AGRICULTURE

Yesteryear’s ‘Jai Kisan’ gropes for power
Shveta Pathak
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, September 6
Thanks to the inefficiency of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB), a farmer in Mehmoodpura village, Gurmail Singh, was unable to sow paddy this season. Even though he had applied for transfer of electricity connection almost a year ago and even made a payment towards it, the electricity board is yet to do the needful.

Moreover, the delay occurred despite the fact that the transfer was to take within the same division. Not only did it cause Gurmail Singh harassment, he also incurred heavy losses.

“I applied for a transfer of connection from Dhandran village to Mehmoodpura village in October 2006 towards which I paid Rs 500. In May this year, I made a payment of Rs 81,949. They installed poles and wires, but even after three months, the connection has not been released,” said the harassed farmer.

As the paddy season began on June 15, he had thought there would be ample time to get the connection transferred. “Not only that, the transfer was to take place within the Model Town sub-division,” he rued. He says he was unable to sow paddy this season and is also bearing the cost of running a generator. The delay, he claims, has led to a loss of more than Rs 1.5 lakh so far.

In July this year, Gurmail Singh wrote to the chief engineer about his problem. On August 11, he submitted his application at the Sangat Darshan held at Kabir Colony on Pakhowal Road as well, but to no avail.

“My requests have not borne any result. I even told them I was incurring losses due to their undue delay but nothing concrete was done. I am a small farmer and do not have any other electricity connection.” PSEB officials were unavailable for comments.

PAU Notes
PAU financial crisis may hit pensioners
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana September 6
The financial crisis in Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) is likely to have its repercussions on its pensioners. The university may not be able to pay pension to its pensioners after a few months. While the average annual expenditure on pension is about Rs 2.5 crores, the university, as on now, is learnt to be not in a position to spare even Rs 50 lakh for the purpose. To solve this financial crunch, university has asked the government to take over the pensioners or allocate sufficient funds to them.

The pension scheme was implemented in PAU in the year 1992. The employees had a choice to either retain the contributory provident fund (CPF) or pension. But all the employees recruited after 1992 came under one scheme- the pension scheme started by the university.

It is learnt that due to the severe mismatch between the inflow and outflow of income, the university was facing this financial crunch. In the year 2003-4, total deficit was Rs 4.97 crores, which increased to 7.7 crores in 2004-5. Because of no stabilization in pensionary funds, in the current year 2006-7, the deficit amount increased to Rs 11.47 crores.

Major reason for these losses was the decreasing rate of bank interests. Secondly, the number of retirees in PAU was also increasing every year. “Another reason is that government liberalised the pension in 1996. Since the pay scales were revised, the pensions had to be distributed accordingly. We have to adhere to the government rules”, said one of the administrative officers.

The university experts feel that the problem could be sorted out if government took-over the pension fund of the university or the government could introduce monthly grants for the pension.

VC releases video film 
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, September 6
Releasing a set of three booklets and a video film on creating consumer awareness here, PAU vice-chancellor, Dr M.S. Kang said unless consumer was aware, he could not escape being cheated in the market. Dr Kang desired that the film should be screened during forthcoming Kisan Melas as well as on TV.

The film and the booklets have been produced by Dr Neelam Grewal and Dr Surinderjit Kaur of the clothing and textiles department. The funds for the project were provided by the ministry of consumer awareness, goverment of India. 

EDUCATION

Associations condemn lathi charge on teachers

Ludhiana, September 6
The Government School Teachers’ Union, Punjab and Government Primary Teachers’ Association, Punjab strongly condemned yesterday’s incident of police lathicharge on teachers by Akali workers at Kapurthala, here today.

The teachers were manhandled during a function organised to mark Teacher’s Day and education minister and SAD acting president Sukhbir Singh Badal was also present on the occasion.

The representatives of the unions, Charan Singh Sarabha, Jagmel Singh Pakhowal, Parveen Kumar, Saudagar Singh Sarabha, and Sakander Singh Cheema, and Piara Singh Dhillon, Baldev Krishna Moudgil, in separate press notes demanded the regularisation of services and were brutally beaten up. Even the lady teachers were not spared, the alleged.

