:   Punjab Government today took a novel initiative to rehabilitate rescued child labour  by  ensuring their education in the special schools run by the Labour Department and has introduce new vocational courses for them. It may be added that last fortnight Punjab Labour Department rescued over 667 Child labourers engaged by various industries as a part of special campaign launched by the department.

          Disclosing this here today Mr. Arunesh Shakir, Labour Minister  said that Labour department has introduce the courses of Cutting, Tailoring, Flower Making, Painting,  Cooking etc.  in the special schools, so  as to enable them to stand on their feet after completing their education. He said that the department was running 87 schools in Ludhiana, Amritsar and Jalandhar where 4318 students were getting education upto 5th standard.  He said that each student besides free education was getting  free meal, free books, stationeries besides a cash stipend of Rs. 150 per month.  

VAT REFUND TO SSI UNITS WITHIN THREE MONTHS -TIKSHAN SUD

Chandigarh, July 6:  The Punjab government has decided to ensure VAT refund for all Small Scale Industrial Units within three months.

         Presiding over the meeting of Small Scale Industrial Development Board here today Mr. Tikshan Sud, Industry Minister said that Punjab Chief Minister had already issued directions this regard. Local Government, Industries & Commerce Minister further informed that rupees 25 crore would be spent within next four months for the development of infrastructure in all the focal points in the State. The Minister said that  it has been decided that the industry will be allowed to pay additional security demanded by the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited, in six installments after due approval from the competent authority.  He said that It has also been decided that PSPCL will streamline its procedure and make technical arrangement for centralizing of monitoring the consumption within six months so as to avoid the inspections of the industry by the PSPCL Officials where electronic meters have been installed. Chairman-cum- Managing Director, PSPCL informed that to solve the problem of industry regarding repair and maintenance work, recruitment on contract basis in some zones has already been permitted.

        He said that in order to resolve the demand raised by the Industry that NOC may not be asked from the Town Planner for Site approval in case of units located in the Industrial Areas within the approved master plan, a departmental Committee consisting of 2 members of industry and 2 members from departments has been constituted.

        It was also decided in the meeting that the renewal of Drug Mfg, License applications will be decided within two weeks. Permission for addition of items in the Drug License for export items will be granted within three days and for other items within a week. If permission is not granted within the prescribed period then it will be assumed that deemed permission has been granted. Health Department is introducing on-line system for such approvals which will be operational within one month.

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 FROM:

(Manpreet Singh Badal)

   To

                     His Excellency, Governor of the Punjab,  Chandigarh.

                      Dated Chandigarh, the 6th July, 2011.

Subject :    Memorandum against the persecution, vendetta and Victimization unleashed by the Government of Punjab against the People’s Party of Punjab.

 Your Excellency,

                     Through this memorandum, we place before your honour a recital of the continuing tragic excesses that are being perpetrated on the People’s Party of Punjab, in the hope that the highest office in the State, through which Your Excellency exercises constitutional powers as Head of State, will look into the tragic, unfortunate and verifiable incidents, that have endangered good governance in Punjab and take immediate steps to restore the democratic process.

2.                  Before approaching Your Excellency, we had written to the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, the Chief Secretary and the DGP of the State apprising them of the unjust treatment being meted out to us. We have repeatedly made requests to all these people to bring an end to miseries being perpetuated against us. However, nothing happened. Rather, this bullying has intensified. We have also brought this issue to public and the government’s notice through media as well. Recently, we also wrote to the Human Rights Commission.  But, unfortunately, our persecution continues unabated. Hence, we have been left with no other option but to approach Your Excellency through this Memorandum.

3.                  The Director General of Police and Chief of the Vigilance Bureau have been registering false cases  against my political associates and colleagues, well-wishers, family members and personal staff, pursuing vendetta politics against the People’s Party of Punjab and its workers with the sole object of isolating and denigrating me, publicly, and to pulverize the justifiable noble aspirations of the People’s Party of Punjab formed to save the State from cataclysmic disaster and the rule of the jungle, unleashed by the Deputy Chief Minister and his coterie created by the now helpless Chief Minister of Punjab, unmindful of the fact that fair play in the political arena is the sustaining oxygen of democracy.  

4.                  As Your Excellency is aware, eight and half months ago, I resigned from the office of the Finance Minister, Punjab, in the present Government led by Mr. Parkash Singh Badal, on issues concerning good governance, as I found that the State Government’s finances were teetering on the brink of a frightening chasm owing to the thoughtless, extravagant, avoidable expenditure and with a rapidly mounting debt trap that had become a galloping cancer in the body politic of Punjab.

