Sri Guru Ravidass Jayanti (February 9, 2020)

2 Punjab Advance February-2020 Editorial

Ever since the Congress Government came into power it has been avidly pursuing reforms under the close monitoring of the Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh. The online initiative has enabled the state to become hi- tech, switching over to e-filing of all records and paperwork in government offices. The online endeavour became operatonal on January 1 this year with gov - ernment files taking the online route, thus making the system transparent and efficient. With the Chief Minister sticking to his deadline, the state became the first in the country to introduce e-filing of all government records with the press of a button. The e-revoluton will go a long way in transforming work culture and ethics in government offices, besides reducing the burden of employees by shift - ing from manual handling of files to online dealing. Besides, all documents issued by Sewa Kendras would be digitally pushed to the Digilocker of the citizens, enabling them anytime-anywhere to get access to them. The switchover is visible in the corridors of the Punjab Civil Secretariat with the bulky almirahs and heavy tables and chairs being replaced by light ply and glass partitions and sleek chairs giving the office an executive look. The Chief Minister said with the spurt in technological advancements, the outreach to ensure public services had increased and the state government's endeavour was to fully leverage the advancements in the service of the masses in a hassle-free, efficient and transparent manner. The new eOffice programme, set to replace IWDMS system, is a National Software Product and is an initiative of the State Government and National Informatics Centre (NIC).

February-2020 Punjab Advance 3 s

t 12 18 Global tag for three Budget a failure on all Dalip Kaur Tiwan n more wetlands fronts: CM jabi e t n o C

06 e-Revoluton

4 Punjab Advance February-2020 30 38 42 na -- A doyen of Pun - The Princess of Kahin Canola farming is his literature Nahin forte

Punjab www.punjabadvanceonline.com February - 2020 Advance LVOL›2 L ISSUE›7 Room No. 1, 5 th Floor, Punjab Civil Secretariat, Chandigarh-160001, Ph. : 0172-2740668, Email Id: [email protected] C.E.O. - Anindita Mitra (IAS) Editor - Donald Banerjee Designer - Karan Kumar Content Writer - Ravee Pandher Publisher - Information & Public Relations Department, Punjab

Disclaimer: The views expressed by the authors in the articles published in PUNJAB ADVANCE are their own. They do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Punjab Government or the organization they work for. Editor reserves the right to edit, abridge or expand the articles submitted. In case of any dispute, legal jurisdiction will lie in Chandigarh based courts.Published and Edited by Ms. Anindita Mitra (IAS) on behalf of the Information and Public Relations Department, Punjab at Room No. 1, 5th Floor, Civil Sectt., Chandigarh

February-2020 Punjab Advance 5 e-Revolution e-Revoluton v Punjab goes hi-tech v Upgrades to e-office system v CM’s initiative bears fruit

Punmedia Bureau

Punjab has achieved yet another first. Yes, it has become the first state in the country to become hi-tech, switching over to e-filing of all records and paperwork in government offices.

his online initiative, launched on November Bhawan on November 1, the Chief Minister asked T1, 1919, became operational on January 1 the officers to continuously innovate to leverage this year with government files taking the online the latest advancements in the field of informa - route. This e-switchover will go a long way in mak - tion technology for the larger public good. ing the system transparent and efficient. He lauded the Department of Governance Re - Launching the hi-tech inter and intra depart - forms and Public Grievances, which will help all mental service facility along with his cabinet col - Administrative Departments and offices of the leagues just before the Cabinet meeting at Punjab Deputy Commissioners to go live and upload all

6 Punjab Advance February-2020 e-Revolution new files and Paper Under Considerations (PUCs) been trained to handle the software efficaciously. on the portal immediately. Stressing on his prom - The training was held at training labs made at PCS- ise to deliver prompt Government services, Capt 1 and PCS-2, she added. Amarinder Singh has instructed the Chief Secre - Sewa Kendras tary to further speed up completion of online Taking the state’s digital revolution forward, transmission of revenue records, the progress of the Chief Minister announced that all Punjab gov - which he had been personally reviewing regularly. ernment entities will start dealing in new file work He also set a deadline for all directorates and only on eOffice from next month. Besides, all doc - other field level offices to upgrade to the eOffice uments issued by Sewa Kendras would be digitally system latest by January 1, 2020. The new eOffice pushed to the Digilocker of the citizens, enabling programme, set to replace IWDMS system, is a them anytime-anywhere to get access to them. National Software Product and is an initiative of The Chief Minister also chaired a meeting of Board Punjab Government and National Informatics of Governors (BoG) of Punjab State e-Governance Centre (NIC). Society (PSeGS) to review the status of various in - The Chief Minister was pleased with the re - novative projects being undertaken by society. forms made by Punjab in digitising its office The PSeGS is managing 520 Sewa Kendras in records, hoping this would help transform work the state for delivering more than 200 services to culture and ethics in government offices, besides around 30000 citizens daily. All the important eventually reducing the burden of employees by services, including various kinds of certificates and shifting from manual handling of files to online licenses, are delivered through Sewa Kendras. The dealing. With the spurt in technological advance - government is also bringing services of Depart - ments, the Chief Minister said the outreach to en - ment of Revenue and Transport on the Sewa sure public services had increased exponentially, Kendra platform.Captain Amarinder congratu - adding that the state government's endeavour lated the PSeGS team on their contribution to the was to fully leverage the advancements in the creation of state-level applications on E-Sewa, service of the masses in a hassle-free, efficient and Debt Relief, PM-KISAN, and monitoring of SDGs. transparent manner. He appreciated them for bringing down pendency Earlier, making a detailed presentation, Addi - from a whopping 23% to only 1.5%. He directed tional Chief Secretary Vini Mahajan informed the PSeGS to continue the endeavor towards efficient Chief Minister that the Department of Gover - and accountable administration in the state. nance Reforms had already conducted compre - Additional Chief Secretary cum PSeGS Vice hensive training of Administrative Secretaries and Chairman Vini Mahajan told the Chief Minister of IAS/PCS officers posted in Chandigarh. The two- that PSeGS had a separate team of dedicated pro - day training course was conducted during Octo - fessionals, which was providing IT consultation to ber at MGSIPA. other Departments of the State and had helped Following the training schedule, as a trial, the create State Level applications like Punjab State department implemented eOffice in their Development Tax, Smart Village etc. branches from October 15 last year, under which The team also supported the Revenue Depart - 1,21,669 E-Files beaded 6,61,550 e-Receipts. Joint ment for bringing all the land records to the Cloud Secretaries, Deputy Secretaries, Under Secre - platform. She elaborated on the initiatives being taries, besides Superintendents, Clerks, Assistants undertaken by State Advisory Council to carry out and personal staff deployed with officers had also transformative reforms. A team of Governance

February-2020 Punjab Advance 7 e-Revolution

Fellows had been hired to support various de - partments for best practices for this purpose, she said. The PSeGS was hiring a Chief Technology Offi - cer (CTO), along with 15 Technology Experts, to take the state to the next level of digitalization. The Chief Secretary, who is also the Senior Vice Chairman of the PSeGS, Dr Karan Avtar Singh, said the PSeGS was working on implementing Enter - prise Architecture in the State, and a policy in this regard had been drafted. All departments would be integrated via Micro Services and would main - ing daily attendance. This system is being used tain single source of truth of their databases. by the Central Ministries & other State Govern - More than 1,35,000 e-files had already been cre - ments. ated in eOffice by more than 8500 users, he added. Under this system, departments are only re - Digitising the public offices would make check - quired to procure Biometric Attendance device ing of files and reviewing them much easier with to be installed in the office premises for captur - a click of the mouse. This move would also save ing biometric attendance of employees. massive amounts of paper that is being used in Although the system in the Civil Secretariat Government offices and minimise the amount of and other government offices is on a trial basis, time spent to move the files physically at present. the Department of Technical Education and In - This in turn will help save huge amounts of paper dustrial Training, Punjab, has started the daily that is being currently used in all government of - Bio-metric attendance system for the staff in all fices. the Government Technical Education Institutes Digitising Government offices is environment of the state. friendly and will improve efficiency, consistency Giving this information Technical Education and effectiveness; in turn reducing time and help - Minister Charanjit Singh Channi said under the ing the public to meet their demands. The main leadership of Chief Minister Captain Amarinder objective is providing effective resource manage - Singh, the Punjab Government is spending ment to improve the quality of the administration. This will further help reduce delays, establishing Rs.100 Crore for the modernisation of all Gov - transparency and accountability. It provides ef - ernment Polytechnic colleges and Industrial fective e-storage facilities and will help in suc - Training Institutes. He said this is being done cessfully creating eco-friendly offices. with the purpose of making the Youth of the Biometric attendance system state skilled and employable as per the present The Punjab Government has also introduced and futuristic needs of the global industry. the Aadhaar-based biometric attendance system Apart from online Bio-metric attendance of (BAS)to improve punctuality in government of - the staff, soon this system would be imple - fices. mented for all students of Government Poly - The BAS is a web-based application developed technic colleges and Industrial Training by the NIC centrally at its data centre for record - Institutes.CCTV Cameras would also be installed

8 Punjab Advance February-2020 e-Revolution in all the government technical education insti - The Ludhiana police are reportedly the first tutes which would be connected online with the police force to implement the initiative in the head office. Besides, classrooms and examina - state. The police have prepared a list of around tion halls would be monitored online with the 700 hardcore criminals who are facing cases of implementation of this system. murder, dacoity, robbery, snatching, theft or any Online registration of patients other serious crime. Some of the criminals are Online registration of all patient details has presently in jail while others are out on bail. been enforced in Punjab hospitals. Giving this in - Once the machines are installed, the police will formation, Health and Family Welfare Minister upload the finger records of the criminals on bio - Balbir Singh Sidhu said: “ This endeavour would metric machines. revolutionise the existing state health infra - Police Commissioner Rakesh Agrawal said he structure. It will also encompass billing aspect of recently surveyed the crime pattern of criminals patients undergoing treatment across the State.” and found that many who were jailed by the po - The Department had studied PGIMER model lice again indulged in criminal activities after and suggested a model which could provide all coming out on bail. Incidentally, these criminals the details of patients with a single click. repeated the same crime for which they were In the past needy patients suffered a lot keep - jailed.“Now, to keep a tab over the activities of ing their medical records with them for further criminals, the police will install 30 biometric ma - treatment and it would also prove helpful to clas - chines at 30 police stations. Fingerprints of 700 sify common diseases across the State. criminals will be uploaded on the machines as All Sub Divisional Hospitals have been linked per the police station jurisdiction they belong to. with the online system. Besides, laboratories of These persons will have to visit the police station Health Department will also come under it soon. to punch their fingers in the machines every Keeping tabs on convicts day,” he added. To keep a tab on the illegal activities of pris - He said on a given day, if any of the listed oners lodged in Punjab jails and to prevent the criminals skipped attendance at the police sta - cases of smuggling of drugs and arms inside the tion, the station head would trace him as soon jail premises, the Punjab Police will install bio - metric machines and fingerprint readers in all jails. Biometric machines and fingerprint readers will monitor the movement of prisoners and even of those visiting them. Taking a lead in going digital, the Ludhiana Commissionerate is going to install biometric at - tendance machines at all police stations where hardcore criminals will punch their attendance every day.The purpose of taking the initiative is as possible so that he did not indulge in any crim - to keep a tab over convicts who often indulge in inal activity. The machines were expected to be crime after coming out on bail. installed in the days to come, he added

February-2020 Punjab Advance 9 e-Revolution e-office work begins l Sea change in govt infrastructure l Almirahs stacked with files disappear l Small tables, sleek chairs & laptops

Donald Banerjee

ows upon rows of steel almirahs stacked rahs being removed. A large squad of human Rwith overstuffed files which had be - labour was pressed into service and within no come eyesores in the corridors of the Punjab time the crowded and disorganized hall was civil secretariat have finally been removed. converted into an orderly e-office The big almirahs, heavy tables and chairs Electricians and experts got into action ex - have given way to panding the e-network small tables and sleek connection to every chairs which find place nook and corner of in small ply and glass the building. In no partitions, giving the time small tables and office landscape an sleek chairs were executive look. Yes placed in cubicles. this is the transforma - Very soon tion one can see in the work began on laptops Information and Public Relations directorate and small desk tops as the new brand of of - on the fifth floor of the main civil secretariat fice staff began the e-filing of office work. building in Sector 1. This e-office work is being carried out in This is the result of the Chief Minister Capt all the offices of the secretariat as also in of - Amarinder Singh’s efforts to make the e fices located in all the district headquarters movement of files in government offices a of the state. crusade. The Chief Minister had been per - The tedious work of carrying piles of files sonally reviewing the online project. Keeping to different floors as also to other govern - to his commitment he kept to his deadline for ment departments spread across Chandigarh, the switchover to the e-office system. Mohali and other district headquarters has The biggest transformation was visible on been replaced by e-filing: a work that can be the fifth floor housing the Information and done by a click of the mouse. Public Relations Department with heavy almi -

10 Punjab Advance February-2020 e-Revolution

Top Rows upon rows of ulmirahs stacked with files and (below) Small wood and glass cubicles give an executive look to the corridors of the Punjab civil secretariat.