They added that the teachers throughout the state had protested against the Centre and Punjab government policy of privatization of school education. — OC

Teachers seek resignation of officers

Jagraon, September 6
Accusing involvement of DPI and DEO in various scams, the Punjab School Officers’ Association (PSOA) demanded the transfer of both the officers.

Association’s state president Joginder Singh Aulakh in a press release on Tuesday accused the DEO (school), Mohali, of being involved in a scam under the patronage of Sarvesh Kaushal, principal secretary of school education department and the then DPI.

The association also charged the DPI for managing his promotion to the rank of DEO and then to deputy director.— OC

EQ seminar: Experts discuss problems
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, September 6
The Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts of India (ICFAI) organised a seminar on ‘Emotional Intelligence’, here last evening. The meet, which was attended by around 142 people from various institutions, tried to make people aware of certain basic elements that may keep worries at bay.

Regional manager - North, ICFAI, Vishwas Kshirsagar, who was the speaker of the day, said there was a need to avoid static approach and look at situations or problems dynamically. “Human beings need to focus on relationships and networking in order to be successful,” he added.

Regarding the evolution of human beings and various researches on IQ (intelligence quotient) versus EQ (emotional quotient), he used various examples from the daily life. All the participants appreciated the contents of the presentation. 

SDP college organises heritage competition

Ludhiana, September 6
The home science department of the SDP College for Women organised an inter-class ‘Heritage Competition’ here o Thursday. More than 30 students participated in on-the-spot embroidery and crochet making competition. The participants made and displayed colourful designs and patterns of embroidery. Veena Gian Singh Mann, Surinder Kaur and Neelu adjudged the items.

In phulkari, first prize was given to Khushbu while second prize was given to Aarti. In dasuti, Nandini got the first prize while Bindiya was given second prize. In crochet embroidery, first prize was bagged by Anju.

Principal Geeta Bhandari presided over the function. 

Two-day international seminar on education
Our Correspondent

Mandi Gobindgarh, September 6
The second phase of international seminar on Building World Class educational institutes at Desh Bhagat Institute of Management concluded here last evening. About 100 delegates from India and abroad participated in it.

Dr Zora Singh chairman, Desh Bhagat Group of Institutes and director Shalni Gupta welcomed the chief guest of the valedictory session Tikshan Sood, minister of Medical Education, Forests and Parliamentary Affairs.

Speaking on the occasion the chief guest reminded the audience about the glorious past of our country where students not only from our country but also from abroad come to Nalanda and Patliputara University in India for education. We need introspection, and improve the standard of education to revive the past.

There is no dearth of talent in our country, we should improve our institutions by providing adequate staff and infrastructure, said the chief guest. The state government has given top priority to education and health services, so that professional and educational institutes should come to Punjab and the students of our state need not go to far of places, the minister maintained.

Earlier, in the morning deliberations, Dr R.K. Mittal from Kurukshetra University was the chairman and Prof Singla from Panjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana, as co-chairman of 6th session, presided over this seminar in the auditorium.

David Macland and Urmula Macland from Germany were the chief guest. Dr Surender Vyas, reader Management College, Bikaner, Dr M. Lakshami Narsaiah from Kurnool, Manisha Gupta from PIMT and Anish Goel, MD Nav Durga Steel Industry, Mandi Gobindgarh, Bagher Hesami, Aziz Shallen Ahmed, Pune University, Shriniwas Patil from Bijapur and David Macland from Germany etc. read out their papers on various burning issues such as quality in education, private education to the poor masses, role of foreign trade in economic growth, Inculcation of scientific temperament through education without labs, character building, financial success, globalization of education, rural education etc.

Tejinder Kaur, vice-president Desh Bhagat Group presented cash prizes of rupees 51,000, 31,000 and 21,000 to Shalni Gupta, Professor Kulbhushan Ayurvedic College, and Amar accountant of the institute respectively for their dedication, hard work and sincerity towards the institute.