Ludhiana, September 8
Punjab Agriculture University (PAU) will honour three progressive farmers on the occasion of the forthcoming two-day Kisan Mela on September 13.

Kartar Singh Sekhon of Langroya village in Nawanshahar, Balwinder Singh Tikka from Abbul Khurana village in Malout and Meharban Singh from Maholi village in Patiala district will get the awards from Parkash Singh Badal, the Chief Minister.

Sekhon will be awarded the year's Sardar Daleep Singh Memorial award. He is a former member of the PAU's board of management. His work received state recognition for dairy, apiaries, horticulture, floriculture and vegetable production. Tikka has got the award for his exemplary work in horticulture and using drip irrigation system. Meharban Singh will get the coveted Sardar Ujjagar Singh Dhaliwal award for mentionable achievement in vegetable production.

Underlining the importance of re-look agriculture in the state economy, Prof M.S. Kang, the vice-chancellor, in his mela statement, to be issued later, has said, "The growth in food grains is below the growth in the population graph which is jeopardising the food security, agricultural sustainability and economic security of the farmers".

Professor Kang has made a special mention of the deficient power supply in the state, which can have a telling impact on agriculture. "The state is highly deficit in power and its surface and ground water resources have greatly eroded due to overuse resulting from paddy-wheat mono-cropping system. 

Ludhiana, September 8
Preparations have started at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) for the two-day kisan mela from September 13.

Almost 1.25 lakh visitors, including farmers, scientists and agriculturists, are expected to attend this mega event.

Kisan mela, which started in 1967, will enter its 40th year this time. Like every year, variety of seeds and literature related to agriculture will remain the main attraction.

Giving details about the new variety of seeds to be introduced this time, Dr N.S.Malhi, director, extension education, talking to Ludhiana Tribune, said that all new seeds being launched this year, will meet international standards. "We are introducing wheat seeds PBW 550 this year.

Though the seeds will be exhibited but we will not be able to distribute these among farmers. We have just 500-600 quintal of this quality, which is not sufficient to be distributed. The university will multiply the seeds on a large scale this year, which is absolutely disease resistant," said Dr Malhi, adding that three more varieties Raya- RLC I, Gobi Sarson- GSC 6 and Linseed 2063 will be launched at the mela. The farmers can easily get the seedlings of these varieties, said Malhi.

More than 250 stalls of agro-industry, including farm power machinery, irrigation material, insecticides, pesticides, will be put up at the venue. Farmers are expected to come from all over Punjab, besides Haryana, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir etc. There will be guided visits for farmers. Production and protection techniques of kharif and rabi crops will be discussed in detail. The authorities have made arrangements for the stay of farmers at Kairon Kisan Ghar.

Prof Gurbhajan Gill, Editor, Changi Kheti magazine of the PAU, said that university will honour three farmers on this occasion with different awards. Besides, cultural items will be presented on the concluding day. He said that kisan mela has always been an attraction for farmers in all these decades. "The authorities try to come up to the expectations of visitors on this occasion," added Gill.

The mela will be inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Punjab, Parkash Singh Badal, and agriculture minister of Uttar Pradesh, Laxmi Narayan, will be the special guest. The inaugural function will be presided over by Dr M.S. Kang, vice-chancellor of the PAU. 

Doraha, September 8
As per the directions given by the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union, the unit members of Doraha, observed a two-period stay-in strike under the presidentship of Dr Sukhwinder Singh Virk, on the college campus, today.

Members pressed upon the govt for fulfillment of their long pending demands, including the restoration of full grants to colleges, implementation of pension cum gratuity scheme, house rent allowance for teachers of rural colleges, pay-parity for DPE’s and librarians etc.

Further, a three-period strike on Sept 10, four-period strike on Sept 11 will be observed. 21 members shall court arrest themselves in the mass rally to be held at Chandigarh on Sept 12, ensuring the active participation of all office bearers, executive committee members and the delegates from districts such as Ludhiana, Hoshiarpur, Moga, Muktsar and Ferozepur.

The teachers working in colleges affiliated to the Panjab University, Punjabi University and GNDU have been holding rallies for two-periods in front of principal’s office at regular intervals. Again on Sept 19 and Sept 26, teachers from various parts of the state shall court arrest themselves in order to press upon the govt.

While addressing the unit members, Dr Kuldeep Singh, general secretary, Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union, said their has been a positive signal from the finance department and education department, for fulfillment of their demands mainly those dealing with 95 per cent restoration of grants to colleges, lifting ban on posts, lecturer grade to DPE’s and librarians, house rent allowance to rural colleges and above all a thoughtful consideration of the arrears and implementation of pension cum gratuity scheme.

The members also welcomed the appointment, made by UGC, of a special committee headed by Prof G.K. Chadha, member, Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister to suggest revision in the structure, taking into account the minimum qualifications, career advancement opportunities and the total packet of benefits available to teachers in universities and colleges across the country, such as the superannuating benefits, medical and housing facilities.

A massive rally will be organised on October 5, which is going to be celebrated as the World Teacher’s Day. It would be the culmination of courting arrest in support of teachers’ demands on this day.

Ludhiana, September 8
Vishal Khullar, masters in agricultural economics from the Punjab Agricultural University, has been awarded with Rs 2000 and a letter of appreciation for his essay “Welfare Essay for Employees”, as an entry for Citizen’s Audit of the Democratic State, a competition organised by Lokniti, Centre for Study of Developing Societies (CSDS), Delhi. It was decided to make a token award to the most interesting entries from all over the country.

In the “Call for Essays”, Lokniti invited young scholars of the country under 30 years of age to audit the Indian state. The 3Ds i.e. deficits, distortions, dysfunctionalities vis-à-vis the picture of ideal democratic state were to be appraised. Vishal Khullar, in his essay, pinpointed on the Indian democratic structure from the employees’ point of view in relation to the various aspects of job security in both private as well as public sectors. He suggested for guaranteeing three basic amenities viz. food, health and education for the employees belonging to middle and upper middle income groups by the government in lieu of extra taxes charged during their working years for availing these amenities. Further, he suggested introducing the concept of Social Security Number in the country, particularly in regard to these three amenities.

In his essay of more than 3000 words, Vishal Khullar suggested various measures to end the woes of employees belonging to the middle class society in particular, in relation to basic necessities. 

Ludhiana, September 8
Paintings in oil, pastel colours, watercolours of established and up coming Bengali artists are on display at Satluj Club for two days. The artists displaying their works are Sukanta Das, Samik Dey, a degree holder from IIM who quit his job to take up painting.

Poonam Singh, an art dealer and Neelam Singh of Gallery 54 in Chandigarh, have brought these paintings to the city. Both the sisters have organised an exhibition for the first time in the city and are certain that people would have a very positive response.

Neelam Singh said, "People are becoming conscious about how the interiors of their abode looks and even before the house is complete they know which sized painting they would like to put on a wall. Moreover the value of paintings goes up if the upcoming artist gets recognition. "

Poonam said, "If someone finds the price of paintings too steep, they can make payment in installments. Both of them said many Punjabis had asked them to get paintings of the ten Gurus executed in a style chosen by them.