February-2020 Punjab Advance 11 Wetlands Global tag for three more wetlands

l Keshopur Asia’s biggest wetland l Influx of tourists to get a boost l CM plays vital role in conservation

Donald Banerjee

The Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh’s efforts to boost conservation of aquatic biodiversity in Punjab have borne fruit. Yes, three more wetlands of the state have been declared as Ramsar sites of international importance by the Ramsar Bureau, Switzerland. A total of 10 new sites from India have been given the prestigious tag, of which three are in Punjab, taking the total number of such sites to six in the state, highest in the region.

he vast wetland potential of Punjab has re - Tmained untapped over the years. But with three more diamonds added to the Ramsar crown, the state is all set to occupy the top slot in any bird-watcher’s tourism agenda. In October last year, the state government had proposed five more sites for the global tag, including Ranjit Sagar conservation reserve and Hussainiwala wetland, but the global body cleared only three sites for the Ramsar tag, Keshopur, Nangal and Beas. Happy to share that Keshopur Wetland, Nan - The development is significant as the inclusion gal Wetland and Beas River have been de - of three sites will help the state to fetch more clared International Wetlands i.e. Ramsar Sites funds from the central government and different out of a total of 10 such wetlands in India. Con - agencies for maintenance of the ecological char - gratulations to the Dept of Forests & Wildlife acter of its wetlands. Punjab. This global tag will also go a long way in at - Capt Amarinder Singh, CM, Punjab

12 Punjab Advance February-2020 tracting bird-watchers from home and abroad to kilometers. visit the bird sanctuaries thus boosting tourism The Ramsar Convention signed on February 2, in the state. 1971, is one of the oldest inter-governmental ac - There are a number of wetands around the cord signed by members countries to preserve world which receive less migratory birds, but the ecological character of their wetlands of in - have been popularized as centres of tourist ex - ternational importance. Wetlands declared as cellence. It is now Punjab’s turn to reap this wet - Ramsar sites are protected under strict guidelines land tourism harvest of the convention. The formation of a ‘wetland circuit’ for This is the result of some remarkable decisions tourists which includes better facilities for bird taken by the state government for the conserva - lovers and involvement of tour operators, would tion of wetlands in the state. go a long way in making the wetlands a paradise In a significant meeting of State Board for for nature lovers. Wildlife, on February1, 2019, the Chief Minister Of the three new Ramsar wetlands, Keshopur- Capt Amarinder Singh gave approval to declare Miani community reserve in Gurdaspur is spread the Kanjli wetland and the holy Kali Bein River as over an area of 343.9 hectares and is natural. On a wildlife conservation reserve to mark the his - the other hand, the 185-km stretch of the Beas toric 550th birth anniversary of Sikhism founder conservation reserve, and the Nangal wildlife Sri Guru Nanak Devji. The CM also gave approval sanctuary spread in an area of 116 hectares in for establishing turtle hatcheries at the Harike Ropar, are both man-made. The already existing wetland. Ramsar sites include Harike, Kanjli and Ropar Further, on the concerns of the Shalla Pattan wetlands, covering a total area of 56.48 square wetlands, Gurdaspur – the last habitat of com -

February-2020 Punjab Advance 13 Wetlands

mon Sarus Crane in the state – he asked the State the river, he asked the Water Resources Depart - Wildlife Department and the Wildlife Institute of ment to ensure minimum flow of 5,000-6,000 India (WII) in Dehradun to come out with an ac - cusecs of water to ensure continuity of water tion plan for compensating local farmers in case streams. The Wildlife department was also asked to immediately initiate the process of declaring the Beas river as a “heritage river“. Later in the month, the state government de - cided to declare 50 acres of land at Shalla Pattan wetlands as protected area for critically endan - gered species common Sarus Crane. The plan was to compensate farmers to keep their crops fallow for the winter months to restore the natural ecosystem of the wetland when common cranes descend here in good numbers. This marshland or swamp area of floodplain of river Beas pro - vided a conducive atmosphere for the survival of waterfowls. According to wildlife officials, the habitat was severely impacted with the efforts of irrigation department to drain out the area to remove wa - terlogging and bring it under agriculture.In 2007, the presence of over 1000 common cranes with their juveniles along with Bar headed geese and Sarus Cranes at Shalla Pattan had drawn atten - tion of wildlife lovers. As per the statistics of the wildlife department, the number of Sarus Crane too came down over the years from 596 in 2018 to 493 in January 2019 at Shalla Pattan because of tempering with existing habitat.The approval was thought to pave way for[v] conservation of area which functions as water sponge by recharg - ing groundwater and meeting the water require - ment for drinking and irrigation purpose for local people, apart from ensuring protection of many flora and fauna species which are waging survival battle in this habitat. Kanjli is upstream of Harike wetland located in the Beas river basin. It is said that the erstwhile Maharaja of Kapurthala, Raja Randhir Singh, built the head regulator on the river Kali Bein, a tribu - they keep their land fallow for one season. In the tary of Beas river to provide irrigation facility to meeting a decision was also taken to declare local people, in year 1870. The headworks re - Indus River dolphin found in Beas river as state sulted into creation of Kanjli wetland, which also aquatic animal. On the issue of irregular flows in subsumes the Kanjli lake.Kali Bein feeds the Kan -

14 Punjab Advance February-2020 Bar headed geese at the Beas conservation reserve jli wetland which once used to be the habitat of final seal on the declaration. ghariyal, a critically endangered species. The The Keshopur wetland is also known as state government had already introduced Keshopur-Miani Community Reserve or ghariyal in Harike water system which is ecologi - ‘Chhamb’ in local Punjabi dialect. It is one of the cally quite similar to Kanjli. Asia’s biggest wetlands, located in the middle of Over the years, two more satellite wetlands the Ravi and Beas rivers. There are experts who have been formed around Kanjli wetland provid - believe that the area which earlier must have ing good habitat to the migratory as well as non- been a flood plain of the two rivers before bar - migratory birds. A number of unique birds rages and dams were erected over it, is now fed belonging to species like waders and ducks were by rain and groundwater.The 850-acre-marsh seen frolicking in and out of water. These include was declared as country’s first notified commu - Eurasian Curlew (Near threatened by IUCN), nity reserve following a Punjab Government No - Common Pochard (Vulnerable by IUCN). The pro - tification on June 25, 2007. This was jointly tection and conservation measures were auto - managed by forest department and the locals of matically extended to these satellite wetlands five villages namely Keshopur, Mattam, Miani, though they were not under any jurisdiction at Maghar Mudhian, and Dala who share ownership present. of the site. In another significant development in April At present, the state is home to three wet - last, the Keshopur wetland in Gurdaspur was lands Harike, Kanjli and Ropar under Ramsar con - seen as having potential for third Ramsar site. A vention, spread in an area of 56.48 sq km. These three-day joint inspection visit of the WWF ex - wetlands are significant habitats for waterfowl, perts and officials of Punjab forest department to fish and plethora of other endangered and vul - prepare a report on this matter concluded on nerable species of flora and fauna. Ranjit Sagar April 26, 2019. The report was to be tabled be - and Nangal are declared as national wetlands. fore the office of chief wildlife warden and then In October last year, five more wetlands[viii] forwarded to union environment ministry for a were proposed for the international tag includ -

February-2020 Punjab Advance 15 Wetlands

ing 185 km stretch of the Beas conservation re - Meanwhile, Keshopur Chhamb in Gurdaspur, serve, Ranjit Sagar conservation reserve, Nangal one of Asia’s biggest wetlands, has recorded a dip wildlife sanctuary, Keshopur-Miani community in the number of migratory birds this year. The reserve and Hussainiwala wetland. Confident of annual bird census conducted on January 11-12, all the five proposed sites getting international 2020 pegged the number at 20,528 birds. The tag, Dr Kuldip Kumar, principal chief conservator number was 22,500 last year. A total of 80 bird of forests, said that the process was near com - species were spotted at the wetland, located 5km pletion and all the proposed sites fulfilled the from the district headquarters. Rare varieties, in - requisite conditions. cluding northern lapwing, sarus crane, bar- Tree houses headed geese, ruddy shelduck, osprey, pallied In an attempt to boost tourism at Harike wet - harrier and brahminy kite were spotted during land and wildlife sanctuary, the government was the census. planning to build tree houses, tent houses and Keshopur Chhamb was renamed Keshopur restaurants for vacationers at the confluence be - Chhamb Community Reserve in March 2013 after tween Sutlej and Beas rivers.Under the project the wildlife department decided to develop it as estimated at Rs 150 crore, the government was a bird sanctuary. It is spread over 850 acres in also planning to make a golf course for tourists Keshopur, Miani, Dalla, Mattam and Maghar at north India’s largest wetland which is spread Mudhian villages having small and big ponds of over 4,100 ha. shallow water. Every winter, more than one lakh migratory Of three new Ramsar wetlands, Keshopur- birds arrive at Harike from the Himalayas, Europe Miani community reserve in Gurdaspur is spread and Siberia. Some of the regular winged guests over an area 343.9 ha and is natural. On the other sighted in the sanctuary are the large cormorant, hand, 185-km stretch of the Beas conservation purple moorhen, bar-headed goose, white- reserve, and Nangal wildlife sanctuary spread in winged tern, tufted duck and the white-eyed an area of 116 ha in Ropar, are both man-made. pochard. The wetlands are also home to several The Nangal, which was declared as a wildlife species of turtles, snakes and fish. The rare Indus sanctuary in 2003, attracts between 8,000 and dolphin can also be seen here. 15,000 migratory birds[xviii] every year of 134 Later in the month, the numbers of birds had species and 25 species of fish are found here. reportedly increased in the annual census and In the first half 2019, the state government Wildlife Department spotted the greater white took some important decisions of declaring Kan - fronted geese for the first time[xiii] in Nangal jli wetlands and Kali Bein river as a wildlife con - wetland. As per the census, the top five species servation reserve. It also declared 50 acres of at Harike were Eurasian coot (73,765), Gadwal Shalla Pattan wetlands as protected area which (22,553), greylag goose (8,321), little cormorant is found to be the last resort of Sarus Crane en - (3,540) and Eurasian wigeon (2,054).Also the dangered bird in the state. Similarly the state common merganser duck was stated to be seen government declared Indus River Dolphin as after a decade at Harike wetlands. Experts even state aquatic animal and Beas as a “heritage said the turnout of water birds in wetlands of river” given the religious and cultural significance Punjab was one of the highest as compared to of these rivers and wetlands. In the later part of previous years. About 21 species of mammals, the year, the government proposed five wetlands 384 birds, seven turtles, four snakes, six taxa of for the Ramsar list. amphibians, 16 fishes, 189 invertebrates and 38 Keshopur awaits tourist influx plants were recorded at Harike alone. A massive influx of bird watchers is expected

