Good Harvest : Zamindara Farm Solutions’ pay-as-you-go model helps small farmers avoid a debt trap

BHUPINDER SINGH

"Explaining the economics to 40 farmers converts just five. They ask us what our political agenda is" —Vikram Ahuja , Founder, Zamindara Farm Solutions

GOOD BUSINESS

Good Harvest

Zamindara Farm Solutions' pay-as-you-go model helps small farmers avoid a debt trap

HIMANSHU KAKKAR

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Zamindara Farm Solutions

• Started April 2005
• Initial investment Rs 10 lakh
• Working with Small farmers
• Social impact Small farmers get access to modern farm machinery/implements at lower cost. They need not buy a costly tractor and spend rest of their life repaying loans.

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Pakistanis reached until here during the 1965 war," says a local waving his arm around. "The border is just about 4 km away." This close to the India-Pakistan border in Punjab's Fazilka district, boundaries get fuzzy. Farmers cross into no-man's land to tend their fields, with passes issued by the Border Security Force, and tall tales of war and opium smuggling are dusted off for the entertainment of any newcomer. But soon enough, the conversation shifts to debt and farmer suicides.
Neighbouring districts like Sangrur and Bathinda may have grabbed the headlines but Fazilka is no stranger to farmer suicides either. But the state government and Centre don't recognise Punjab as a suicide-affected state and there is great disagreement over the number of deaths — the numbers quoted by various agencies range from 50,000 to 90,000 in the past 20 years. According to the National Sample Survey Organisation, 65% farmers in Punjab are in debt with an average per acre debt of Rs 18,000. Clearly, the country's bread basket is crumbling. And it's taking the small farmer with it.
For several years, Vikram Ahuja was a mute spectator to the crumbling. Born in a land-owning family of Fazilka, his family successfully ventured into selling tractors and farm equipment in the 1960s. Ahuja joined the family business after completing his education; 20 years later, he decided he could no longer just watch from the sidelines. "Small farmers are neck deep in debt; the size of holdings is not viable, yields are stagnant, water table is receding and labour costs are headed north," he lists.

Renting a tractor will cost Rs 1,200 a year per acre whereas owning it means spending about Rs 83,000 every year on interest alone

Ahuja may not be able to solve all that ails Punjab but he made a start by setting up Zamindara Farm Solutions in 2005. "If you want to fly to Mumbai, do you buy a plane? If you want to read a book, do you buy an entire library?" he asks. "That's the folly small farmers commit — buying the equivalent of an airplane." Zamindara (from the Punjabi word for land husbandry) is Ahuja's version of an implement bank, quite like a library. His workshops house 170 machines: tractors, harrows, JCBs (excavators), rotovators, seed sowers, harvesters, fodder choppers and many more. Farmers call to hire equipment for as long as they want, paying a daily rental. Where needed, operators and know-how is provided. It's convenient and cheaper than owning the machinery: for instance, a farmer may need a tractor for a week during sowing, which will cost him about Rs 14,000. That's less than half the cost of replacing a tractor's tyres (Rs 35,000). In fact, the average rice or wheat farmer needs a tractor for just six hours every year for each acre of land. Renting the machine would cost Rs 1,200 a year per acre whereas owning it means spending about Rs 83,000 every year on interest alone. So unless a farmer owns 70 acres of land, it doesn't make financial sense. The average land holding in Punjab, though, is just 1.75 hectares (4.3 acres).
Revolution baggage
Punjab's farmers are weighed down by the legacy of the Green Revolution. The high-yield grain introduced in the late 1960s came at a cost — it requires intensive use of irrigation, fertilisers and machines. Anu Nagpal, director, Zamindara, explains that just a tractor and its accessories costs Rs 6.5 lakh. But, "Farmers like to own a tractor — even if they die of the debt — because they think a farmer isn't a farmer without one," says Kulvinder Grewal, a farmer with 18 acres of land. But he concedes that maintenance is costly. "I prefer Zamindara's services. God knows how the others manage."
The company organises meetings at gurudwaras and distributes pamphlets — even the logos on the machines have been replaced with Zamindara's to build brand visibility. But convincing farmers remains a challenge. "Explaining the economics to 40 farmers converts just five," laughs Ahuja. "They ask us what our political agenda is." In the past seven years, 6,000 farmers in a 300 km radius around Fazilka — including Ferozpur, Mukstar and Sangrur in Punjab and Sriganganagar and Hanumangarh in Rajasthan — have availed of this service. There are implement lenders in the unorganised sector but few offer the expertise that Zamindara does. Which is why Ahuja's Rs 10-lakh investment has grown to a Rs 6-crore business.
Tweaking the model
Ahuja started Zamindara with a simple business model. The company would borrow from banks to buy machines. The hourly rent was arrived at by taking the 13-14% bank borrowing cost, and adding depreciation, operating expenses and margin of 5-6%. "This way, an implement breaks even in three years," says Ahuja. There were several hurdles: borrowers used the machines roughly, switched new tyres with old…. The company introduced a better checking system, but the biggest change came from engaging farmers as partners. In 20 villages, Zamindara brought on farmers as co-owners of machines — they invest Rs 30,000 and get a cut from the rent received. More importantly, they ensure the machines are in good repair and the local partner becomes a hub for nearby villages.
At Taliwala village, 23-year-old Parminder is one such entrepreneur. He joined Zamindara after having been a customer for a few years. He's impressed by the economics of renting. "If you have 4 acres and spend Rs 9 lakh on machines, you will end up in a debt trap," Parminder says. He hires out tractors and keeps 10% of the rent as his cut. "We need thousands of Parminders to solve India's agrarian problems," says Ahuja. Meanwhile, a start has been made.
http://business.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?282032

