Ludhiana bags development projects worth Rs 1120 crore

Even Punj Lloyd won five solar power projects from Punjab government.

In the educational sector, the foundation stone for second Indian School of Business in India was laid in Mohali. The institute will commence its activities from April, 2012,

Also, Bharatiya Kisan Union (Rajewal group) held rally for four consecutive days at the Chandigarh-Mohali border.

Ludhiana, Manchester of Asia gets special focus
Ludhiana has been very lucky recently. International Finance Corporation (IFC) rated the city the ‘best to do business in India’.

Besides, Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal unveiled a package, including eight new developmental projects worth Rs 1,120 crore for Ludhiana, in order to accelerate the developments in the city.

He also announced a four-laning project of the Ludhiana-Moga-Talwandi Bhai road which will be completed by March 2011.

The deputy CM even launched the first police web-portal for the city, where the residents can register their complaints online.

Apart from this, Sukhbir inaugurated the Jagraon Railway over bridge on Jagraon – Raikot – Barnala road and laid the foundation stone of eight-laning road along Sidhwan canal touching Ferozepure road (40 crore), pedestrian under passes near Agar Nagar and Administrative complex (Rs 7.80 crore), covering of ganda nala and beautification of road (28 crore), and construction of road in alignment with budhan nala to provide another bypass for the city (Rs 30 crore).

While addressing the public during the event, Sukhbir Badal revealed that the Akali-BJP government had set a record by completing 15 RoBs worth Rs 300 crore in the last two years, and was set to complete another 13 in the next 18 months.

He also assured 15 similar projects that are lined up for next financial year. A package worth Rs 2,500 crore for improvement in civic amenities in urban areas will also be announced soon.

Punj Lloyd wins 5 solar power contracts
Punj Lloyd Group, the global engineering, procurement and construction conglomerate, has won five prestigious solar power contracts from Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA) on turnkey Engineer Procure Construct (EPC) basis.

The solar power plants will be set up in five locations in Punjab that includes Golden Temple in Amritsar, Durgiana Mandir in Amritsar, and Punjab State Assembly, Punjab Raj Bhawan, and Punjab Civil Secretariat in Chandigarh.

The project demands designing, supply, erection, testing, and commissioning of solar power plants including operation and maintenance for the next ten years at all locations.

The projects are scheduled to be executed over a period of six months.

Dr Tariq Alam, chief executive officer, Punj Lloyd Delta Renewable, said, “We have won some prestigious solar power projects from the Delhi, Bihar and Punjab Governments within a very short span of time. These wins provide the foundation for us to become a dominant global force in the renewable energy sector.”

Punjab CM approves integrated agri-business pilot project
Punjab CM approved an innovative integrated agri-business pilot project in order to solve the water-logging and soil salinity in the Malwa region.

The project worth Rs 82 crore will be augmented by M/s. Nasa Agro Industries Ltd., at Sajrana in Ferozepur district, through M/s. SAMPURAN Agri Ventures Pvt. Ltd. in which M/s. Kirloskar Integrated Technology Ltd. and Punjab Agro-Industries Corporation (PAIC) will be the stakeholders.

The project includes development of fish farms on waste lands and setting up of biogas plants based on paddy straw and Centre of Excellence for the standardization of food processing technologies.

M/s. DHV of Netherlands will be providing the technology for desalination of water. The representative of M/s. DHV – Ashish Katoch disclosed that the proposed technology has been operational for last 25 years in Netherlands.

Foundation stone for second Indian School of Business laid in Mohali
The foundation stone of second Indian School of Business (ISB), one of the most prestigious management institutes, in India was laid in Mohali, near Chandigarh by honorable Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

Set up in 70 acres of land provided by Punjab government, the institute will be a combination of four institutes, Max India Institute of Healthcare Management, Bharti Institute of Public Policy, BML Munjal Hero Honda Institute of Manufacturing Excellence and Innovation, and Punj Lloyd Institute of Physical Infrastructure Management.

The admission procedures in ISB will commence from April 2012 and the construction of the institute will begin this month.

The ISB has been set up in sector 80, Mohali and the institute will enroll more than 200 students in its new session.

BCCI holds selling of stake by Kings XI Punjab
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) stopped the sale of 93 percent stake in Kings XI Punjab until Indian Premiere League (IPL) Commissioner Lalit Modi probe ends.

The IPL commissioner was suspended, alleging misappropriation of funds during the matches.

Reportedly, the four owners of the team, Bollywood actress Preity Zinta, Bombay Dyeing's Ness Wadia, Dabur's Mohit Burman and Apeejay Surendra Group's Karan Paul, are looking for an association to sell IPL stakes.

Apparently, the four co-partners of the Kings XI Punjab had originally bought the team for US$ 76 million in 2008, and currently, the net worth of the team is US$ 250 million.

BKU farmers hold rally, Badal sympathizes
Over 7,000 farmers of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Rajewal group) held rally for four consecutive days at the Chandigarh-Mohali border.

The BKU farmers urged the Punjab government to increase the productivity bonus on crops, pay out the central package early to farmers and also relieve them from pending electricity bills.

Though the farmers wanted to protest in sector 17, the administration imposed Section 144, which doesn't allow more than five or six persons standing at one place across the city, except in sector 25 rally ground.

BKU President Balbir Singh Rajewal stated, “All our talks with the Punjab government and other officials have failed. There is so much corruption in the system due to which poor farmers are suffering for the last many years. We are ready to face all atrocities but we will not change our decision.”

Heavy security was deployed in the state to control the situation and maintain peace, law and order.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal controlled the situation by assuring the farmers early payment of their dues. He admitted that the delay in the disbursement of Rs 800 crore Central drought-relief package and attributed it to the 'procedural technicalities.'

However, after hearing Badal’s comments, Rajewal said, “If the CM is so sympathetic towards farmers, why didn’t he come to us to have direct talks.”

Over 26,000 consumers found guilty for power theft
In a press release, engineer-in-chief PS Gill revealed that the authorities had initiated a drive to end power theft in December 2009 and till now they have inspected more than 200,000 lakh consumers.

Out of 200,000 lakh, over 26,000 consumers were found guilty for power theft. Consequently, the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) imposed fine of Rs 17.41 crore on the defaulters and recovered a whooping amount of 12.30 crore from them.