Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, March 1

The Vajra Corps celebrated its 68th Raising Day today.To mark the occasion Lt-Gen BS Sahrawat, General Officer Commanding, Vajra Corps, laid a wreath and paid homage to martyrs of the Vajra Corps at the Vajra Shaurya Sthal. The ceremony were attended by serving and veteran officers.Vajra Corps was the first Corps raised in the country after the Independence in 1950 by Lt-Gen Kulwant Singh in Ambala.The Vajra Corps Headquarters was relocated to Jalandhar in 1951 and it proved its mettle on the strategic Western Front in various wars and achieved its objectives with elan and vigour.The Corps witnessed some of the fiercest battles in the history during the 1965 War. From the graveyard of Patton Nagar to the ruins of Barki and Dograi, numerous acts of individual and collective bravery, gallant sacrifices and inspiring leadership ensured that Vajra Corps played a pivotal role in shaping the history of the nation.The Vajra Corps is bestowed with the ‘Theatre Honour of Punjab’ and ‘Battle Honours of Sehjra’ and ‘Dera Baba Nanak’ and is proudly identified as the ‘Defenders of Punjab’.

Rana KP Singh elected Speaker amid protests by AAP MLAs

Rana KP Singh after being elected as Speaker for the 15th Punjab Vidhan Sabha on Monday. A Tribune photo

Chandigarh, March 27

Congress MLA Rana Kanwar Pal Singh was on Monday elected unopposed as Speaker of the Punjab Assembly amid a walkout by the members of main opposition Aam Aadmi Party and its ally Lok Insaaf Party.      On the second day of 15th Punjab Vidhan Sabha here, Leader of the House and Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh proposed the name of Rana, Congress MLA from Anandpur Sahib Assembly constituency, for the post of Speaker and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Brahm Mohindra seconded it.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)Amarinder said Rana is connected to people at grassroots level. “He always smiles…works with a calm mind. I have full faith that you will turn out to be a successful Speaker,” the Chief Minister said.As the process to elect Speaker started, members of the AAP and the LIP intervened, demanding a debate on the governor’s address.Leader of Opposition HS Phoolka said a discussion on governor’s address should be held “as per the Constitution”.He was supported by LIP MLA Simrajeet Singh Bains.Rana asked the AAP MLAs to go by the rules and give some time to the new government. Cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu said the Congress was not denying a debate on the governor’s address, but “let the government to start its work first”.At this, the AAP and LIP members raised slogans and trooped out of the Assembly.On being elected as Speaker, Rana (59), a three-time legislator, said: “As the House has reposed faith in me, I am committed to serving the House with dedication as per rules of the Assembly and seeking full cooperation of opposition benches.”Noting that MLAs are criticised often for their un- parliamentary behaviour these days, Rana said “gentleness will make us ornamental to the legislature.”He assured the members of upholding the sanctity and principles of the House and thanked Amarinder Singh, AICC chairperson (Sonia Gandhi) and party vice president (Rahul Gandhi) for reposing faith in him.”Amarinder is a charismatic leader for whom the party is not above the interest of the people of Punjab. It is a huge responsibility that has been given to me by the entire House,” he said. — PTI

What transpired in the House*New seating arrangement in place in Vidhan Sabha

*Congress ministers sit seniority wise in first row of treasury benches

*Three rows for AAP and three rows for SAD-BJP members in opposition benches

*Lok Insaf Party members allowed to sit with AAP MLAs

*Bikram Majithia sits in the second row on the seats reserved for SAD-BJP MLAs

*AAP MLAs and Bains brothers object to not being allowed debate on Governor’s address.

*Speaker asks opposition to give time to govt to function

*Navjot Singh Sidhu defends govt, takes on Bains brothers

*Bains brothers raise slogans against the Speaker

*Capt Amarinder Singh proposes name of Rana KP Singh as Speaker

*Election held amid din by AAP MLAs

*AAP members walk out of the House

*Phoolka says walkout for not giving time for opposition to speak in the Assembly

*SAD-BJP members sit silent in the House

*Sidhu makes sarcastic comments against AAP MLAs

*Capt Amarinder Singh, Ajit Singh Kohar, Brahm Mohindra and Dinesh Babbu congratulate Rana KP Singh for being elected Speaker

*AAP chief whip Sukhpal Khaira says the pre-poll ‘friendship’ between Akalis and Congress continues as Akalis did not object to denial of time to the opposition to speak

*Manpreet Badal says the level of debate in the House has gone down over the years

*AAP walks out of Assembly

*AAP accepts new office given to them in the Vidhan Sabha; HS Phoolka holds first meeting there

Badal, Sukhbir take oath; to oppose proposed CPS bill

Parkash Singh Badal. File photo

Ruchika Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 27

Former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and former deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on Monday took oath as MLAs in the Speaker’s chamber.The two said they would oppose the proposed bill on appointment of Chief Parliamentary Secretaries, if and when it was brought in the House by the Congress government.