किस्मत काबू में : दुनिया की पहली डायल - ए - रिक्शा सर्विस : Rasrang Sunday Dainik Bhaskar Magazine : 25 August 2012

Rasrang Sunday Dainik Bhaskar Magazine : 25 August 2012

In this village, cancer is a way of life

DanGarkhera Disease claims 11 lives, 30 more diagnosed

Cancer patients — that is what Dangarkhera in Balluana constituency of district Fazilka is infamous for. In the last two years, 11 patients have died in this village because of cancer, while more than 30 others are suffering from the disease.

No specific reasons have yet been identified for the large number of cancer cases in the village and there are not even any properly detailed health records of the patients, despite the Health Department having organised a health camp twice there in 2010. The village cultivates cotton and paddy in rotation through the year, and uses pesticide sprays on its crops, though villagers admit to have reduced their use in recent years.

With time, the villagers themselves have learnt to detect and act on early warning signs of the disease. Bihari Lal, whose wife Tarawanti is suffering from breast cancer, says, "We have minimised the spray in the fields and we even take special care in the rearing of cattle. I have got an inverter installed for my wife because after radiotherapy, she cannot bear the heat, and power cuts are common these days. Though an RO system has been installed in the village recently, we are going to install our individual RO system at home. We do not want to take any more chances now."

Tarawanti tells the tale of villagers like her. "I was diagnosed with breast cancer about 3 years ago when around 7 other women had also been diagnosed, and we all got our treatment done from Jaipur Hospital. All of them have passed away and only I am alive. No one knows what has brought so many cancer patients to our village," she says.

The RO was installed in this village only a few months back, when the water samples in our village were found unfit for drinking. Before that, the villagers drank water from the canal or made their own arrangements. Recently, a pond renovation project was also started, after many demands by the village panchayat. The filthy village pond is being cleaned with NREGA funds after more than two decades.

Parmeshwar Devi, another breast cancer patient, says, "Who knows what is the reason for the cancer cases? So whatever is being done, is for the best. The drains still need to be strengthened so as to make the village cleaner."

Parmeshw'r Devi's father-in-law had also died of cancer few years back. Another villager, Shanti Devi, was left with no means of livelihood after her husband Krishan Lal died of throat cancer last year. 'rishan's mother was also a breast cancer patient and had died two years ago. "I have five daughters and two sons and now only my sons are studying in government schools and my teenage girls are working in the fields as labourers to earn money."

Roshani Devi and Chandravali - two other breast cancer patients - also died about a month ago, while a third, Vidhya Chand, is suffering from breast cancer. The patients in the village who are still alive have learnt extra caution with regard to cleanliness and drinking water. Dewan Chand, Vidhya's husband, says, "We are far more aware now, but still no one knows the root cause."

Registering cases: Pvt labs not cooperating

The cancer registry programme has been badly hit in Punjab due to lack of cooperation by diagnostic centres, private labs and hospitals, as they are not sending data to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), sources said on Friday adding that information was being held by private institutes for their own vested interests.

Manjeet Singh Bal, Principal Investigator of Population Based Cancer Registries of Punjab, confirmed that ICMR had received 40 per cent of information of cancer patients.

He said many private institutions in remote areas of Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Ferozepur, Patiala were not cooperating and there was a need to create more awareness about the programme.

"Data gained after the state government initiated steps to facilitate a Cancer Atlas, is throwing up new patterns of cancer among people," he added.

"So far, the department of pathology, Government Medical College, Patiala has registered 3,900 cancer patients in the past three years," he said.

Meanwhile, ICMR has written to Punjab to mobilise private diagnostic labs, hospitals to report details of cancer patients.

The project officer of National Cancer Registry Programme of ICMR, Bangalore, A Nandakumar has urged Punjab to call a meeting of health officials who have been regulating private diagnostic labs and hospitals in the state.

