Majha Congress backs Capt on appointment of party coordinators Amritsar: Following objections by a section of party leaders over appointment of 25 district coordinators by Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) chief Capt Amarinder Singh,senior Congress leaders from Majha on Sunday backed his decision. They even offered to quit the posts of coordinator to accommodate those who have raised objections. The SAD-BJP alliance has lost the public faith. It is right time to expose the misdeeds of the corrupt government to build a platform for the next Congress government in state, said Congress MLA Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria,former MLAs Sukhjinder Randhawa,Ashwani Sekhri,Tripat Bajwa and Harpartap Singh Ajnala in a joint statement. Randhawa urged Congress members to put up a united face to defeat the SAD-BJP government. Gikki murder: Thousands attend last rites JALANDHAR: Thousands of people attended the antim ardas (last rites) of Gurkirat Singh Sekhon alias Gikki,who was allegedly shot dead by SAD councillor Ram Simran Singh Makkar alias Prince Makkar on April 21. Several speakers from the civil society assured the victims family of joining its fight to get justice. The SAD councillor is the nephew of sitting SAD MLA Sarabjit Singh Makkar. Regularisation of Haryana colonies on cards CHANDIGARH: The Haryana government is contemplating regularisation of unauthorised colonies in the state. A final decision will be taken soon. Power Minister Mahender Partap Singh said this after inaugurating the RCH Centre dispensary at A C Nagar,Faridabad. He said no unauthorised colonies would be demolished,as the state government was fully aware of the problems of the common people. The government will either regularise the colonies or relocate people to other places, Singh said,appealing to the people of the colony to remove their jhuggis built on either site of a drain passing nearby,and in return the government would provide them dwelling units in Dabua colony under Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission. Haryana plans 182 new substations CHANDIGARH: The Haryana government has a Rs 4,569-crore plan to construct 182 new substations of different levels and augment the capacity of 105 existing substations during the next 36 months. Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said this after inaugurating a few substations in Narnaul. Urdu correspondence course CHANDIGARH: the Haryana Urdu Akademi has invited applications on the prescribed proforma for admission to Urdu correspondence course for the year 2011-12. A spokesman said anybody from any age group could apply for the course. The application should reach the Akademi by May 30. Summer coaching for govt school students CHANDIGARH: The Haryana government has decided to impart summer coaching in physics,chemistry,biology and mathematics to students from June 1 to 30. Stating this on Sunday,Director,School Education,Vijayender Kumar said the coaching would be imparted by professional agencies in 21 designated science schools. The agency will have to provide faculty and learning material. Kumar said the agencies working for the last three years and have experience in at least five states and minimum 50 per cent placement achievements in IITs,AIIMS,AFMC,AIEEE and IIS could submit their project proposals to the Directorate of Secondary Education by May 15. Electronic transfer of social security pensions CHANDIGARH: The Haryana government has introduced the system of electronic benefits transfer for distribution of social security pensions from March 2011 in 16 districts. A spokesman of social justice and empowerment department said the system had been introduced to bring more transparency in the distribution of old age Samman Bhatta,widow pension,pension to destitute persons and children,Laadli Samajik Suraksha,allowances to eunuchs and dwarfs and to the Kashmiri migrants. These pensions would directly be credited to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries and as the amount would be given by biometric smart cards they would not have to personally come to the banks. He said the pension of those beneficiaries,who have already opened their bank accounts,would be credited directly by May 7. Unemployed teachers protest in Bathinda Bathinda: Various unions of unemployed teachers held a joint protest in Bathinda on Sunday to demand cancellation of the new recruitment Act and Teachers Eligibility Test. The agitators also burnt copies of the notification to that effect and raised slogans against the government for denying them regular jobs and adopting dilly-dallying tactics. They announced to declare their next course of action on May 4.
