Plan panel okays Rs 14,000-cr outlay for Punjab

Planning Commission nod for cancer hospital in Malwa; water-logging, depleting water table to be dealt with
New Delhi, May 14
The Planning Commission today approved an annual plan outlay of Rs 14,000 crore for Punjab for the 2012-13 financial year. The amount has been hiked by 10 per cent as compared to last year's outlay of Rs 12,800 crore.
The plan was finalised at a meeting, attended among others by Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, in the national capital. The commission also focused on problems plaguing Punjab, prominent among them being cancer, depleting underground water table and water-logging in the Malwa belt.
Union Minister of State for Planning Ashwani Kumar announced the initiatives at a press conference. He said: “It has been decided to provide financial and technical support to the state for setting up a cancer research institute in the Malwa region on the lines of TATA memorial institute in Mumbai.” The rising cancer cases were on the mind of both Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, he said.

Kumar said an expert committee headed by Mihir Saha, a member of the Planning Commission, would look into the problems of water-logging, depleting underground water table and poor water quality in Malwa. The team would do a comprehensive review of the situation in consultation with experts and state government officials. The committee would also recommend steps for diversification of agriculture to promote alternate crops such as maize. Paddy requires a lot of water and experts have long held the belief that it was the main reason behind the falling underground water level.
Ahluwalia also asked Punjab to rationalise the use of water resources. Punjab is the second highest extractor of underground water at 33.97 billion cubic metres (BCM) per year. Only Uttar Pradesh, which is 10 times bigger in area than Punjab, extracts more water (46 BCM).
The Department of Bio-technology, Government of India, has proposed to enter into a joint venture with the Punjab Agricultural University in Ludhiana for advanced research on plant-soil-water ecology, germ plasma, gene bank, bio-technology, bio-fuse and tissue culture, food processing and marketing. The modalities would be worked out in near future.
The commission also okayed building of industrial infrastructure in border districts. The plan panel also gave an in-principle approval to creation of an industrial zone to support ancillary units around the Bathinda refinery.

As Punjab not qualify for several central schemes (norms are more in tune with the states that are tottering), the commission assured of exploring suitable modifications in various plans, including MNREGA, to enable Punjab utilise funds for restoration and revamping of its canal system.

No plan to have defence pact with China, says Maldives Prez

Says won’t risk friendship with India while dealing with other countries

Maldives President Mohamed Waheed addresses a press conference with Foreign Minister Abdul Samad Abdulla in New Delhi on Monday.

New Delhi, May 14
Maldives President Mohamed Waheed today assured India that he would do nothing to hurt the special relationship between the two countries even as he virtually ruled out early elections in the Indian Ocean archipelago.
There was no proposal to have a defence cooperation pact between China and the Maldives, he told reporters at a press conference here, emphasising that Male would not risk its friendship with New Delhi while conducting ties with other countries.
Waheed, on his first visit abroad after assuming power in February when Mohamed Nasheed resigned as President in the wake of political unrest, said he had held fruitful discussions with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other Indian leaders.
However, in what may disappoint the Indian leadership which had been nudging him to hold early polls in his country, the Maldives President said all the political parties had reservations about holding the polls before July next year.
“I am all for free and fair elections… there will be elections as early as the Constitution allows. However, all the political parties, which are part of my coalition government except that of Nasheed, are not in favour of the polls before July 2013 because they are themselves not ready for the exercise,’’ he added.
He also emphasised that India was not pushing his government to do anything that did not suit his country. “I have assured the Indian leadership that we will respect all agreements and understanding between our two countries.’’
Waheed claimed that life was returning to normal in his tiny country following the unsavoury political developments of February. Tourism was also gradually picking up.
He said he had sought financial assistance from India for various development projects in his country. Waheed also sought private sector investments from India in the Maldives, particularly in the IT sector. There was a huge market in the IT sector in the Maldives which had not been adequately tapped.
On his predecessor Nasheed’s charge that he was acting as an agent of former President M A Gayoom, Waheed pointed out that Gayoom’s party was one of the constituents of his government. “I seek advice from all political parties but it is not fair to assume that there is too much influence on the administration from the former President,’’ he added.

Waheed rules out early poll

n All political parties have reservations about holding the polls before July next year

n Life was returning to normal in his country following unsavoury political developments of February

n Seeks financial assistance from India for various developmental projects

n Also demands private sector investments from India in the Maldives, particularly in the IT sector.

Sikh Seva Foundation’s 1st Annual Food Drive Donates 10,000 Food Items

SURREY – A food drive organised by Sikh Seva Foundation with the support of local Sikh Community and Sikh Organisations for the Month of April donated over 10,000 food items weighing 8126 Pounds to BC Food Banks on Monday May 7.

“We would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to the community for their generous donations, the response was overwhelming. The community united to donate over 8100 pounds of food. We wantto thank everyone for taking part in 1st Annual Seva Community Food Drive, organized by the Sikh Seva Foundation in association with Food Banks BC. Your selfless service to the community is appreciated,” the organization said in a press release.

The month long food drive was held in April and food items were dropped off at Sikh Gurdwaras and schools in the Lower Mainland.

“We feel so honoured to see the community taking part in such a fundamental project. Food is energy, food is love and food gives hope to those who face challenges in providing nourishment to their families, seniors and others who cannot afford the basics. It is great to see the community stepping up their efforts this year to meet these challenges, to help others and to show how much they care about one another,” said one organizer.

“I feel this is so important. Every day I see people in need and I want to help. This is something I can do,” explains a youth volunteer. “Collecting food for others is just my small way of supporting the community. Everyone should help if they are able to. Whatever you donate, will be helpful.”