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Badal said he had fractured a rib after he slipped and fell and sought Speaker Rana KP’s permission to remain absent from the House for the remaining session. Sukhbir said he would attend the session.

Punjab to pursue cash credit limit issue with Centre, RBI

Cabinet approves supplementary grants, vote-on-account for presentation before Assembly

The Punjab cabinet meeting. PTI file

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 27

The Punjab cabinet on Monday decided to take up the matter of settlement of the legacy accounts regarding the pending Cash Credit Limit (CCL) with the Centre, RBI and SBI, on priority basis.A decision to this effect was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh here.

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The meeting decided to take up the CCL issue with the Centre as well as the Reserve Bank of India and the State Bank of India, in larger public interest and in view of the state’s financial situation.Disclosing this after the meeting, an official spokesperson said the Punjab government, which had inherited a huge debt legacy from the previous Akali government, would actively pursue the issue with the Centre.The Chief Minister last week had met Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitely to seek immediate authorisation and release of the Rs 20,683-crore CCL from the Centre for smooth and timely wheat procurement in the state. The procurement of wheat in the state is slated to begin on April 1.At its meeting, the cabinet also approved supplementary grants for 2016-17 to be presented before the state Assembly during the ongoing session. The cabinet also cleared the proposal for seeking Vote-on-Account for 2017-18 in the Vidhan Sabha.The supplementary grants and Vote-on-Account are scheduled to be presented before the House on March 29.

Punjab nod to draft law officers’ bill for transparency in AG functioning

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 27

As part of the Capt Amarinder Singh government’s administrative reforms agenda, the Punjab Cabinet on Monday approved the introduction of a draft bill to streamline appointments and bring transparency in the functioning of the office of the Advocate General.A Cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, also approved key amendments in the qualifications and experience for the post of the Chairman-cum-Managing Director (CMD) in the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) to strengthen the organisation and make it more effective.The Punjab Law Officers (Engagement) Act, 2017, Bill will be tabled for enactment in the current session of the Vidhan Sabha, an official spokesperson said after the second meeting of the state cabinet, held at the CMO here at the Punjab Civil Secretariat.Giving details of the proposed legislation, the spokesperson said it was aimed at putting in place an efficacious mechanism for the engagement of law officers in the Advocate General’s office purely on merit, as per the directions of the Supreme Court and High Court.The enactment of the legislation will bring in greater transparency, fairness and objectivity in the appointment of senior additional advocate general, additional advocate general, senior deputy advocate general, deputy advocate general, assistant advocate general and advocate on record, the spokesperson added.As per the Cabinet decision, the PSPCL CMD would now be an IAS officer, in the rank of Principal Secretary or above, having experience of working in the power sector.Concurrently, the cabinet has also amended the terms and conditions with respect to qualifications and experience for the said post, adding the streams of civil engineering, electronics and communication engineering, instrumentation engineering and information technology to the existing basic qualifications. In addition, the experience of Central Electricity Authority (CEA) would also be considered for the post of CMD.In another decision, the Cabinet decided to engage the services of Inspector General of Police Khubi Ram (retd) as security adviser to the Chief Minister in the rank of Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), with entitlement to equivalent status, pay, perks, privileges and allowances, as admissible in such case.

