Tuesday,
September 23, 2003, Chandigarh, India


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R E G I O N
A L B R I E F S |
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PUNJAB |
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AMRITSAR
CRIME RATE: Expressing concern over the increasing crime rate in the state, Ms Laxmi Kanta Chawla, a former BJP MLA, on Sunday said that the incident of looting of Dr Rakesh Bharti at gunpoint had exposed the claims of the state government and the police that crime was under control.RESENTED: The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has objected to the reinstatement of Vice Principal Sri Laxmi Narayan Ayurvedic College facing charges of moral turpitude. DECRIED: The Citizen Forum, an NGO, has decried the alleged ‘vandalism’ of heritage buildings and structures even as the district administration has announced the celebration of a heritage festival in the holy city. JALANDHAR
INAUGURATED: Lieut-Gen S.
Pattabhiraman, GOC, 11 Corps, inaugurated a CSD canteen at Shahkot on Sunday. The canteen would serve ex-servicemen belonging to the Shahkot region comprising the
Shahkot, Malsian, Nakodar areas. The canteen would be run under the aegis of 55 (Independent) Mechanised
Brigade. KHARAR
CAMP: The Ropar District Administration on Thursday organised a block-level camp under the National Programme for Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities at Morinda in association with the Lions Club. The Deputy Commissioner, Ms Seema Jain, inaugurated the camp. The Deputy Commissioner said 10,758 persons with various disabilities had been provided with various facilities, including tri-cycles, wheelchairs, hoaring aids, artificial limbs, calipers, crutches and sewing machines. DEMANDS
ACCEPTED: A deputation of the Punjab Rice Millers Welfare Association met Mr Avtar Henary, Food and Supplies Minister, Punjab, on Wednesday and gave him a memorandum regarding the various problems being faced by the rice millers of the state. According to Mr Sudarshan Verma, senior vice-president, Mr P.S. Ojla, Director, Food and Supply, was also present. The minister accepted most of the demands, including reduction of security amount of state agencies from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 1 lakh, and acceptance of levy rise from October 1, 2003. URGE: The All Department Pensioners Association, Kharar, at its meeting held on Wednesday under the presidentship of Mr Hardip Singh has urged the Punjab government to increase the medical allowance of pensioners from Rs 250 per month to Rs 500 per month. At the meeting, the grievances being faced by the pensioners were also discussed.
LUDHIANA
NOMINATED: Mr H.K. Mittal, Commissioner, Central Excise, has nominated Mr Ashok Juneja, a leading taxation adviser as a member of the Regional Advisory Committee of the Central Excise Department. Mr Juneja, Vice-President of the Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal, is associated with various trade, industrial and social organisations in the city. He said the advisory committee, with Mr Mittal as its chairperson, comprised representatives from trade, different sectors of industry, public sector organisations and export houses.SERVICE
TAX: The Punjab Dry Cleaners and Dyers Association has called for scrapping the service tax, imposed by the Union Government and has asked the local associations and members of the trade to mount pressure on the government at their respective levels to force the government to roll back the decision, which was adversely affecting the trade. Giving this information here on Monday Mr Santokh Singh Ahluwalia, president of the association said the annual conference of the body, held at Phagwara on Sunday, resolved to launch a decisive battle against the ill conceived decision of imposing service tax on dry cleaners. INAUGURATION: Col A.B. Singh (retd) and his wife Harinder have formally inaugurated Hot Millions and Down Under, Hot Million’s twin restaurants. The
restaurants are located in Hotel Mahal on the Ferozepore road. Hot Millions is a self-service restaurant. FELICITATED: Union Minister Sat Narayan Jatia presented a
memento and a shawl to Ms Rajni Jain of Ludhiana, at a function held in Constitution Hall, Bithal Bhai Patel Marg, New Delhi. The Punjab Pradesh Panther Party congratulated Ms Jain for rendering devotional songs at a prestigious venue. NABHA
MEDICAL CAMP: The gram panchayat of Dhingi village on Sunday organised a free multi-speciality medical check up camp. A team of doctors comprising a cardiologist, an ophthalmologist, a dermatologist and a gynaecologist examined more than 500 patients. Medicines and laboratory test facilities were provided free of cost. PATIALA
WELFARE CAMP: A family welfare camp was organised by the Rotary Club in collaboration with the State Bank of Patiala at Rajindra Hospital here on Monday. The Assistant General Manager of the Bank, Mr
A.S. Bhatia, was the chief guest. The president of the Rotary Club, Mr Didar Singh, was also present. ROAD SHOW: Spice Telecom organised a road show to promote its brand here on Monday. The general manager marketing, Mr Swarn Bajaj, spoke on the occasion. Colourful dresses and unique tandem cycles were the highlights of the event. ROPAR
ELECTED: Kin of Congress ministers on Monday bagged key posts in Ropar Central Cooperative Bank. At a meeting of the board of directors of the bank held here, Mr Jagjit Singh Kang, brother of Minister for Animal Husbandry, Sports and Youth Affairs, Punjab, Mr Jagmohan Singh Kang, was elected chairman, while Mr Narinder Sharma, son of Mr Ramesh Dutt Sharma, Minister of State for Grievances, Transport and Cooperatives, was elected managing director. Mr Nachatar Singh Bangu was elected vice-chairman and Mr Bant Singh, Mr Harbans Lal, Mr Ramesh Kumar, Mr Manjit Singh and Mr Gurcharan Singh were elected
directors. SUBSIDY FOR FARMERS: The district administration on Saturday organised a camp to impart training to farmers regarding modern techniques used in farming and information on schemes being offered by the government for rabi crop. While addressing the farmers, the Deputy Commissioner, Ms Seema Jain, said under the diversification programme the farmers of the district would be provided with pulse seeds at subsidised rates. She also urged the farmers to concentrate on quality of produce so that their produce could be sold in the global market. The Joint Director, agriculture, Punjab, Mr Gurdial Singh, said contract farming schemes had evoked a good response in the state. This year, more than 2 lakh hectare area had been brought under contract farming in the state, he added. Subsidy of Rs 1.8 crore would be provided to farmers for buying improved varieties of wheat seeds for the coming season.
SAMRALA
INSPECTION: The Samrala SDM, Mr Jaspal Singh Jaggi, on Monday inspected the office of the Tehsildar Samrala and the Treasury Officer and the Naib Tehsildar, Machhiwara, and found many officials absent from duty. Mr Jaggi warned the officials to be punctual and discharge their duties honestly and efficiently. GRANT
ANNOUNCED: Mr Shamsher Singh Dulo announced a grant of Rs 2 lakh for the development of Hedon village, five km from here on Sunday. He also appealed to residents to plant saplings and keep the village clean on the occasion of van mahotsav celebrations. BUS
SERVICES: Mr O.P. Popli, Managing Director of the Chandigarh Transport undertaking, announced bus services from Chandigarh to Dera Beas via Nawanshahr and from Chandigarh to dera Beas via Samrala on every Sunday at a private function on Sunday. He said more routes from Chandigarh to Ludhiana would be provided shortly.

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