The Sikh Seva Foundation is a community driven initiative focusing on volunteering today to help give hope for tomorrow. Their goal is not to have any one person lead or direct; it is to have the entire community work to improve conditions for everyone. The purpose of Sikh Seva Foundation is to be a volunteer bank resource for a wide range of charities throughout the Lower Mainland.

The Foundation’s activities are inspired by the principles of Sikhism, including:

• Equality and fraternity of all human beings

• Selfless service to others, especially any one who is impoverished, disadvantaged or vulnerable

• Diligent and honest work

• Sharing with the community the fruits of one’s labour

• Increasing understanding and acceptance among all human beings

For more information email at info@sikhsevafoundation.com or visit their website www.sikhsevafoundation.com

Thirteen Indians dead as small plane crashes in northern Nepal

 Kathmandu, Tue May 15 2012

 

Thirteen Indians were among 15 people killed on Monday when a small plane with 21 people onboard crashed in northern Nepal after hitting a hill top while attempting to land at a high-altitude airport. 

Six others, including three Indians and two Danish nationals, miraculously survived the crash of the Dornier 9N AIG aircraft belonging to private carrier Agni Air. 

The plane, which flew from the resort town of Pokhara on its way to Jomsom, crashed at 9.45 am local time while landing at the mountain airstrip, said an official at the Rescue Coordination Committee of the Tribhuvan International Airport. 

The aircraft crashed at an elevation of 9,000ft just behind the Jomsom Mountain Resort Hotel near the airport while turning left to divert to Pokhara after encountering trouble, officials said. 

The Indians killed in the crash were identified by the airport authorities as K. Mahanya, S.K. Arora, M. Handa, M. Arora, R. Handa, K.O. Arora, T. Sachdev, G. Sachdev, Saniam Sudhar, G. Raman, Latha Echambadi and two others identified only as Mr and Mrs Kumar. 

Two others killed in the crash were Nepalese crew members and identified as pilot Prabhu Sharan Pathak and co-pilot J.D. Maharjan. The passengers had chartered the flight to take them from the central tourist hub of Pokhara to Muktinath, a famous Hindu pilgrimage in Jomsom near the Tibetan border at the foot of the Thorong La mountain pass. 

Rescuers have so far recovered nine bodies from the wreckage. Three Indians including two children, a Nepalese airhostess and two Danes have been rescued alive from the crash site. 

The Indians who survived were identified as Tirumala Kidambi Sreekanth (36) and his daughters Tirumala Kidambi Sreevardhini (9) and Tirumala Kidambi Sreepada (6). The girls' mother died in the accident. 

'Please come and take us away from here,' wailed Sreepada from her hospital bed in Pokhara. 

A software engineer with Infosys, her father had returned from the US only last year. A pall of gloom has engulfed the family's house in Vadapalani area in Chennai. 

Nepalese rescue workers and officials inspect the site of a plane crash near Jomsom, 200 kilometers (125 miles) northwest of the capital, Katmandu, Nepal

The little girls are unaware that their mother is no more. Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai extended condolences to the victims' families and wished speedy recovery of the injured. Nepali Congress Party leader Ram Chandra Paudel demanded a probe into the tragedy. 

The external affairs ministry has set up a round-the-clock helpline at the Indian embassy in Kathmandu. The helpline numbers are 00-977-1-4423702, 00-977-1-4410900. 

'I am deeply saddened to hear about the tragic air crash that occurred earlier this morning near Jomsom airport. I would like to convey my deep condolences to the families of all those who have lost their lives in this accident. 

'Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of all those who have lost their near and dear ones,' external affairs minister S.M. Krishna said.

Over-educated immigrant cabbies plying Canadian streets, federal study finds

Ottawa - Behind the wheel of most cabs sits an immigrant with a doctorate or a medical degree.

It turns out that, as with any stereotype, it has more than a grain of truth.
An unpublished study commissioned by the federal Department of Citizenship and Immigration built a profile of who was behind the wheels of cabs on Canadian streets.
The special study, entitled "Who Drives a Taxi in Canada," was obtained under Access to Information legislation by Toronto immigration lawyer Richard Kurland. It surveyed more than 50,000 cabbies based on income tax forms.
The study found more than 200 taxi drivers, mostly from the Toronto area, had been doctors in their home countries, the Toronto Sun reported.
It also turned up another 55 Canadian-born cabbies who were doctors or PhDs.
Overall, one out of every two drivers are immigrants and one in three were born in India or Pakistan, according to the survey.
Immigrant drivers listed business and management as their top field of study, while Canadian-born cabbies listed architecture and related fields.
Some 14 per cent of immigrant drivers had bachelor's degrees, compared with four per cent of Canadian-born drivers. More than five per cent had master's degrees, compared with one per cent for their Canadian-born counterparts.
Besides India and Pakistan, Lebanon, Iran, the United Kingdom, Bangladesh, Haiti and the United States are the countries where most educated cabbies come from.
Cab-company operators say immigrants make good employees and are prepared to sacrifice themselves for their families, the Sun reported.
Kurland said the number of well-educated immigrant cabbies surprised him.
"This confirms the urban myth that there are cab drivers who were doctors at home," he told the Sun.
The Globe and Mail, editorializing on the study, called the results "a dramatic loss of economic potential," which make the federal government's planned changes to immigration criteria even more important.
"These newcomers can contribute much more to Canada's productivity if their education and job experience can be converted into the Canadian job market," the Globe opined.

"Newcomers' difficulties in the job market are not a reflection of their own lack of education, but of bureaucratic bottlenecks, discrimination, gatekeeping by professions, and language difficulty. Everyone benefits if overqualified immigrant drivers can get out of their cars."