16 Punjab Advance February-2020 Wetlands 10 wetlands get Ramsar tag Ten more Indian wetland sites, including the first from Maharashtra, have received the tag of international importance under the Ramsar Convention — an inter-governmental global treaty to preserve ecological character of selected wetlands across the globe.With the addition of these ten sites, one in Maharashtra, three in Punjab and six in Uttar Pradesh, the list of wet - lands in India under the Convention has grown to 37 with surface area of over 10,679 sq km, an area nearly the size of Sikkim and Goa put together India’s list of 37 includes Sambhar lake of Rajasthan which had last year seen mass mortality of migratory birds due to avian botulism caused by a bacteria. This saline lake had entered the global list in 1990. Globally, there are over 2,300 Ramsar sites around the world, covering over 2.1 million sq km. The new Indian sites include Nandur Madhameshwar bird sanctuary (Maharashtra); Beas con - servation reserve, Keshopur-Miani community reserve and Nangal wildlife sanctuary (Pun - jab); Nawabganj bird sanctuary, Parvati Arga bird sanctuary, Saman bird sanctuary, Sarsai Nawar lake, Samaspur bird sanctuary and Sandi bird sanctuary (Uttar Pradesh).

at the Keshopur wetland, also known as ‘chamb’ lands throughout the world. The total number of in local parlance, following the status of ‘Inter - such sites in India has increased to 10 of which national Ramsar Site’ conferred upon it by the six are in Punjab. Ramsar Convention of Wetlands of International Birds in droves arrive every winter to Importance. Keshopur from central Asian countries and ac - The convention is an international treaty for cording to the latest census conducted in the last the conservation and sustainable use of wet - week of January a total of 26,800 birds belong - lands. It is named after the city of Ramsar in Iran ing to 74 species had arrived this season. where the first-ever meeting was held in 1971 “Keshopur plays a key role in flood control and with the aim of sustaining and conserving wet - providing food, fibre and raw material to birds.

February-2020 Punjab Advance 17 Budget Budget a failure on all fronts: CM

l Ignores farmers, youth, industry

Punmedia Bureau

erming the Union Budget as high on pom - the problems of any section of society, be it Tposity and low on tangibles, Punjab Chief the farmers, the youth, the industry/business Minister Captain Amarinder Singh said the or the middle class and the poor. economy was clearly not a priority for the BJP- Far from reviving business sentiment, the led Central Government, which was too busy non-visionary budget, which reflected the pursuing its negative and divisive agenda. Union Government’s total apathy to the needs There was nothing in the budget, he said, and aspirations of the people, would plunge that could pave the way for economic reforms the economy further to abysmal depths. or raise public consumption that was an im - Pointing to the Finance Minister’s failure to perative for reviving the economy. The budget even mention the economic slowdown of was nothing but mere rhetoric, said the Chief 2019-20, the Chief Minister said this showed Minister, adding that it had failed to address that the Centre had no intention of addressing

18 Punjab Advance February-2020 Budget the problems faced by the economy. The for the development of our state?” he de - budget had dashed the hopes of one and all, manded to know.The budget offers no cheer with the famers still waiting for a solution to for the industry, with a meagre ₹ 27300 Cr al - their debt stress and the challenge of stubble located for promotion of industry and com - burning, the industry feeling ignored, and the merce, said Captain Amarinder. Some youth still waiting for the light at the end of the grandiose plans have been announced to make dark tunnel into which this government has every district an export hub, but no roadmap thrown them into. has been drawn on the way forward, which The 16-point Action Plan for Agriculture shows how clueless the Government is when makes no mention of any initiatives or it comes to the nation’s economic develop - schemes to encourage crop diversification, ment and progress, he added. noted the Chief Minister, adding that with Frankly, this lack of vision is manifest in al - buffer stocks of foodgrain already putting a most every major announcement in the strain on the states (including Punjab) and farmers, failure to diversify would further ag - gravate the problems for the country on the The budget has dashed the agriculture front. hopes of one and all, with the Captain Amarinder also castigated the fail - ure of the Central Government to provide the famers still waiting for a solu - much-needed push to infrastructure. “And tion to their debt stress and what is there in the budget to strengthen and upgrade the Irrigation and Power sector? How the challenge of stubble burn - can India progress without infrastructural de - ing, the industry feeling ig - velopment?,” he asked. nored, and the youth still Defence not given its due Even the defence sector, which one would waiting for the light at the have assumed to be a key priority area for any end of the dark tunnel into government in these dangerous times, had not got its due, Captain Amarinder lamented, which this government has terming the Rs 10,340 hike provided for mod - thrown them into. ernization of the defence forces and purchase of new weapon systems as a pathetic joke. “This is worse than the increment even a clerk budget. For instance, the decision to hold On - expects at the end of the year,” he quipped. line Recruitment Test for all Non-Gazetted The Chief Minister also flayed the Centre’s posts in banks does not take cognizance of the failure to address the concern of the states, in - lack of digital literacy among the poor stu - cluding Punjab, on the delays in release of GST dents. He lamented the step-fatherly treat - compensation. “Where will we get the money ment given to Punjab in the budget, which had

February-2020 Punjab Advance 19 Budget

failed to make any outlay for the celebration This, he warned, will further add to the prob - of the 550th birth anniversary of Sri Guru lems of the states, which are already suffering Nanak Dev Ji and the upcoming 400th celebra - immensely from the prolonged delays in get - tion of Guru Teg Bahadur Ji, or for the promo - ting their share of the GST revenue.Even the tion of Sikh Culture and Heritage. Despite industry has little to cheer in this budget, with being severely water-stressed, Punjab remains a meagre ₹ 27300 Cr allocated for promotion excluded from the districts which the Centre of industry and commerce, according to Cap - intends to focus on for water conservation, he tain Amarinder. Some grandiose plans have pointed out, adding that even the Special been announced to make every district an ex - Tourism Projects announced in the budget port hub, but no roadmap has been drawn on were meant only for BJP-ruled states. Such an the way forward, which shows how clueless approach does not behove the government of the Government is when it comes to the na - a federal nation, he added. tion’s economic development and progress, he said.Frankly, this lack of vision is manifest in al - GST compensation most every major announcement in the Another area which is really a matter of se - budget. For instance, the decision to hold On - rious concern for Punjab, and all other states, line Recruitment Test for all Non-Gazetted is the Centre’s decision to limit the GST Com - posts in banks does not take cognizance of the pensation Fund to collections under GST cess. lack of digital literacy among the poor stu -

20 Punjab Advance February-2020 Budget dents, the Chief Minister said.As for Health, 2025, he said that mere words were not suffi - the 10% increase over last year’s allocation can cient.Not only has the NDA government failed hardly be termed sufficient for the needs of a to deliver on any of its previous promises, but nation of billion plus, according to Captain it has offered no hope in this budget to the na - Amarinder. Noting that there was no addi - tion, which continues to suffer the ill conse - tional funding for the “TB Harega Desh Jeetega quences of their anti-people policies and Programme” that aimed to eradicate TB by lopsided approach, said the Chief Minister. MSMEs feel ignored People from varied fields such as industry, agri - throughout this Budget but a very few incentives culture and health have said the Finance Minister for the MSMEs. The industry was expecting much has missed yet another opportunity to revive the more. struggling economy of the country. The All-In - Gurmeet Singh Kular, president of Federation of dustries and Trade Forum (AITF) has said the Industrial and Commercial Organisations (FICO), Budget will result in further unemployment and said: “No special package for the MSME sector recession. has been announced, which is the backbone of Many big slogans have been raised for MSMEs, the Indian economy. Rather in this period of re - but the fact is that the budget of the PM Em - cession, some special schemes should have been ployment Guarantee Programme has been re - introduced to encourage the MSME sector”. The promise to increase farmers’ income by 2022 No special package for the MSME is just an illusion. Two years back also the same promise was made by the government, but noth - sector has been announced, which ing has been done to fulfil it. No agriculture pol - is the backbone of the Indian econ - icy has been formulated. — Harinder Singh Lakhowal, general secretary, BKU Punjab. omy. Rather in this period of reces - Ravinder Dhir from the sports industry said the sector which generates employment for people sion, some special schemes should was ignored which was not acceptable. have been introduced to encour - “There is nothing for the industry. Every other an - nouncement that has been made is mere eye - age the MSME sector. wash. The government is not generating any employment on its own. The industry that gives duced to Rs2,800 cr from Rs3,369 cr. The overall jobs to people has been left to suffer. If we will budget of the MSME Ministry has been merely not be able to run units, how would we give jobs enhanced from Rs7,011 cr to Rs7,572 cr, but this to others,” he said, adding that the government hike is mainly for cottage industries, sasid Badish was not paying heed towards the MSMEs. Jindal, chief of Federation of Punjab Small Indus - Sports industrialists have been demanding that tries Association the Central Government should reduce GST on Upkar Singh Ahuja, president, Chamber of Indus - their products from 28 per cent to the lowest slab trial and Commercial Undertakings (CICU), said of 5 per cent, failing which units might find them - there was a huge relief to the common man selves on the verge of closure.

February-2020 Punjab Advance 21 Punjabis Overseas International Driver of the Year algary’s Jatinder Singh Tatla has been India to Canada in 2006. Tatla has been a taxi Chonoured with the best cab driver of the driver for the past 10 years in Calgary. Jass year award by the International Association Tatla has been working in a checker cab, a taxi of Transportation Regulators (IATR).Tatla was company in Calgary, for the last three years. named ‘International Driver of the Year’ in “My daughter had tears in her eyes when Calgary last week during an annual White Hat they announced my name,” said Tatla.“I awards cere - asked, ‘Why are you crying?’ and she said, mony. ‘I’m not crying — I’m so happy I can’t control Jatinder Tatla is myself.'” best known from Jass adds, “I always learn something from his name ‘Jass’, all the different clients. They have their own given by his cus - experience from their age (and) their differ - tomers.The 41- ent jobs.”Jatinder Tatla believes that every year-old customer deserves to leave with a smile. emigrated from

Gurbaj Singh honest cabbie of Brisbane young taxi driver from Brisbane’s north in Brisbane told SBS Punjabi that he was com - Asuburb of Bracken Ridge has been show - mitted to returning this money. ered with praises as he returned $14,000 cash He said: “It was someone’s hard-earned that someone forgot in his cab.34-year-old savings and I had a duty of care to make sure Gurbaj Singh came to Australia in 2007. that it reaches back. Moreover, this passen - His family background is from Rottoke vil - ger was saving this money for a while for his lage, near Valtoha, in Tarn Taran district, Pun - medical expenses. jab. He drives a Black & White taxi in Brisbane. “The passenger offered me $50 reward. Mr Singh who drives a Black & White taxi But I didn’t do it for reward. It was my duty, a duty that every Sikh is committed to do. To me it’s was part of routine job.” A few years back, Mr Singh had suffered from a severe heart condition.He said that he had bypass heart surgery in 2012 and faced financial hardship.“I know how important this money was to the passenger," he added."I had an ongoing heart complications due to heart infections. Doctors told me that there are bleak chances of my recovery, but I am here with God’s grace."