PSPCL to see shift of power

IAS officer to replace Chaudhri

A team of the district administration during a raid to check illegal mining in Ropar district. Tribune photo

Arun Sharma

Tribune News Service

Ropar, March 27

Following a crackdown on the mining mafia by the Congress government, the state is witnessing a steep hike in the prices of sand and gravel.Enquiries reveal that due to acute scarcity of these mining minerals, the retail price of sand has shot up from Rs 16 per cubic ft to Rs 26 per cubic ft and that of gravel has gone up from Rs 20 per cubic ft a couple of days ago to Rs 26 per cubic ft.Officials at Nakkian toll plaza near Kiratpur Sahib said nearly 200 tippers overloaded with sand and gravel used to pass from there every day. But after the district police started issuing challans, the number has decreased substantially in the past few days. Yesterday, only 26 tippers crossed the toll.Similarly at Solakhian toll plaza on the Ropar-Kharar road, officials said the number of loaded tippers was between 400 and 450 against nearly 1,000 a few days ago. Tippers coming from Hoshiarpur, Pathankot, Nalagarh, Una, Nangal and Anandpur Sahib, Kiratpur Sahib and Ropar pass through this route.A sand and gravel dealer in Chandigarh said a tipper with 800 cubic ft sand was available for Rs 8,000 in the wholesale market till last week. The price has jumped to Rs 16,000 and still two tippers could reach him at this price, he said.Yogesh Gulati, another dealer of building material, said following strictness by the police and other enforcement agencies, sand from the Sutlej riverbed, considered to be of best quality, was not available in the market.Last week, Ropar Deputy Commissioner Gurneet Tej had formed 23 teams of officials from different departments to check illegal mining and ordered a fresh demarcation of quarries allotted for mining of sand and gravel in the district. Following this, the lifting of material from allotted quarries was suspended.A strict checking by the police has led to impounding of 57 vehicles illegally loaded with sand and gravel. Ropar SSP Nilambari Vijay Jagdale said in the last week, seven FIRs had been registered against people involved in illegal mining.During a meeting with the Deputy Commissioner, the stone crusher owners confessed that they were forced to pay Rs 3,000 for 1,000 cubic ft material as “gunda tax”. They said nakas put up to collect the illegal tax had vanished.

To hamper construction activity

• Due to acute scarcity of mining minerals, the retail price of sand has shot up from Rs 16 per cubic ft toRs26 per cubic ft and that of gravel has gone up fromRs20 per cubic ft toRs26 per cubic ft.

KP Singh elected Speaker

Speaker Rana KP Singh administers oath to former CM Parkash Singh Badal and SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal in the Assembly on Monday. Tribune photo: Manoj Mahajan

Rajmeet Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 27

Three-time Congress MLA from Anandpur Sahib Rana Kanwar Pal Singh (59) was unanimously elected the Speaker of the 15th Punjab Vidhan Sabha today.After Parliamentary Affairs Minister Brahm Mohindra, Rana becomes the second most prominent Hindu face in the party to be elected on an important constitutional post.Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh proposed the name of the lawyer-turned-politician for the post of Speaker. Brahm Mohindra seconded him.As soon as the Chief Minister proposed KP Singh’s name, MLAs of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and its ally — the Lok Insaaf Party — started raising slogans and staged a walkout, demanding a debate on the Governor’s Address scheduled for March 28.Akali-BJP MLAs led by SAD Deputy Leader Ajit Singh Kohar and former minister Bikram Singh Majithia, did not join the AAP-led protest.Former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal were conspicuous by their absence from the House on the second day of the session. They were also absent on the first day on March 24.After KP Singh was elected Speaker, Capt Amarinder, Kohar and BJP MLA Dinesh Singh Babbu congratulated him.Kohar and BJP MLA Som Parkash said KP Singh was aware of the rules of the House. They hoped he would give space to the Opposition during debates.Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal recited Urdu couplets to praise the Speaker. Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu took potshots at AAP’s pre-poll slogan “Kejriwal Kejriwal saara Punjab tere naal”. He gave a new twist to the slogan: “Kejriwal Kejriwal aah ki ho gaye tera naal.”Brahm Mohindra said, “The government has sought time for the debate. It is not denying the Opposition the right to discuss the Governor’s Address. The government is yet to start functioning.”The Chief Minister said, “The government is open to debate on the Governor’s Address. The maiden session is necessarily a short one since the government needs to pass the vote-on-account on March 29.”

Hindu card

• After Parliamentary Affairs Minister Brahm Mohindra, Rana KP Singh becomes the second most prominent Hindu face in the party to be elected on an important constitutional post
• SAD Deputy Leader Ajit Singh Kohar and BJP MLA Som Parkash said KP Singh was aware of the rules of the House. They hoped he would give space to the Opposition during debates

Sidhu special

• Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu took potshots at AAP’s pre-poll slogan “Kejriwal Kejriwal saara Punjab tere naal”. He gave a new twist to the slogan: “Kejriwal Kejriwal aah ki ho gaye tera naal.