5.                        Ever since I demitted charge as Finance Minister to form a political party, a series of atrocities have been orchestrated by the present political dispensation and its stooges in the Shiromani Akali Dal to pulverize my supporters who have been arrested in a series of false cases fabricated against them; dozens of prominent persons have been arrested, others are languishing in jails all over the State, and my party has been denied the basic right of free expression and peaceful gathering in public places and even in Gurdwaras in violation of the Constitution of India which is totally tangential to the tenets of the Sikh faith, indeed all religious thoughts and morality.

6.                        Numberless false cases have been registered against my party workers only to curb their right to associate with a political party of their choice.

7.                  Illustratively, several cases have been registered against my OSD, Charanjit Singh Brar, while the another OSD Jagtar Singh has also been booked by the Police.  False cases have been registered against Satinderjit Singh Manta, P.A. to my father S. Gurdas Singh Badal, while non-bailable sections of the SC& ST Act have been invoked to arrest sarpanches and party workers, supporting the People’s Party of Punjab. Therefore, on behalf of the PPP and in the interest of democracy in the State we demand that the guilty police officials be prosecuted forthwith, transferred and punished to ensure fair policing in the present and in the run up to the Assembly elections.

8.                        Who would know better than Your Excellency, who has had a long, illustrious career and has served the nation with distinction as Home Minister of India and as a Presiding Officer of our Lok Sabha, that officers of the IPS cadre, once they are appointed and step into the police uniform adorned by the badges of democracy, take an oath to abide by and protect the Constitution of India?

9.                  Today, in Punjab, these senior IPS officers have been converted into hired lackeys of Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal, a self-styled Deputy Chief Minister, who has assumed charge by subverting the democratic process and the functioning of good governance by using the carrot and stick method with IPS and IAS Officers.

10.                     Your Excellency, it is unimaginable that the State Director General of Police, who has been specially implanted from Jammu & Kashmir on deputation, superseding the rightful promotional prospects of serving DGPs’ of the Punjab Cadre, so that Sukhbir Singh Badal could continuously dangle the Damocles’ sword over his head, is now being given a seat by the SAD to fight elections to the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, supported by the police force that he is supposed to discipline and superintend and whose neutral official functioning he is duty bound to ensure. The state DGP has become a stakeholder in subverting the sacred democratic process with all the force and weaponry, at his command.

11.                     Likewise, the State Chief Secretary has been assured a plum constitutional post while another senior bureaucrat has been promised the chairmanship of the Punjab Right to Service Commission likely to be established soon. It is unimaginable that these officials can act in an impartial manner.

12.                     Your Excellency may agree with me that such Officers or such a Director General of Police, cannot permit free and fair elections to be held to the Assembly.

13.                It is immediately necessary to ban, through an executive fiat, any post retirement appointment of the incumbent Secretaries. The DGP should immediately be repatriated to his parent cadre of Jammu and Kashmir as he, in any case, is a deputationist without any right to be posted in the Punjab IPS cadre.

 14.               Mr. Sukhbir Badal has made the Government subservient to his political designs to hold on to power in the State, and apart from serving as mindless supporters of the present governmental machinery, the officers are encouraging unimaginable corruption to fill up the coffers of the SAD.

15.                     Your Excellency, Punjab has been desecrated and laid waste by a band of locusts led by Mr. Sukhbir Badal.  There is no law and order in the State, no accountability, and the prosperity and peace of a settled society has been ruthlessly turned on its head.

16.                     Your Excellency, the People’s Party of Punjab has given the clarion call for economic freedom and social justice, for education and health cover, for a society that is free and just where the steeply uneven levels of economic disparity are ironed out.  We appeal to Your Excellency through this memorandum to invoke Your Excellency’s constitutional powers under the Constitution of India, to rein in the Government in power and to ensure that all false cases registered against the People’s Party of Punjab are withdrawn immediately and to stop all false cases that are in the pipeline to book our workers, from being registered or pursued.

17.                     Your Excellency’s timely intervention will allow the people of the State of Punjab and its democratic process a fresh lease of life.

                                                  Thanking you, Your Excellency,

                                                                                                                             Yours Sincerely,

                                                                                                  (Manpreet Singh Badal)

                                                                                                           President