22 Punjab Advance February-2020 Punjabis Overseas Statue of Sikh soldier unveiled he statue of a Sikh soldier has been un - monument, the Sikh Soldier Organisation Tveiled in a West Yorkshire park to com - said. memorate the thousands of Sikhs who fought Huddersfield was chosen because of its "vi - and died in World War One and Two. brant" Sikh community, it added. The £65,000 In - Kalvinder Bhullar, of the Sikh Soldier Or - dian bronze statue ganisation, said: "It is a stunning sculpture was revealed at and an emotional piece."We've accomplished Greenhead Park, our mission to get the statue put in place. The Huddersfield. support has been overwhelming."More than Donations have 83,000 Sikhs were killed and many more helped pay for the wounded during World War One and World 6ft-high (1.8m) War Two, the organisation added.

Ireland is the new destination oday, many Indians, including those cur - Ireland requires non-EEA nationals to ob - Trently in the UK, are looking at migrating tain work permits. Here, Indians occupy the to Ireland to find their own pot of gold. top slot and are also the largest beneficiaries The reason is simple. Ireland enables free of various visas allotted in 2018. They consti - access to the European Union (EU). Further, tute the second largest group of non-EEA reg - on acquiring Irish citizenship under the ‘Com - istered nationals (after Brazilians) living in mon Travel Area Agreement’ between Ireland Ireland. The stand-alone numbers seem in - and UK, individuals can live and work in the significant but the upward trend is set to con - UK without requiring any further visa or work tinue. permit. According to statistics released by Ireland’s “This makes Ireland the only country in Department of Business Enterprise and Inno - the world, whose citizens have free access to vation, one-third (4,664) of the total work all EU countries and the UK,” Andrew Parish, permits of 14,014 allotted to non-EEA nation - chief commercial officer at Irish Diaspora als in the nine-month period ended October Loan Fund, told media persons. 2019 went to Indians. Brazil, ranked second In general, people who arrive in Ireland for with 1,424 permits. In 2018, Indians had ob - work can apply for citizenship after five years tained 4,313 work permits or 32 per cent of of residence. In 2018, 629 Indians were the aggregate total of 13,398, as opposed to granted citizenship, constituting 7.6 per cent Brazil at 1,426 permits (10.6 per cent). of the aggregate number of 8,225 new citi - The Information, Communications and zens. The top three origin countries of Poland, Technology (ICT) sector employs a significant Romania and UK were from the European number of Indians. Occupations such as ICT Economic Area (EEA). In the previous year, professionals, professional engineers and India occupied third slot with 665 Indians (8 technologists are catered for under this type per cent of total) acquiring citizenship. of employment permit,” says Jeanette Ryan, a

February-2020 Punjab Advance 23 Punjab Diary

Vertical garden from waste

planted in them after filling it with cocopeat, coal ash and compost. The wall looks green and is catching the attention of those visiting the gurdwara. What otherwise would have landed in bin and junkyard and added to the environmental woes have been used for mak - ing the environment cleaner, which is a great reuse of these bottles. The vertical garden works with the drip irrigation system, to prevent wastage of water. In fact, many more walls in the complex would vertical garden made from discarded soft soon have vertical gardens, as these will clean Adrink bottles at Gurdwara Dukh Niwaran the air. Sahib is catching the devotees’ fancy. More The idea about the vertical gardens than 1,200 such bottles have been used for came during the gurdwara team’s visit to Sin - creating a vertical garden on a wall of the gur - gapore, where such vertical gardens are being dwara to spread the message of saving envi - used. Due to shrinking spaces in urban areas, ronment, promoting the reuse of waste plastic vertical gardening is the most viable option bottles apart from reducing pollution. these days, which can help in prevent pollu - The bottles have been cut and saplings tion.

‘Neki ki diwar’ in letter and spirit

he ‘Neki ki diwar’, installed by Manav MSS volunteers recently visited Dan - TSewa Samiti (MSS) in Abohar and Lions garkhera village to distribute hundreds of Clubs International in Sriganganagar, has woollens among needy. Members of the been giving much relief to needy families Lions Clubs International, at a recent func - amid bone-chilling winter as the mercury tion, provided 19,340 articles to needy peo - has already dipped to 4 degrees Celsius in ple at ‘Neki ki diwar’. The items included the region. clothes, footwears, blankets, caps, toys, etc.

24 Punjab Advance February-2020 Punjab Diary

Woman force behind Jor Mela wo powerful women of Fatehgarh TSahib district, DC Amrit Kaur Gill and SSP Amneet Kondal, have set an example of excellent management by smoothly handling the annual Shaheedi Jor Mela where lakhs of people turned up from across the world to pay obeisance. The SSP, while managing security affairs, also kept her baby along with her. For the first time, night shelters for pil - grims were established. Public toilets and medical facilities were available round the clock. 200 CCTV cameras were in place. 11SPs, 26 DSPs and 2,500 police personnel were deployed, the SSP said.

Honour for Mohd Rafi fans

Rafi’s birth anniversary for a long time. The NGO has also been marking the singer’s death anniversary on July 31 for the past two years at his birth place in Kotla Sultan Singh, Amritsar. NGO chief Kapil Kalra couldn’t go to Holland to receive the award, but he joined the award ceremony through video-conferencing. Hundreds of music lovers remembered the renowned singer on his 95th birth anniversary. ‘The Rafians’ had made arrangements to we - bcast the programme live, enabling fans in a dozen countries to watch the programme. bohar: Holland-based NGO ‘Peace to total Convener Kapil Kalra said the singer had peace’ has conferred ‘Angles of Peace’ A passed away in 1980 but he was still alive award on ‘The Rafians’, another NGO that has through his evergreen songs. been celebrating legendry singer Mohammad

February-2020 Punjab Advance 25 Narcissus poeticus was one of the first daffodils to be cultivated, and is frequently identified as the narcissus of ancient times. It is also often associated with the Greek legend of Narcissus. It is the type species of the genus Narcissus

26 Punjab Advance February-2020 February-2020 Punjab Advance 27 Luminaries A great revolutionary Sohan Singh Bhakana

150th birth anniversary falls in January, 2020

Ravee Pandher

Singh spent his childhood at Bhakna, where he received his childhood education in the village gurdwara. Married at the age of ten to Bishan Kaur, Sohan Singh finished primary school at the age of sixteen in 1896. He joined school at the age of eleven when the first primary school was opened in his village. Sohan Singh became involved in the national - ist movement and the agrarian unrest that began in Punjab in the 1900s. He participated in the protests against the anti-Colonization Bill in 1906-07. Two years later, in February 1909, he left home to sail for the United States. After a two-month journey, Singh reached Seattle on April 4,1909. Sohan Singh Bhakna became active in the early nationalist movement before he joined the small pioneering stream of men, who moved out aba Sohan Singh, the well-known leader of of Punjab to the Pacific Northwest in the early Bthe Ghadar Party, was a prince among patri - 1900s where he worked in lumber mills. America ots, a revolutionary par-excellence, who lived to wasn’t colonising India but there was no lack of see the rise, and, by his precept and example, racism and discrimination towards the ‘Hindoo’ helped in bringing the fall of the mighty British labourers and Bhakna rapidly joined the early In - Imperialism. In doing so, he spent the best period dian labour movement. of his life, 26 years, in some of the worst jails of When India joined WW1, every Punjabi youth the country. was vigorously encouraged to join the Indian Born in January, 1870, the great revolution - Army. British officials, Indian nobility, Indian dis - ary‘s 150th birth anniversary falls in January, this trict bureaucrats, even the Indian National Con - year. Born into a Shergill Jat family, young Sohan gress and Mahatma Gandhi joined forces to

28 Punjab Advance February-2020 Luminaries promote recruitment. Opposing that consensus Conspiracy Case and sentenced to death, with was a vociferous, violent energetic group, oper - forfeiture of property. The death sentence was ating from North America called the ‘Gadars’, or later commuted to life imprisonment in the An - revolutionaries. The Gadar Party evolved from damans, where he reached on December 10, the Pacific coast association. Their ultimate goal 1915 and undertook several hunger strikes suc - was to overthrow British colonial authority in cessively to get better treatment to the de - India by means of an armed revolution. tainees. Gadar Party’s foremost strategy was to entice In 1921, Sohan Singh was transferred to Coim - Indian soldiers to revolt. To that end, in Novem - batore jail and then to Yervada. Here however, ber 1913 Gadar established the Yugantar Ashram Singh embarked on a hunger strike in protest press in San Francisco. The press produced the against Sikh prisoners not being allowed to wear Hindustan Gadar newspaper and other national - turbans and their Kacchera, amongst their reli - ist literature. The Gadar leadership, under Sohan gious obligations. In 1927, he was shifted to the Singh Bhakna; began at this time their first plans Central Jail at Lahore, where he again went on for mutiny. hunger strike in June 1928 to protest against the The inflammatory passions surrounding the segregation of the so-called low-caste Mazhabi Komagata Maru incident helped the Gadarite Sikhs from other 'high-caste' Sikhs during meals. cause, and Gadar leaders, including Sohan Singh, In 1929, while still interned, he went on a hunger Barkatullah and Taraknath Das, used it as a rally - strike in support of Bhagat Singh. He ultimately ing point and successfully brought many disaf - served sixteen years before he was released early fected Indians in North America into the party's in July 1930. fold. Sohan Singh himself had contacted the re - After his release, he continued working in the turning Komagata Maru at Yokohama and deliv - nationalist movement and labour politics. His ered to Baba Gurdit Singh a consignment of arms, works were identified closely with the works of when he learnt of hostilities breaking out in July the Communist party of India, devoting most of 1914. The war in Europe hastened Gadar's plans. his time to organizing the Kisan Sabhas. He also Elaborate plans were made to ship funds and made the release of interned Gadarites a key part arms from the United States and from South-East of his political work. Asia, to India in what came to be called the He was interned a second time during World Hindu-German Conspiracy. These were to be War II, when he was jailed at the Deoli Camp in used for a planned mutiny in India sometime in what is today Rajasthan. He remained incarcer - late 1914 or early 1915. The plans for the latter ated for nearly three years. After Independence came to be known as the Gadar Conspiracy. he veered decisively towards the Communist Sohan Singh, as one of the top of the Ghadar Party of India. He was arrested on March 31, leadership, sailed to India in the SS Namsang at 1948, but released on May 8, 1948. However, he the outbreak of the war, in the wake of the Ko - was seized again, but jail-going ended for him fi - magata Maru incidence to organise and direct nally at the intervention of Independent India's the rebellion from India. first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. However, British intelligence was already pick - Bent with age and ravaged by pneumonia, ing up traces of the revolutionary conspiracy. Re - Baba Sohan Singh Bhakna died, in Amritsar, on turning to India, Singh was arrested in Calcutta December 21,1968. on October 13, 1914 and sent to Ludhiana for in - He lived another 20 years after Indian Inde - terrogation. He was subsequently sent to the pendence and the Partition, a constant and pro - Central Jail in Multan and later tried in the Lahore lific voice in early Indian politics.