HC wants state to appoint nodal officers

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 27

The Punjab and Haryana High Court today directed the States of Punjab and Haryana, along with the Chandigarh Administration, to appoint “nodal officers” to report on all orders passed by the Bench from time to time in a drug menace case.The Bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Sudip Ahluwalia also made it clear that the officers to be appointed were required to be not below the level of Additional Chief Secretary in Punjab and Haryana, and the seniormost secretary in Chandigarh.The Bench also sought details of the steps initiated for the extradition of accused from foreign lands. During the course of hearing, the Bench made it clear that the drug manufacturing units were required to be proceeded against. Till such units were made non-operational, efforts to curb the menace was a mere eyewash, the Bench was of the opinion.The court, in fact, asked the Union Ministry of External Affairs and the Central Bureau of Investigation to furnish details regarding the action taken against those involved in international drug peddling.The pending “court on its own motion” case has its origin in a plea filed by Tarlochan Singh through counsel Navkiran Singh.

Jhaloor land row: 7 farmer outfits on strike, officers stuck in offices

Farmers stage a protest in front of the DC’s office in Sangrur on Monday. Tribune photo

Parvesh Sharma

Tribune News Service

Sangrur, March27

Demanding the arrest of all accused who attacked Dalit Gurdev Kaur in Jhaloor village and Joginder Singh Ugrahan in Kohriya, Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU-Ugrahan) and six other unions today started an indefinite protest in front of DC office here.Protesters have locked all three gates of the complex and many senior officers, including ADC and SDM, are stuck inside.Fearing some mischief to thwart their protest, groups of farmers have been standing guard with staff’s to prevent the of entry stray animals and outsiders inside.“Many months after the death of Gurdev Kaur, out of total 33 accused, only five have been arrested. The accused tried to attack the BKU chief in Kohriya but action has been taken,” alleged Mukesh Malaud, district chief of Zameen Prapati Sangharsh Committee (ZPSC). The participating outfits are BKU Ekta Ugraha, ZPSC, Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union, Kirti Kisan Union, Krantikari Mazdoor Union, BKU Krantikari and Pendu Mazdoor Union.The protesters alleged that Sangrur police was helping the accused, who are roaming free in villages and threatening Dalits to withdraw their complaints in Jhaloor village incident, registered after a clash between landlords and Dalits on October 05, 2016 over the possession of village common land reserved for Dalits. “We have come prepared and would only lift our protest after all the accused are behind bars,” said Joginder Singh Ugrahan, president of the union.Women protesters started preparing food in the evening after creating a temporary oven near the protest site. “We have all the material with us to prepare food for three-four days. Milk too would be supplied in the morning and evenings” said Manjit Kaur, a woman busy in the langar.“I, along with SDM and other officers with staff members are still inside the office and trying to convince protesters to open the gates,” said Poonamdeep Kaur, ADC. SSP Inderbir Singh said that senior police officers were conducting meetings with protesters to resolve the matter.

 

 

 

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 22

India and Russia are having a disagreement over the joint production of Kamov-226T light-utility helicopter that was announced as the first major ‘Make in India’ project some five months ago.The two long-standing military allies are facing hurdles as Russia is yet to give approval for the project. Top sources told The Tribune that pricing of the copter and related technology transfer through a private Indian partner were the two stumbling blocks.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)New Delhi is not satisfied with the price being asked by the Russian side, sources said. The terms of having a private partner were part of the inter-government agreement inked in October 2016 during the Narendra Modi-Vladimir Putin meeting in Goa. It was first announced in December 2015 that Kamov-226T will be copter of choice. The Russians have public sector giant Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) as the Indian partner, but the Ministry of Defence is looking to have private sector Indian investors to share a part of the contract that India has to execute under a joint venture with Moscow.The Indian side will hold 50.5 per cent stake in the joint venture, of which the private sector companies will be strategic partners with HAL. The private partners could be doing various tasks of making the copter at HAL’s Bangalore facility. The HAL will remain the lead integrator of the copter, sources said.The HAL is owned by the Ministry of Defence and has previous experience of making copters. The Indian forces need some 800 light utility helicopters over the next decade, a demand which cannot be fulfilled by the HAL alone. The Indo-Russia joint venture aims to have an annual production capacity of 40-60 helicopters. Under the India-Russia agreement, the Kamov engine will involve a separate partnership. Kamov uses French engine-maker Turbomeca’s power plant. The HAL already has a partnership with the same French company to produce engines for its indigenously developed copter, the advanced light helicopter, called Dhruv. The Kamov 226T is also fitted with Turbomeca engines, but a different variant.The twin-engine Kamov 226T will replace the single-engine Cheetah/Chetak, usually deployed for surveillance, dropping small loads and for rescue, including of troops posted at forbidding heights such as the Siachen Glacier-Saltoro Ridge region.The three services and the Coast Guard currently have 430 Cheetah/Chetaks helicopters. They are based on the 1950s’ designed Alouette Aérospatiale 315B Lama of France.

