Punjab: The week gone by

On the other hand, the Punjab government initiated numerous projects for the welfare of the people.

On the political front, an inquiry was demanded in the auction of sand mines, while ruling party Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) was seen adopting new look.

Monsoon has continued to wreck havoc in the state. Also, cases of honour killings were reported in many cities of Punjab.

Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal meets PM Manmohan Singh
Last week, a meeting between Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was held to discuss about debt management and other pending projects related to the state.

In order to pull out the state from financial crisis, Badal requested Singh to waive-off the complete debt of Punjab either for one time or reschedule the debt for next 30 years or decrease the higher interest rate of loans.

According to Badal, the state is under serious financial crisis due to huge debt and Pay Commission recommendations. The total accumulated debt worth Rs 65,000 crore has been reported due to decade long militancy in the state.

Besides, the net borrowings in current fiscal year amounted to Rs 6,586 crore. Nearly, Rs 5,700 crore is spent annually to repay the loan amount.

Besides the financial crisis, the CM also appealed the PM to channelize river Ghaggar as a National Project in order to save Punjab and its neighboring states from flood crisis.

Projects initiated
Numerous projects were approved by the Punjab chief minister last week.

In order to boost urban development in the state, Badal approved the master plans of Jalandhar, Patiala and Gobindgarh under the Punjab Regional and Town Planning Development Act.

Punjab government also gave thumbs up for Rajpura thermal plant capacity in order to meet the escalating demand of electricity. A MoU was signed between Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (Powercom) and Nabha Power Limited for the expansion of the project.

The CM also sanctioned Rs 63 crore to channelize the Buddha Nallah in Ludhiana district. The project is expected to be completed within three months, covering 44-km long area from Kumkalam village to Walipur Kalan.

‘Project Green’ was initiated by the CM in order to make the state clean and green. He directed all the government, non-government, social and individuals to plant trees and ensure pollution free environment in the state.

Punjab is aiming to plant 1.3 crore trees this year, out of which, 41.15 lakh trees have already been planted.

Apart from this, Badal asked the industry department to ensure proper plantation inside and around the premises of industrial units.

Government introduces e-tendering system
An introduction of e-tendering system in all Nagar Councils and Nagar Panchayats was announced by the Punjab Local Bodies Minister Manoranjan Kalia.

This decision was taken to avoid corruption and bring transparency in the system. Now, all tenders above Rs 10 lakh will be filed online from September, without further taxation charges.

The solid waste management work is also expected to start December this year and end in May 2011.

Political developments
Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee President Mohinder Singh Kaypee demanded a high level judicial inquiry in the auction of sand mines in the state. He alleged that the auction lacked transparencies and monopolization by the ruling parties.

Kaypee said, “Due to monopolization of the sand mines by the contractors owing allegiance to the Akali leaders, the sand prices in the state had multiplied after the coming into power of the Akali Dal-BJP combine in the state and the common man had been hit hard.”

“The Akali leaders had stakes in land mining business which was now under their total control,” he added.

On the other side, the ruling party Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) was seen adopting a new look.

Punjab's young SAD President and Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal portrayed himself as a new role model for the young Akalis when he attended the meeting in a cream color turban in New Delhi.

Sukhbir Badal was accompanied by Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa, son of party's Secretary General Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa MP, who wore a golden color turban.

It has been observed that since last few years, SAD President has been changing his attire from white kurta pajamas to branded t-shirts and jeans. While Punjab CM is still seen donning the blue color turban.

Rains lead to crop loss
Heavy rains in the state, few weeks ago, damaged the last three years piled up wheat that will soon become the cattle’s fodder.

Deemed as unfit for human consumption, this step was taken to put 48,315 tonnes of wheat to some usage. As per the Public Distribution System (PDS), the wheat could have fed 7.1 million people for a month.

The most astonishing part was no scientific methods were used to revive the damaged wheat even after continuous reminders, alleged the Food Corporation of India (FCI).

Besides the wheat and paddy loss last week, the floods also damamged 9200 acres of cotton. Over 3.25 lakh acres of land submerged under water causing a loss worth Rs 480 crore.

Honour killings in Punjab
High intensity of honour killings, termed as murder in legal terms, was reported in many cities of Punjab.

A husband and wife from Hoshiarpur electrocuted their daughter and tried to burn her lover alive. The girl died on the spot but the boy was taken to the hospital, immediately.

Another case was reported at Mahilpur, in Hoshiarpur district, where a girl was murdered by her brother when he found her involvement with some local guys.

A killing also took place in Chamkaur Sahib town in Punjab. A complaint was filed by the students NGO to the Punjab State Human Rights Commission (PSHRC) stating that Shama Shukla, a 25-year-old research scholar at Punjab University, was murdered by her parents, when she went home to meet her parents and talk about her marriage plans.

Shama wanted to marry a boy belonging to other cast. But Shama’s parents alleged that she died of heart attack.