February-2020 Punjab Advance 29 Tribute

A Tribute Dalip Kaur Tiwana -- A doyen of Punjabi literature Lyrical prose was her forte

Punmedia Bureau

Mohali Hospital and was undergoing treatment for acute congestion in the lungs for 20 days in the ICU ward. Born in a village of Ludhiana, Dalip Kaur penned more than 50 books, which include nov - els, story collection, a biography and books for kids. She got fame with her second novel 'Eho Hamara Jeevna'. The novel got more popular when it was adapted for Jalandhar Doordar - shan’s serial with the same title ‘Eho Hamara Jeevna’. Gurbir Singh Grewal had directed the serial and Amar Noori was the lead protagonist, in the role of Bhano. A film ‘Bablu Da Vehda’ (2008) was also based on one of her novels titled ‘Rinn Pitran De’. Late Om Puri even wanted to make a fea - ture film on her novel ‘Eho Hamara Jeevna.’ She did her MA and further went on to do PhD from Panjab University Chandigarh. She joined the Punjabi University Patiala as a lec - turer and went to on to become the professor alip Kaur Tiwana , a towering personality and then Dean of the university.. Dof Punjabi Literature world, passed away ”What Amrita Pritam says in verse, Tiwana on 31st January, 2020. She was admitted in a depicts in prose”. That is how Punjabi writer

30 Punjab Advance February-2020 Tribute

Kartar Singh Duggal summed up Dalip Kaur Ti - ment, she was admired by her students, who wana’s vast body of literary work around three were always welcome to her house. decades back. A prolific writer of more than 50 Patar says when he completed graduation in books, she passed away after a brief illness on 1967, the masters course was available in sev - Friday at a private hospital in Mohali. She was eral universities and colleges of the state. “But 84. I was attracted so much to her writings that I Tiwana’s literary career, which started with didn’t mind leaving Kapurthala for Patiala. She the short story Maran Rut in the mid-1950s, is was an amazing teacher who would never ask spread over seven decades. She has to her students to take notes but her usual question credit 33 novels and 14 anthologies of short sto - used to be: which book did you read last. She ries. Even before falling ill, she was giving final would engage with every young mind present touches to a novel. in the class.” Tiwana’s husband, Prof Bhupinder Singh, a Tiwana was given almost every award meant sociologist, says she was so much in love with for literature in the country: be it the Shiromani writing that around three weeks ago, he noticed Sahitkar Award or Sahitya Akademi Award, Pun - the manuscript of her last novel lying on her jab Sahit Ratan or Saraswati Samman. In 2004, bedside at a hospital in Patiala. she was also awarded Padma Shri, which she re - Her novel ‘Eho Hamara Jeewana’ is consid - turned in October 2015 during the writers’ ered a masterpiece and won the Sahitya award returning movement against rising intol - Akademi Award in 1971. erance in the country. Punjabi poet Surjit Patar, who was Tiwana’s student, says her novels will live for centuries An embodiment of Punjabiat for their lyrical language. “Rarely any other Pun - The Punjab Cabinet led by Capt Amarinder jabi writer has beautifully used conversations in Singh passed a condolence resolution on the his or her writings the way she has.” death of Punjabi litterateur Dr Dalip Kaur Ti - Tiwana’s works were often set in Malwa and wana, describing her as an embodiment of Pun - revolved around the plight of orphaned girls, jab, Punjabi and Punjabiat, who contributed widows and women married to self-centric immensely towards the promotion of Punjabi men. Drawing a parallel between Amrita Pritam language, art and literature through her prolific and Dalip Kaur Tiwana in A History of Punjabi writings, which would forever remain a source Literature, Duggal says both write about the of inspiration for budding writers and millions plight of the women in a “manmade society”. of her readers. “The only difference is that while Amrita Pri - Remembering Dr Tiwana for her remarkable tam’s milieu is mainly urban, at times even uni - services rendered towards Punjabi language, versal, Tiwana is rooted in the soil, her own the Cabinet noted that with her death a huge tradition and folklore, economic exploitation of void had been created in literary circles, which and the social curbs inflicted upon the other sex was difficult to fill.Sharing their heartfelt sym - in society in the state. pathies with the bereaved family in this hour of Born at Rabbon village in Ludhiana district, grief, the Cabinet prayed to the Almighty to give she was raised by her uncle, who was a police them courage to bear this irreparable loss and officer, in Patiala. She joined Punjabi University, grant eternal peace to the departed soul. Patiala, as a lecturer in early 1960s. She retired in 1990s as Dean (Languages). Even after retire -

February-2020 Punjab Advance 31 Tribute Jaswant Singh Kanwal the grand old man of Punjabi letters

Punmedia Bureau

terloo. A son of the soil, Kanwal had never planned to be a writer but he read a poem dedicated to Sri Guru Gobind Singh at a gurdwara function in Malaysia. “I got so much appreciation for it that I turned to reading. When I returned to my village after some two-years-and-a-half, I started tilling the land as my brother separated from the family and the land had to be divided. Whenever I could collect about Rs 20, I would go to Lahore and bring back books to read,” he said. From reading, he moved to writing stories and his first novel was ‘Sach Nu Phaansi’ (Gallows to Truth). The novel, based on a feud followed by mur - he grand old man of Punjabi letters and noted der and punishment to the perpetrator, was an in - Punjabi novelist Jaswant Singh Kanwal is no T stant hit and there was no looking back. He has more. He was 100. published over 50 volumes of short stories, novels Born on June 27, 1919, two-and-a-half months and essays.The list of awards Kanwal received is im - after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, he spent his pressive even if the honours came a little late in life. childhood in the village but moved to the British He received the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship for Malaya as a young man. Upon returning to India, his book ‘Pakhi’ (The Hand Fan) in 1996 and the he began writing on Punjab’s social and political is - Sahitya Akademi Award for his novel ‘Taushali Di sues. Hanso’ (The Hanso Of Taushali). He received the Kanwal wrote his first book in 1940 but had to Sahitya Shiromani Award of the Punjab govern - struggle to get it published. His famous novel, Lahu ment in 2008. The same year he received the de - Di Lau (Dawn of the Blood), which was published gree of Doctor of Literature from Guru Nanak Dev from Singapore in the 1970s, was smuggled to Pun - University, Amritsar. jab during the Emergency. His politics wavered between Sikh religiosity and Born to a Jat Sikh family in Dhudike village in Left movements in Punjab. From a Marxist, he Moga district his stories and novels captured the moved to support the Maoists and later the Khalis - rustic spirit of the peasants of Punjab in flawless tanis. As a writer he is loved most for his novels Punjabi ‘Lahu Di Lao’ (The Dawn of Blood) and ‘Puranmashi’ Interestingly, the writer who went onto receive (The Full-Moon Light). The former was inspired by much fame, was a school dropout. The legendary the Naxalite movement in Punjab and the latter writer often recalls that as a teenager he fled Pun - was a lyrical novel of love and longing in the Punjab jab and went to Malaya (Malaysia) to escape the countryside. matriculation examination as Algebra was his Wa -

32 Punjab Advance February-2020 Films Moment of joy for child actor Sameep Singh

Punmedia Bureau

honoured with Rajat Kamal, Sameep Singh took to his social media handle to share pictures and videos from the 66th National Awards. In his post, he shared a picture of him with Bolly - wood stars Akshay Kumar and Vicky Kaushal, an - other click featured him with other winners of the Best Child Actor title - PV Rohith and Talha Arshad Reshi, and then there’s a photo in which he shared the frame with vetran star Surekha Sikri, who won the National Award for best supporting actress in ‘Badhaai Ho’. Further, he also shared the frame with Ayushmann Khuranna and posted a picture of the award too. He also shared a video of him getting on the stage, touching Vice President Naidu’s feet and then re - ceiving the prestigious award. Sameep Singh made his debut with ‘Harjeeta’ in Pollywood. Though the movie failed to garner much acclaim initially, Sameep’s work was lauded by one and all. No wonder soon after that his schedule got tightly packed as he starred in ‘Qis - mat’ , ‘Rabb Da Radio 2’, ‘Uda Aida’, ‘Guddiyan Pa - tole’ and ‘Ardaas Karaan’ ear 2019 brought a lot of joy for the movie Y‘Harjeeta’. Yes, the efforts of team ‘Harjeeta’ finally paid off a year later, when the movie won the title of Best Punjabi Film at the 66th National Kapurthala to host Punjabi film festival Film Awards. Besides the movie, the director Vijay The Punjab Government will host the first Kumar Arora was honoured for his excellent exe - two-day International Film Festival at Inder cution, and last but not least child actor Sameep Kumar Gujral Punjab Technical University, Singh too was rewarded for his sheer acting tal - Kapurthala, on March 16 and 17, 2020. ent that he showed by being the young Harjeet Earlier, this fair was supposed to be held Singh Tuli. on February 21, 2020, on International Receiving a National Award at such a tender age is Mother Language Day, but due to lack of a matter of both immense joy and pride. Thus, re - calling the moments of seating with the enter - time for preparations, the dates had to be tainment industry’s big names, and being shifted to March.

February-2020 Punjab Advance 33 Career n Competition IAS topper shares his strategy for preparation

¨ Clinches all-India 2nd rank in 2nd attempt

Bureau Report

is first attempt at the Civil Service Examina - While I knew my name would feature some - Htion was a month after he graduated in where in the list, clinching the 2nd rank is some - 2017. While Akshat could not clear the attempt, thing that I must admit I did not anticipate.” it was a great learning experience for him. In an interview with a news agency, Akshat Two years later he clinched the all-India sec - shared his strategy for preparation, time-man - ond rank in the 2019 Union Public Service Com - agement and his vision for the onerous task mission (UPSC) examination. A jubilant Akshat ahead as an IAS officer. Jain said “All this feels a bit surreal, to be honest. Despite all the excitement and media frenzy

34 Punjab Advance February-2020 Career n Competition

around him, Akshat was a picture of calm, as he On preparation time patiently answered questions without any hurry. While Akshat did not attend any coaching classes for his General Studies paper, he said: “I Educational background cannot say that I spent ‘x’ number of hours each A graduate from IIT Guwahati with a degree in day preparing. Instead, I would chalk out the syl - design, 23-year-old Akshat’s early influence to labus I wanted to complete each day and ensure prepare for the UPSC were his civil servant par - that by the end of the day I had done that.” ents. Akshat’s father, Mr D C Jain, is the Joint Di - Speaking about how studying for the exami - rector in the Central Bureau of Investigation nation can sometimes get lonely, Akshat added: (CBI), New Delhi and mother, Mrs Simmi Jain, an “It is a lonely journey but what helps is having Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer is the ADG of family and friends around.” National Academy of Customs, Indirect Taxes and The practical applicability of anthropology Narcotics (NACIN) in Jaipur. caught Akshat’s eye which he chose as his op - His first attempt at the Civil Services Examina - tional paper. He feels that a lot of what the sub - tion was a month after he graduated in 2017. ject covers is practical and can be applied to While Akshat could not clear the attempt it was real-life situations. On the biggest challenge he a great learning experience for him. said: “I feel that one has to put in immense amount of hard work to prepare and clear these examinations and that in turn requires one to be extremely patient.” .Another thing that Akshat While Akshat did not at - mentioned was the sacrifice that one must make, to maintain a rigorous study schedule. While all tend any coaching classes the hard work paid off in Akshat’s case, it can be for his General Studies difficult. “Given that the decision to write the exami - paper, he said: “I cannot nation was entirely mine, the onus of preparing and doing well fell only on me. I had to back my - say that I spent ‘x’ number self and do it to the best of my ability. I was ab - of hours each day prepar - solutely determined to make it,” he added. ing. Instead, I would chalk On the way forward out the syllabus I wanted to Akshat, as of now, is just letting the feeling sink in and is taking the time to look back at the complete each day and en - year.He is also looking forward to serving the sure that by the end of the people. “Healthcare and education are two subjects day I had done that.” that are close to my heart. I intend to use the po - sition to help others,” he added.