FAILING TOTAKE-OFF

• 200 Kamov copters are to be produced jointly by Kamov, HAL
• Rs 6,500 cr (or Rs 32 cr per copter) is the cost of the deal
• 800 light-utility helicopters needed over the next decade

Chandigarh, March 21

The Punjab Government today made eight political appointments in the Chief Minister’s office (CMO) that will cost the state exchequer lakhs of rupees every month. At its maiden meeting on Saturday,  the Punjab Cabinet, chaired by Capt Amarinder Singh, had decided on several austerity measures. Capt Amarinder has reposed faith in his old team, with one addition.

His confidant Lt Gen Tajinder Singh Shergill (retd), a former PPSC chairman, becomes Senior Adviser in the rank of Cabinet Minister.

Bharat Inder Singh Chahal, a former media adviser and long-time associate of Captain, has been appointed Adviser in the rank of Minister of State (MoS). He was arrested after the Congress lost to the SAD-BJP alliance in 2007.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

Raveen Thukral, a senior journalist who steered Capt Amarinder’s media campaign in the recent Assembly elections, is Media Adviser in the rank of Minister of State. He formally takes charge tomorrow. Former journalist Vimal Sumbly, who has been with Capt Amarinder for the past nine years, is Secretary (Press).

Capt Sandeep Sandhu, a general secretary in the PPCC,

Major Amardeep Singh

and Karanpal Singh Sekhon, who worked as OSDs to Amarinder Singh prior to his becoming CM, are now Political Secretaries.

 Former IGP Khubi Ram has been appointed Security Adviser in the rank of ADGP in terms of status, pay, perks and privileges. Khubi Ram, a 1984-batch CRPF officer, joined the Punjab Police on deputation in 1991. He was among the top officers to have led the anti-terrorist operations in the state under KPS Gill, then DGP. He was SP (Security) during Capt Amarinder Singh’s term as CM in 2002-2007. He was among the first non-IPS officers to have been promoted as DIG, Punjab. In all, 11 CRPF and BSF officers were absorbed in the Punjab Police under the Absorption of Paramilitary Officers in Punjab Police Rules, 2006.The Punjab Police had withdrawn security to Khubi Ram in September 2015 after he was reportedly seen at Capt  Amarinder Singh’s functions.

CHANDIGARH: The agenda for the first cabinet meeting of the Congress government in Punjab was set by Manpreet Singh Badal, the state’s new finance minister. The estranged nephew of former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, who was once the FM in the SAD-BJP regime, told HT in an interview at his residence in Chandigarh on Saturday that he did not enjoy confidence of Badal, but Amarinder has full faith in his integrity.

How is it different being a Congress finance minister?

It is a much better situation to be in. Captain Amarinder Singh is a better administrator than Parkash Singh Badal. He has clear-cut policies. As an Akali minister, I did not enjoy the confidence of the CM. But Amarinder has full faith in my integrity and I enjoy his trust and backing. Hum mafia ko kaat ke rakh denge; bada se bada gunda bhi sarkar ke samne nahi tik sakta (We will finish off the mafia. No goon is big enough for the government.)

But the Congress manifesto you drafted was same as that of People’s Party of Punjab (that merged into Congress before assembly polls)?

To a large extent, the agenda was the same, such as ending VIP culture. But, in Congress, we undertook a comprehensive exercise to know people’s aspirations. The manifesto committee met everybody, from youth, traders, industry, to farmers. The final screening was done at the level of former prime minister Manmohan Singh.

The manifesto was populist. Didn’t you part ways with the SAD on subsidies?

I left the post of finance minister in the Parkash Singh Badal government not owing to subsidies but the cabinet’s not agreeing to the Rs 35,000crore bailout package being offered to the state by then Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee. It had some conditions and those were fair. But the Akali Dal created propaganda that I was opposed to subsidies. They repeated it so many times that it became part of public memory.

