The local consumer court has directed the State Bank of India,Topkhana Bazar branch in Ambala Cantonment,to pay compensation of Rs 10,000 to a complainant who failed to get payment against a cheque issued in his favour. The court held the bank guilty of deficiency in service and ordered it to pay the penalty within 30 days. Aman Handa had complained on August 27,2008,that he had deposited a cheque of Rs 5,000 issued in his name but was not forwarded by SBI for clearance. Consumer forum president Shakuntla Dagar also directed the Reserve Bank of India (RBI),New Delhi,to keep a check on the practice of dropping cheques in dropboxes kept in banks,as it was a wrong practice and should be discarded. She also ordered that cheques,along with filled up forms,should be duly stamped and signed by bank officials at the time of receiving to avoid any confusion. Rajiv Awas Yojna to be launched soon AMBALA: Union Minister for Tourism and Poverty Alleviation,Kumari Selja,announced that the Centre will introduce a new scheme Rajiv Awas Yojna to provide housing to underprivileged families,while addressing a series of public meetings after inaugurating development projects in the Ambala Sadar area on Saturday. Selja said a sum of Rs 100 crore was sanctioned for the implementation of various schemes,of which Rs 37 crore was allocated for the development projects in Ambala City,Ambala Sadar and Naraingarh,which fall under her constituency. She further said that 443 houses had been constructed at the cost of Rs 14 crore while construction work of another 436 houses was in progress. The minister acknowledged the need for more drinking water and cleanliness programmes,adding that there was ample scope of boosting tourism during the coming Commonwealth Games to be held in Delhi. Journalism syllabus must be updated to cope with changing times AMBALA: Journalism is a challenging profession these days and only a person with varied expertise can succeed, said Naresh Kaushal,editor of Dainik Tribune. He was addressing a seminar on the subject Contemporary Journalism organised by the Department of Journalism at GM College in Ambala Cantonment on Saturday. Kaushal said the syllabus must be updated to suit the changing trends. Expressing apprehensions,he said only those who adapt themselves with the changing methodology and practices in the field can succeed. Programme director Dr Sudarshan Gaso claimed the media was working as a beacon and showing the right path to society.