February-2020 Punjab Advance 35 Current Events NATIONAL PM announces Ram Mandir The new income tax slabs are safety and reliability of the trust quite different from the old rolling stock. According to an The Prime Minister an - tax rates. If a taxpayer wants estimate, this project will cost nounced the formation of a to avail of the benefits of Rs. 112.96 crore. TheRFID tag 15-member trust ‘The Shri New Income Tax Regime, he uses electromagnetic fields to Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha or she has to forgo over 70 track and identify various ob - Kshetra’ which will have its exemptions that are offered jects. Each RFID tag consists in old income tax slabs. Tax - of a small radio transponder, payer has to decide between a transmitter, and a radio re - the old and new tax slabs. ceiver. An RFID reader de - The income tax regime has codes the information sent been made easier on the by the RFID tag. An RFID tag basis of different income can be affixed to any object slabs from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 15 to track and monitor assents, lakh and above. If you are people and inventory. office at R-20, Greater Kailash opting for new tax rates 2020 Part I in Delhi. The same ad - you will not be allowed to Kisan Rail dress is also the residence of enjoy several exemptions in - The Union Budget 2020-21 Advocate K Parasaran, who cluding deductions under proposes setting up of Kisan had represented the litigant Section 80C/80D, housing Rail to build a national cold 'Ram Lalla' in the dispute and rent allowance(HRA), LTC, En - supply chain for perishables earned the verdict in its tertainment Allowance, self- including meat, milk and fish. favour. Earlier, advocate occupied or vacant property The Kisan rail will be set up by Parasaran had served as the interest and professional tax. the Indian Railways through Attorney General of India 7 slabs have been introduced the PPP arrangement. The under Prime Ministers Indira for personal income tax. The Kisan Rail will comprise re - Gandhi as well as Rajiv tax rates on income up to Rs frigerated coaches in Express Gandhi. According to Home 15 lakh have been reduced to and Freight trains. The Minister Amit Shah the trust benefit the Indian taxpayers. budget also proposed the will have a trustee from the RFID tags on all rail coaches launch of Krishi Udan by the Dalit community. Indian Railways has an - Civil Aviation Ministry on in - nounced that it will equip all ternational and national New IT slabs coaches and engines with routes to transport perish - The Union Budget 2020-21, radio-frequency identifica - able goods to less accessible presented by Finance Minis - tion (RFID) tags for their areas such as the north-east ter Nirmala Sitharaman, in - smart monitoring by the year and tribal districts. troduces the new Income Tax 2021. Indian Railway is taking Regime for the year 2020-21. this measure to improve the

36 Punjab Advance February-2020 Current Events INTERNATIONAL Trump’s peace plan left the European Union on strict ‘birth tourism’. Starting for Israel January 31, 2020, ending 47 January 24, 2020, the US will US President Donald Trump years of membership and not issue temporary visitor B- unveiled his much-awaited marking the beginning of an 1/B-2 visas to foreigners middle-east peace plan to re - uncertain future. Britain's exit seeking to enter the nation solve the Israeli-Palestinian was celebrated as an inde - for birth tourism. Birth conflict on January 28, 2020. pendence day by Brexiteers tourism is a practice of trav - Israeli Prime Minister Ben - with many toasting to the elling to the United States jamin Netanyahu was present moment. The United King - and giving birth on American during the unveiling process. dom has become the first- soil, thereby securing auto - Under the vision, Jerusalem ever nation to leave the matic and permanent Ameri - will remain Israel’s undivided European Union. can citizenship for their capital and the Palestinian children. territory will be doubled. No US visas for birth tourism Britain leaves EU The United States has an - The United Kingdom formally nounced new visa rules to re -

SPORTS Rare honour for Games announced the winner gles title. On the other hand, Rani Rampal on January 31, 2020, after a America's Sofia Canin de - Rani Rampal, captain of Indian 20-day voting process by feated Spain's Garbine Mugu - women’s hockey team, be - sports lovers around the ruza (4-6, 6-2, 6-2) to win the came the first hockey player in world. women's singles title

Novak Djokovic wins Manpreet Singh is FIH player Australian Open of the year Novak Djokovic, Serbian ten - On February 13, 2020, the In - nis star, once again estab - ternational Hockey Federation lished his reign at the named the Indian hockey cap - Australian Open 2020. tain Manpreet Singh as Player the world to win the presti - Djokovic defeated Dominic of the Year, 2019. Manpreet gious ‘World Games Athlete of Thiem of Austria (6-4, 4-6, 2-6, Singh is the first Indian to win the Year’ Award. The World 6-3, 6-4) to win the men's sin - the title.

February-2020 Punjab Advance 37 Literature The Princess of Kahin Nahin

Khushwant Singh

looked forward to her visits because she had I took a look at the invitation card. It was to a Inothing nice to say about anyone. Since I was book launch at Hotel Le Meridien, hosted by the inclined the same way, in the hour or so she publisher of a debut novel by a young author stayed and had her evening quota of Scotch we whose parents I knew. I expected an invitation trashed the reputations of everyone known and card too. "Good drinks and canapes at the Meri - unknown to us. It was like emptying out our bow - dien," I remarked. els of their stinking contents, one of the great "I can do better in my own home," she joys of life. As both of us were writers of sorts, scoffed. "Who wants to waste an evening listen - our main targets were fellow-writers who had ing to boring speeches and readings from a non - done better than us. The unending succession of descript novel? I don't think I'll go." book launches in five-star hotels gave us plenty of I got my invitation card the next day. I went material to go for cheap publicity hunters whose on time and took a seat in the last row. By then books would go unnoticed if they did not ply the the hall was only half full. I recognised some reg - media with booze and snacks. ulars: retired ambassadors and civil servants, for - Our dialogue would begin in much the same mer ministers, ex-princelings—self-styled Rajas, manner. She would breeze in with a loud "Hi Nawabs, Tikkas, Kanwars—and a few others who Khushee!", plant a kiss on each cheek, and put made it a practice to grace every event where her handbag on the chair beside mine. "Help they could get Scotch, wine and tasty snacks free yourself," I would say to her. She would go to the of charge. But for those, they had to wait till the tray on which Scotch, gin, rum, ice-bucket and a speeches were over and the book launched to couple of sodas were laid out. She would pick up flashes of camera bulbs. the bottle of Scotch, tilt it sideways, read the I saw my lady friend come in. She surveyed the label and ask, "Haven't you got anything better?" scene, walked past the front row of chairs so that I'd snap back, "It is Black Label, premium brand." everyone would notice her presence, then went She'd snort, "I prefer Single Malt." However, she to the table piled with the author's novel for any - would pour out two whiskeys and say, "You must one who wished to buy some at a reduced price. get better glasses. These are desi imitations. Get She picked up one, turned over a few pages and French, German or Czech cut crystal glasses. Next put it back on the pile. She found an empty seat time I go abroad, I'll get you some. They make all in the front row. the difference." She'd pour soda and a couple of I sat through the speeches and launch cere - ice cubes in mine, hand it to me. Then go to the mony. As soon as they were over, I went to the fridge, fetch a bottle of mineral water to add to long tables on which waiters were pouring out her whisky and take her seat and say "Cheers". drinks. I helped myself to a double Scotch and After a sip or two she would open her hand - gobbled up salted biscuits heaped with caviare. I bag, fish out a card and ask, "Have you got this?" saw my lady friend pick her company. She was

38 Punjab Advance February-2020 Literature choosy. She disdained the hoi polloi and only jewellery. "Where did you get this gold choker? It talked to men of noble birth or distinction, whom must have cost a bomb!" She would reply de - she referred to as Renaissance Men. "Very few murely, "Oh, I couldn't afford to buy such things; left," she would lament. "They had class and they are family heirlooms. This is from my grand - breeding and impeccable manners. That breed of mother, this was a part of my mother's dowry." men has died out." And so on. I had to admit my lady friend had class, right Despite her protestations and saying, "I don't from her name to her demeanour. Her name was think I'll go to this book launch", she was seen at Rajkumari Rukmini Devi. She didn't tell me the every book launch in the city. I pointed this out to name of the Rajwada of which she was the Ra - her, "Somebody told me you were seen at the jkumari. But she did tell me about her upbring - launch of that Punjabi fellow's novel about ing in the strict purdah observed by Hindu Chandigarh." She replied, "It was at the British aristocratic fami - Council. I make an lies, her English exception for their governesses and launches." her schooling at "But they have no home. place to park cars, It was only after and serve you mis - Independence erable drops of that she and other Scotch which you lady members of have to gulp down her family dis - standing up, they carded their have no place to ghoonghats, and sit," I said. I told she was allowed to her I also avoided go abroad for embassy cultural studies. She re - receptions at Max garded herself as a Mueller Bhawan very superior per - and the American son. Needless to say, most people who met her Cultural Centre. "The hosts go through the mo - did not take to her. They were jealous of her and tions of hospitality like cold-blooded diplomats called her a fraud. Some called her the 'Rajkumari and impatiently wait for their guests to leave." of Chootiapuram'—a nasty innuendo, the mean - "I don't go to book launches to drink free ing of which I leave to the readers to work out. whisky," she snorted. "If people like us did not go And for good measure added, "She makes a to foreign embassy receptions, they would think chootia of you." we are not friendly towards them." When she wanted to, as she did at wedding So Rajkumari had good reasons for not want - and embassy receptions, Rajkumari dressed up ing to go to book launches as well as for going to in all her state regalia of artificial jewellery: round all of them. And she always made sure her pres - her neck, a gold-plated brass choker which ence was noted. People called her a name-drop - looked liked genuine gold and a necklace of glass per. That she was, but with a difference: while beads that shone like pearls; a lehnga of silk others dropped names of people they barely striped with silver, and a see-through chiffon du - knew, she knew all the bigwigs whose names she patta. Women flocked round her to admire her dropped and only added: "I know him very well."

February-2020 Punjab Advance 39 Literature

If you said anything derogatory about them, she I thought a lot over the matter. I asked her if rose to their defence saying, "Never! He could she really meant it, or was it another of her ploys never have said such a thing. I know him very to get people talking about her? When I told well." other friends about her decision, they dismissed People also said she was a grabber, not a it. "She is gupping," some said. "Good riddance!" giver. That was unfair. There was a time when said others. "Why do you waste time on that sour she entertained in the grand style of a lady hold - puss?" ing a salon: premium brand Scotch, French wines, Then, as suddenly as she had told me of her sumptuous dinner. She had to give that up be - decision to quit Delhi forever, she announced her cause she was never able to keep her servants decision to defer it for a while longer. "What hap - too long: some she fired for drinking her whisky pened about the sale of your flat?" I asked. or cheating on prices of vegetables; others for "The fellow's cheque bounced," she replied being uncouth or insolent. with complete nonchalance. "See what Delhi She said she no longer entertained as she felt people are like? You can't trust any of them." people would then feel That was the end obliged to return her of Rajkumari's resolve to hospitality. I was one of Then, as suddenly as she had abandon Delhi. But she them, perhaps the only told me of her decision to quit began to get away from one of her friends who Delhi forever, she announced her the city more frequently continued to see her. than before, for Delhi Most others did not decision to defer it for a while summers had become bother to answer her longer. "What happened about the unbearably hot, and telephone calls. She was winters too chilly for pained by their lack of sale of your flat?" I asked. "The comfort. So she trav - gratitude and grace. One fellow's cheque bounced," she elled—to Bombay, Ban - evening she announced: galore or Hyderabad, "I have decided to leave replied with complete noncha - Chandigarh or Calcutta. Delhi. Here life has be - lance. "See what Delhi people are Wherever it was, she come so artificial, I can't stayed at Raj Bhawans as take it any more. I have like? You can't trust any of them." guest of the governor of sold my flat." the state. She had much I was taken back. to say about their lack of "Where on earth will you go?", I asked. "You will style of living. "I don't understand from where regret it for the rest of your life." the government picks up these lalloo-panjoos "Too late!" she said with an air of finality. "I (riff-raff) and makes them governors," she said. have got the cheque. Besides, I live alone. There "At one time they used to be the elite of renais - is a murder or two every other day of people liv - sance men, who knew the art of living. It was a ing alone. There were three last week in my pleasure talking to them and exchanging views. neighbourhood." They are dead and gone. Now we have types I I was dismayed. What would life in Delhi be would not invite to dine with me." for me without Rajkumari? Who would I ex - She was often abroad too: Paris, London, change gossip with? Who would I find as well-in - Madrid, New York, Washington. Rather than stay formed about people's private lives and with in hotels, she preferred staying with important whom would I now tear them apart? people whom she described as her close friends.