Will you credit your party’s win to populism?

You need to give incentives to industry, farmers and traders to kickstart the economy. Even smartphones to youth is not a populist promise. They would serve as an educational tool for them and help them explore opportunities on internet

You never took a government car. Will other ministers follow? Your father has one from the government.

I can afford to have my own car, so I never took one from the government. But I cannot ask other ministers to do so. As for my father’s car, it was given to him by his brother (former CM Badal).

How much can the state save by ending VIP culture and removing red beacons on cars?

It is all about the symbolism. Not that Mahatma Gandhi could not afford kurtas; his not wearing them was merely symbolic. Why should some people carry red beacons atop their cars? It is used as status symbol; and that has to end.

Mukesh Ranjan

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 17

“Guns don’t kill” India’s paramilitary forces as much as their lifestyle related diseases. This has been revealed in a recent Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) data which says the country lost only 1,067 men in their combat role, where a little over three times (3,611) died due to various ailments including heart attack, the incidences of which were maximum.The new statistics put out by MHA on the seven paramilitary forces (CRPF, BSF, ITBP SSB, CISF, NSG and Assam Rifles) suggest together they lost 1,067 men in combat or counter-insurgency operations over a period of three years and two months beginning 2014. But more than three times (3,611) of that have died due to poor health and illnesses.Recognising this as a growing trend in the force, Director General (DG) BSF KK Sharma, during a recent interaction with media, said he had introduced “30-minute mandatory yoga” in the itinerary of the daily physical training (PT) programme for the entire force.With this alarming trend, sources in the MHA said the ministry had directed all forces under it to “review and reorganise” their medical directorate to ensure jawans get healthy diet and also provide proper counselling on lifestyle disorders.The latest data revealed that heart diseases were the leading cause of deaths in forces, followed by suicides.While BSF jawan Tej Bahadur complained of ill-cooked food and poor-quality ration in videos that created a flutter on social media this year, the findings of the medical directorate review painted a different picture. The consolidated study revealed that food containing high cholesterol and poor lifestyle was taking a toll on soldiers’ health, leading to high blood pressure, heart attack and diabetes.Sources said the ministry had asked the heads of the forces to ensure “samosas” and “jalebis” are replaced in the diet menu for jawans with citrus fruits and salads.

As the new govt in Punjab takes oath today, Chandigarh Tribune speaks to newly elected MLAs from Mohali, Kharar & Dera Bassi to know their priorities

Balbir Sidhu, Mohali MLA

Akash Ghai

Tribune News Service

Mohali, March 15

For Balbir Sidhu, three-time winner in a row in the Assembly elections, no issue in the town is new.“I am familiar with all issues here. With a Congress government in the saddle in the state, I will keep all my promises,” said Sidhu. Among the main issues on the priority list of the new MLA from Mohali are revamp of the industry, implementation of a need-based policy, upgrading the Mohali Civil Hospital to the level of Government Mulit-Specialty Hospital in Sector 16, Chandigarh, construction of a girls college and Kendriya Vidyalaya, effective steps to regulate traffic at the Landran T-point, abolishing property tax and restarting bus operations at the Phase VIII bus stand.Sidhu said implementation of a need-based policy was one of the top issues of the town. “It’s a long-pending issue. Now, I will address it for the benefit of residents of the town,” said Sidhu. On how he planned to revamp the industry in the town, Sidhu said the Congress government would invite industrialists from outside with lucrative offers. “We will check land owners who have bought plots in the industrial area but are not running any unit. We will take action against them,” he said.“The revamp of the industry will help in job creation, the main agenda of our government,” said Sidhu. He said the state of primary health centres would also be improved. On the education front, Sidhu wants to construct a girls college and a Kendriya Vidyalaya in the town. “Mohali has no girls’ college. In this term, the town will get a girls’ college and a Kendriya Vidyalaya,” Sidhu said. Sidhu, who apparently is not happy with former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal’s dream project of the new ISBT at Phase VI, is contemplating restarting bus operations from the town’s old bus stand at Phase VIII. “The decision of constructing a new bus stand at Phase VI wasn’t a wise step and practical. We will review the decision. As people of the town have been facing inconvenience, I will restart bus operations from the old bus stand,” said Sidhu.