40 Punjab Advance February-2020 Literature

A few days after she was back, she would invite "He wanted to talk to me, but you did not give herself over. The first thing she would do was to him a chance to do so. What's happened to your open her handbag and say, "I never forget to manners?" "If that is how you feel," she snapped, bring something for you." She would take out "I won't waste my time coming to see you." I two or three little pieces of cheese of the sort yelled back, "Don't. If this is how you are going served with meals on every flight: "Genuine Brie to behave, don't come and ruin my evenings." and Camembert. Not Indian imitations," she It was the first time we quarrelled. I told every - would say. "And this, Single Malt Scotch," she one about what had transpired. No one sympa - would say, taking out two miniature bottles given thised with me. On the contrary, they rubbed salt free on many flights. "Try them out." So it be - in my wounded ego. "Serve you right," they said. came her party in my home. "She made a chootia of you." There was something childlike about Rajku - For three months we did not meet or bother mari: she wanted to be the centre of attention to ring each other. She said nasty things about wherever she was. If there were other guests in me, which in due course our friends conveyed to my home, she gave them me. I said nasty things the cold shoulder and in - about her which they sisted on talking to me There was something child - conveyed to her with as if there was no one like about Rajkumari: she much relish. But just else present. At times when I thought our as - she was rude to them. wanted to be the centre of at - sociation was over, she And she loved contra - rang me up, "I am com - dicting me. I was in the tention wherever she was. If ing over to talk to you. habit of coming out with there were other guests in my There are misunder - couplets of Urdu poetry standings between the or lines from some Eng - home, she gave them the cold best of friends, but they lish poet. She would cut must be sorted out, the me short and give what shoulder and insisted on talk - sooner the better. she thought was the cor - ing to me as if there was no Friendship is sacred." rect version. Our argu - She came over, ment would get heated. one else present. gave me the same dou - She would put out ble-kiss greeting. She her hand and challenge poured out the Scotch me. "Bet? A bottle of Scotch?" I would accept the without commenting on its quality or of the challenge, and get the exact lines from antholo - glasses into which it was poured. "So, it's all for - gies of poetry in my collection, to prove her gotten and forgiven," she said raising her glass. I wrong. She always forgot about the bet but touched my glass to hers and said, "Amen." After scored a win because she would then monopo - a few moments of silence, she said, "There was lise the entire evening. I became short with her. one word people said you ascribed to me which Once, a writer whom I had praised in my columns I did not understand, except that it sounded very came to see me. She had not read anything by vulgar. In our families we never used vulgar him but engaged him in conversation without giv - words." I thought about it and replied: "Perhaps ing him a chance to speak to me. He was as upset it was chootia—you made a chootia of me." as I was. As I saw them off, she came back to ask, "Who is this Johnnie?" I let her have it full blast.

February-2020 Punjab Advance 41 Diversification Canola farming is his forte

Harwinder Singh leads in crop diversification

Ravee Pandher

canola oil of the entire country. Along with good quality canola oil of international standards, this will also make available 6.9 lakh tonnes of good quality defatted cake. There is a huge export potential of oilcake in India but high level of glucosinolates (100- 120µmoles/gm defatted meal) is resulting in ex - ports at lower prices. Double zero canola varieties offer the dual benefit to millers : (i) ex - traction of canola oil for sale in Indian markets at premium price and (ii) use for local poultry/cattle feed industry or export of oil cake at higher price. PAU-bred canola varieties are not genetically modified (Non-GMO) and there should be no per - ceived concern for honey bee industry. The state can emerge as a hub for canola oil nhancing farm income is the focus of current in the Indian market and start up for Yellow Eagricultural systems. This requires cultiva - Health Revolution. PAU has launched canola oil tion of highly productive crop varieties with su - “PAUola” as a pilot experiment and received very perior end-product quality. Growing canola good response from consumers. The technical quality rapeseed-mustard varieties could con - knowhow and economics for canola oil extrac - tribute significantly in enhancing the income of tion is being provided to progressive farmers/en - farmers growing rapeseed-mustard in NW India, trepreneurs as a continuous effort and yielding especially Punjab. Punjab is the only state in the good results. country growing canola varieties on significant A matriculate and 46-year-old progressive area of approx. 20,000 hectares, primarily in cen - farmer Harwinder Singh from Bhadalwad village, tral districts of Punjab. about 7 km from Dhuri, is a living example for the Keeping in mind the demand for canola oil in farming community as he adopts various tech - the country, if about 5 Lakh hectares area under niques for the conservation of natural resources wheat (about 14-15% of wheat cultivated area) like water and soil. This year, he was honoured is replaced by cultivation of canola varieties along with “The Chief Minister Award for Innovative with proper policy and market support, Punjab Farmers in Agriculture”. He is a also a member of has the potential of meeting the demand of the Agricultural University Ludhiana.

42 Punjab Advance February-2020 Diversification

Harwinder, who has an experience of about wheat, basmati and paddy. He even set up his 30 years in farming, owns 23 acres and he takes own firm to sell the seeds. nine acres on lease. For conservation of natural Dr Mandeep Singh said that in 2013-14, Har - resources, he levels his fields with a laser land winder — by adopting crop diversification — had leveller and uses fertiliser on the basis of the soil earned a net profit of around Rs. 70,000 per acre. test report. He opts to grow green manure crops He had earned the profit by sowing basmati, and ploughs back wheat residue into the soil for paddy, banana, sugarcane, mustard, wheat, augmenting soil fertility. He has also laid under - onion, maize, fodder etc on 30 acres. ground water pipes for irrigation. Harwinder has developed several varieties of Singh also believes in crop diversification. In canola seeds. Last year, he planted Canola- Mus - 2014, he had grown sugarcane on 12 acres, bas - tard in 20 acres of land. He informs us that sul - mati on 10 acres, paddy on 8 acres, banana on an phur plays a very important role in the acre and soyabean/kitchen gardening on an acre. production of this crop. This technique increases In 2014, he was also honoured by PAU Kisan Club, the volume of oil from the crop. He uses ‘single Ludhiana, with the ‘Innovative Farmer’ Award for super-fast’ manure in his fields that increases the crop diversification. crop by 10 quintal per acre. This comes to 3500 He told us that he has been sowing the intercrop to 4000 rupees per quintal. The cost of produc - of mustard in the sugarcane crop and getting 7.5- tion per acre is 13,600 rupees. This includes the 10 quintals yield per acre. He had also motivated cost of the seeds, labour and harvesting. Ten around 30 farmers not to burn wheat straw. Due quintals of Canola gives 333 litre oil. to his efforts, these farmers have also stopped The complete cost of packaging and labelling burning straw and are using it in their fields to of bottles costs Rs. 4000 for 333 litres. One litre improve soil fertility. oil costs Rs. 130 in the market and animal feed Harwinder Singh has also got training in seed made from the residue sells for 2500 per quintal. production in 2013 from Krishi Vigyan Kendra Each Sunday, at the Atma Kisan Bazar in Banasar (KVK), Kherri (Sangrur). Deputy Director, KVK Dr Bagh, Harwinder Singh markets his product. He Mandeep Singh said Harwinder was now also in sells his product under the name, ‘Tej Agro En - the business of seed production of sugarcane, terprises’.

February-2020 Punjab Advance 43 Health Leg cramps causes and prevention

Dr Ravinder Chadha

uscle cramps are extremely common and agonizing pain. Typically an individual suffers Malmost everyone experiences them, es - from a sudden sensation in the leg while sleep - pecially after crossing the age of 60 years. Mus - ing, which awakens him. The duration of the cle cramps are caused due to sudden cramp varies from a few seconds to 10 minutes, uncontrolled contraction of a muscle. The con - or even longer. Commonly the effected muscles tracted muscle does not relax, thereby leading are calf, hamstring (back of thigh) and muscles to symptoms varying from mild discomfort to of feet, hands etc. The exact cause of muscle cramps is not known, but it is believed that muscle fatigue due to dehydradion, poor circulation due to certain diseases leads to abnormalities in the mecha - nism that controls muscle contraction. The fol - lowing are other factors leading to muscle cramps: Exercising in intense heat, dehydration and depletion of salt and minerals. Muscle exhaus - tion depletes a muscle’s oxygen supply leading to accumulation of waste products and spasm’ Leg cramps can be due to Lumbar Nerve root in - volvement, metabolic disturbances as is Dia - betes Mellitus thyroid disease etc. Certain medicines too can cause muscle cramps like Salbutamol used for asthma, Statins used for lowering blood cholesterol and Di - uretics (Lasix) used for vigorous removal of body fluid. Patients on dialysis often complain of leg cramps due to depletion of electrolytes. Poor circulation to muscles due to peripheral artery disease can also cause cramps, especially in calf muscles. Poor circulation results in de - creased oxygen supply to the muscles leading to severe pain.

44 Punjab Advance February-2020 Health

Leg cramps are common during pregnancy, cent of the previous week’s regimen. especially after the second trimester. The likely Cramps associated with dehydration due to reason leg muscles being fatigued from carrying vigorous physical activities, especially in sum - extra weight of pregnancy. Cramps can also mers, can be treated with fluid and electrolyte occur due to circulation problems in the legs replacement. Therefore drinking water before, when enlarged uterus puts pressure on the during and after activities is very important. blood vessels that return blood from legs to Doing calf stretching two to three times just heart. before going to bed can prevent night cramps. Also stretch calf muscles regularly throughout Try the following when cramping occurs: the day. Apply ice pack to the cramped muscle Sleeping with toes pointing downwards Take a hot shower bath shortens the calf muscle leading to cramp. Therefore place blanket loose at the food-end The most important aspect of dealing with to prevent toes and feet pointing downward the muscle cramp disorder is prevention. The while sleeping. following are the important preventive meas - Persistent and severe cramps can be treated ures: with quinine sulfate, vitamin E muscle relax - Persons undertaking vigorous physical activ - ants, sodium chloride, calcium and magnesium ities must do adequate warm-up, stretching be - supplements. fore the event; Massage of the muscles is very useful in Cramps are very common in people who sud - treating cramps as it increases the circulation to denly increase their exercise. Therefore one the muscles, which helps in its relaxation. should increase the training intensity gradually. The following exercises can prevent muscle The best way to increase exercise is by 10 per cramps: Calf muscle stretch: Stand about two to two and a half feet away from the wall. Lean with Cramps are very common the forearms against the wall with one leg be - hind the other leg. Bend the front knee without in people who suddenly in - raising heel of the back foot,. Hold the stretched position for a count of 15,. Repeat three times. crease their exercise. Hamstring muscle stretch: Lie with one leg Therefore one should in - folded and the other straight out. Hold from the back of knee and raise the leg till a stretch is felt crease the training intensity at the back of the thigh. Hold the stretch for a count of 20. Repeat three times. gradually. The best way to Most of the cramps are benign in nature with no serious complications. Cramps which are se - increase exercise is by 10 vere, frequent and not responding to the usual per cent of the previous modes of treatment must be investigated prop - erly. week’s regimen. Author is a former physio-therapist of the Indian cricket team.

February-2020 Punjab Advance 45 Children’s World

Hi kids,

ebruary this year has 29 days. The 29th were not. Fextra day has been added because 2020 is We have leap years because instead of 365 a leap year. Well kids you must be aware that a days, the Earth really takes a few minutes less leap year comes every four years. than 365-1/4 days (365.24219) to go com - I present to you facts about this four-year pletely around the Sun. Without leap years, the phenomenon in the Gregorian calendar which seasons would start one day earlier on the cal - is used by most of the world. endar every four years. After 360 years, spring A leap year is a year in which an extra day is (which usually begins on March 21) would added to the Grego - rian calendar. While an ordinary year has 365 days, a leap year has 366 days.The extra day, February 29, is added to the month of February. In an ordinary year, February has 28 days, but in a leap year, it has 29 days. The extra 29th day, called a leap day, is the same day of the week as the first day of the month, February 1. Also, in a leap year, the months of begin on December 21 (which is when winter January, April, and July all start on the same day presently begins).A number of countries use a of the week. lunar calendar (based on the moon, instead of A leap year comes once every four years. Be - the Sun, like our solar calendar is). They have cause of this, a leap year can always be evenly leap years when they add an extra lunar month. divided by four. For example, 2012 was a leap Different calendars add the extra month in dif - year. But a year is not a leap year if it can be ferent ways. evenly divided by 100 but cannot also be evenly -- Uncle Don divided by 400. This is why 1600, 2000, and 2400 are leap years, but 1700, 1800, and 1900

46 Punjab Advance February-2020 Children’s World

Rabbit and turtle win as a team

nce upon a time a other race, but on a “O Turtle and a Rabbit slightly different route. had an argument about The rabbit agreed. They who was faster. started off. In keeping with They decided to settle the his self-made commitment argument with a race. They to be consistently fast, the agreed on a route and rabbit took off and ran at started off the race. The top speed until he came to rabbit shot ahead and ran a broad river. The finishing briskly for some time. Then line was a couple of kilo - seeing that he was far meters on the other side of ahead of the turtle, he the river. The rabbit sat thought he'd sit under a there wondering what to tree for some time and do. In the meantime the relax before continuing the turtle trundled along, got race. He sat under the tree into the river, swam to the and soon fell asleep. The turtle plodding on opposite bank, continued walking and finished overtook him and soon finished the race, the race. emerging as the undisputed champ. The rab - Moral of the story: First identify your core bit woke up and realized that he'd lost the competency and then change the playing field race.” to suit your core competency. Moral of the story: Slow and steady wins the Third modern story: The rabbit and the turtle, race. by this time, had become pretty good friends This is the version of the story that we've all and they did some thinking together. Both re - grown up with. But then recently, the story alized that the last race could have been run still continues: much better. So they decided to do the last First modern story: The rabbit was disap - race again, but to run as a team this time. They pointed at losing the race and he did some started off, and this time the rabbit carried the soul-searching. He realized that he'd lost the turtle till the riverbank. There, the turtle took race only because he had been overconfident, over and swam across with the rabbit on his careless and lax. If he had not taken things for back. On the opposite bank, the rabbit again granted, there's no way the turtle could have carried the turtle and they reached the finish - beaten him. So he challenged the turtle to an - ing line together. They both felt a greater other race. The turtle agreed. This time, the sense of satisfaction than they'd felt earlier. rabbit went all out and ran without stopping Moral of the story: It's good to be individually from start to finish. He won by several miles. brilliant and to have strong core competen - Moral of the story: Fast and consistent will al - cies; but unless you're able to work in a team ways beat the slow and steady. It's good to be and harness each other's core competencies, slow and steady; but it's better to be fast and you'll always perform below par because there reliable. will always be situations at which you'll do Second modern story: The turtle did some poorly and someone else does well. Teamwork thinking this time, and realized that there's no is mainly about situational leadership, letting way he can beat the rabbit in a race the way it the person with the relevant core competency was currently formatted. He thought for a for a situation take leadership. while, and then challenged the rabbit to an -

Punjab Advance 47 February-2020 What the stars foretell Dr. Prem Kumar Sharma (Astrologer, Palmist, Numerologist & Vastu Consultant) email: [email protected]

Aries: (March 21-April 20): Decision Leo: (July 23-August 23): This is the Sagittarius: (November 23-December regarding a property may go in your right time to initiate something on 21): A good break is on the cards for favour. Those on the lookout for a the property front. You may go out engineers, doctors and business ad - suitable accommodation will find one on a fitness spree by choosing healthy ministrators. You may be instrumen - to their liking. A social function may substitutes in your diet. You are tal in implementing something on the need to be given a miss, due to hectic likely to achieve much on the profes - work front. Things are likely to turn schedule. A good time can be ex - sional front by not leaving anything favourable on the financial front, as pected on the romantic front. You pending. You will need to take the money flows in. Friends and relations will manage to remain fit and ener - initiative on the home front, if you will prove to be a big support. You are getic. want things to move your way. likely to think better ways of doing, what you do best.

Taurus: (April 21-May 20):): An ex - Virgo: (August 24-September 23): Capricorn: (December 22-January 21): cellent time for profit, as you are You are likely to heave a sigh of relief This is an excellent time for you to likely to attract money like anything! after a hectic time on the social front. participate in a family gathering with On the professional front, you will be Change envisaged on the professional full enthusiasm. A matchmaking able to impress those who matter front may have a positive effect on process for the eligible is likely to have solely by your excellent performance. profits. However, this change may a positive outcome. Shopping for You will manage to get leave for a not be appreciated by some. Moder - something specific may take you to short vacation. Whatever you have ate eating and total abstinence from some other city. Obstacles encoun - been following on the fitness front is excesses is your key to good health tered on the academic front are likely certain to keep you healthy and en - and you will be able to follow it. to disappear. ergetic.

Gemini: (May 21-June 21): Shifting Libra: (September 24-October 23): Aquarius: (January 22-February 19): into new premises is destined and Sharing your feelings with the one An ailment that had been troubling may even prove lucky. Acquiring you love will give you immense satis - you for long is likely to disappear. A new office premises or a house is on faction. This is the right time to journey appears to be far from satis - the cards for some. A pet project initiate something on the property factory. Someone in the family in a hanging fire for long on the profes - front. You may go out on a fitness complaining mood will be handled sional front may need the right kind spree by choosing healthy substitutes well by you. Friends or relations may of resources to become successful, so in your diet. Someone is in need of arrive unannounced and compel you don’t do anything premature. Your your support at work, so extend it to change your personal plans. Don't attempts for social recognition may and reap instant popularity! A match take health for granted. not immediately succeed. for the eligible is likely to be found.

Cancer: (June22-July 22) Hiring ex - Scorpio: (October 24-November 22): Pisces: (February 20-March 20): You pert hands at work will be a step in Getting wiser by the day will help will be able to manage your finances the right direction. You may take you avoid the pitfalls on the profes - well to keep things moving smoothly. time off to plan how your profes - sional front. Catering to someone im - A changed set-up on the professional sional sphere is likely to shape up. portant may keep you on your toes. front is possible. Some complications regarding ancestral property cannot be Your reluctance in spending money You can be a bit harsh where disci - plining is concerned. Love will be far - ruled out for some. Things that have on something you accord a lower pri - been neglected at work may come thest from your mind as you immerse ority may not be right. Only token back to haunt you. Someone you like presence will be possible for you for yourself in something important. A may not approach you to express his or attending a function you have been most peaceful existence is indicated her romantic intentions and disap - invited to, due to paucity of time. on the home front. point you.

48 Punjab Advance February-2020 FEEDBACK

- How do you like the magazine? - What do you like about the magazine? - What are your suggestions to make it more readable?

Suggestion:______

Please post your reply to the following address: Punmedia, Room No. 1, 5th Floor, Punjab Civil Secretariat, Chandigarh-160001 or you can email: [email protected]

February-2020 Punjab Advance 49 LAST WORD When cupid strikes

Donald Banerjee

took a trip down memory lane on Valentine’s first love letter. IDay (February 14). When did I experience the Delete your name, advised one of my friends. first feel of love for some one? Armed with the revised love letter, sans my It was the winter of 1964. I was just 18. Bitten name, I headed for the window, overlooking the by the cricket bug, we had formed a cricket club park, where she studied after dusk. in our colony in Lucknow. With two of A slight breeze made her get up. my elder brothers Ranji Trophy crick - She saw me and opened the other eters, I was determined to make a window also. As she sat down, I mark at least at the inter-club threw the letter. A sudden gush level. of wind sent the letter sailing The first match being into the window. I returned against the Singar Nagar Club, home, having accom - I was out in my white flannels plished my mission. opening the innings on my I had fixed our home ground. The very first date outside her gate at ball saw me hit a square cut. 9 pm. As I walked down Egged on by jubilant club to her house whistling a members, I stepped out and particular tune, I saw the went for a big hit. As the ball gate open. But then, I froze in sailed over the bowler’s my steps. It was her father with head, I saw two eyes fo - a torch and a stick. cussed on me from Taking quick steps I virtu - the rooftop. ally ran into the open ‘maid - Two overs later I went for an - aan’. Her father followed me. other lusty stroke. Mid-on had become the A little distance ahead, I in - focus of all my shots. The ball hit the wall. Yes, it stinctively did what two other was a small six. She clapped and threw me a persons were busy at. I pulled smile. I went on for some more lofty hits. down my pants and sat down on I remained unbeaten on 85, my career-best my haunches. score, as the team folded at 150. We managed to “Kya kar rahe ho? Bund karo bundle out the rivals for just 117. roshni!” shouted one of the two men, forcing him Our unspoken feelings continued to blossom. to beat a hasty retreat. She made it a point to be on the roof every It was two months later that Mohini (name evening during our net practice. My interest changed) told me that the letter had landed on started shifting from cricket to her. her father’s lap in the verandah on that windy After a month I decided to strike. I poured out day. my feelings on paper. I drafted and redrafted my

50 Punjab Advance February-2020 The Government of Punjab is now on Social media

he Government of Punjab has made forays into the world of social media in an endeavour to facelift to facilitate a vibrant two-way communication between T the State Government and the people of Punjab. Join our online community on Facebook, Twitter, Wordpress and YouTube for regular real-time updates on latest events, news, policies, schemes and initiatives for a factual account on ‘Everything Punjab’. Connect with #PunjabGovtIndia and like/comment/share on the official pages at:

You can also e-mail us at [email protected] for any queries and/or suggestions. For a detailed account on State Development Facebook.com/PunjabGovtIndia

Twitter.com/PunjabGovtIndia

Punjabgovtindia.wordpress.com

Youtube.com/c/PunjabGovtIndia

Initiatives/Schemes, you can also download the monthly e-magazines for Punjab Advance (English), Vikas Jagriti (Punjabi), Vikas Jagriti (Hindi) at www.diprpunjab.gov.in and www.punjababvanceonline.com

your insights are valuable to us. You can revert with your comments on the magazines at [email protected]

we look forward to hearing from you.

February-2020 Punjab Advance 51 Postal Registration No.CHD/0161/2013-2015 Actual date of posting 10 to 15-10-2017

Maha Shivaratri (February 21, 2020)