The Punjab government had issued a notification in October which made it mandatory for all public and private hospitals and labs to report online details of cancer patient within a week of diagnosis or suspicion.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/in-this-village-cancer-is-a-way-of-life/993001/0

Job fair at Fazilka, 750 get offers

After having passed his Class XII in 2010 and unable to pursue further studies due to his family's financial condition, Fazilka resident Sambhav Mittal had been idle at home for nearly two years. All that, however, is set to change as Sambhav is now spoilt for choice after receiving job offers from various companies at the first-ever Fazilka job fair on Monday. The companies have offered him a salary in the range of Rs 5,000- 7,500 a month.

Mittal was among 750 applicants, who received offers at the job fair, organised by Fazilka MLA and Forest Minister Surjit Kumar Jayani.

Around 1,340 people had turned out for the fair, of whom, 1,100 were shortlisted. Of these 750 received jobs including 90 women. The applicants possessed education qualifications ranging from Class VIII onwards to MBAs and engineers.

"The majority of the youngsters recruited by the companies are the skilled workforce who will work as fitters, electricians, welders, foreman, while a few with MBA degrees have got jobs in the human resource and finance departments," said Kashmir Singh of the state labour department. Around 30 companies from Punjab (a majority from Ludhiana) had turned up at the fair.

Company representatives stated that they were in dire need of skilled workers and hence were more than happy with the response. They added that Class VIII and Class X pass applicants, who received jobs, will be trained by the industries.

"It is a welcome step that Punjabis are coming forward to work as we were dependent on unskilled workforce from UP and Bihar," a company representative said. Meanwhile, Forest Minister Surjit Kumar Jayani promised another job fair for professionals after three months.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/job-fair-at-fazilka-750-get-offers/988064/0

‘Village Of Addicts’ Cries For Its Sons

FAZILKA – After reporting seven deaths in the past almost a year, Alliana village of Fazilka has become infamous as 'Hamlet of addicts' in this part of the region. Having a population of around 1,200, the village saw the latest death due to drug addiction three days ago.

Pappu Singh (28) fell prey to the menace on Rakshabandhan. A marginal farmer owning three acres of land, Pappu had left for his fields in an inebriated condition early in the morning, says his wife. As he did not return by noon, his family members got worried.

His three married sisters, who had come to tie a 'rakhi', started looking for him frantically around the village. Their search ended with the recovery of his body. He reportedly died due to drug overdose. Never had the sisters thought the auspicious occasion would turn tragic.

Weeping inconsolably ever since, his wife has been left to fend for herself and their two daughters, aged three and five.

Pappu's is not the solitary case in the village, situated 21 km from Fazilka. Six more youths — Darshan Singh, Chhinder Singh, Mangat Singh, Balwant Singh, Gurdev Singh and Manjit Singh — die in a similar fashion. All were below 30. "Of the seven victims, six were married. The condition of around 10 more youths of the village is the same," says Iqbal Singh, an elderly.

http://thelinkpaper.ca/?p=19180

Fazilka district in a shambles

FAZILKA: This newly carved 22nd district of the state has recently celebrated its first anniversary. 

Even after completing one full year of its inception, the district lacks everything, from infrastructure to officials and staff for its different departments. 

The vital requirement of posting a civil surgeon, medical staff and other programme officials of the health department has also not been met till date. 

With the city accorded district status, the 100-beded hospital is also upgraded as a district hospital, but the government seems to have forgotten to appoint the required medical and para-medical staff. 

What to talk of appointing additional staff, the district hospital has no medical specialist, surgeon, gynecologist and pediatrician, while the posts of ophthalmologist, radiologist, blood transfusion officer and seven medical officers are lying vacant. The hospital, which handles over 400 OPD cases daily and conducts nearly 200 delivery cases, including caesarean operations, every month, in the absence of required medical staff, including a gynecologist. Call it a miracle, but it is sorry state of affairs of the district civil hospital which was being run without the services of specialist doctors and staff. 

According to official data, out of the sanctioned posts of 20 doctors in the district civil hospital, 15 are lying vacant. Posts of two medical specialists, a surgeon, a pediatrician, a gynecologist, ophthalmologist, radiologist, psychiatric and seven medical officers are lying vacant. Out of 24 sanctioned posts of staff nurse, 12 are vacant. Only two sweepers are working in the hospital out of sanctioned strength of nine. The blood bank of the hospital is also functioning without a blood transfusion officer. 

Different welfare programmes launched by the Union and state government such as family planning, National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and school health scheme have been hit hard by the absence of trained staff. 

In the absence of required medical staff, a number of patients and medical emergencies remain unattended. Many needy patients who cannot afford costly private treatment are the worst hit. 

"The affairs of the new district have become messier and worse than before, because some of the officers holding dual charge are seldom available. 

The civil surgeon is sitting at Ferozepur and the common people feel difficulty in getting their official work done because they cannot go to Ferozepur and their work remains incomplete here too," said Raj Kishore Kalra, president of social welfare society, an NGO. 

Dr SP Garg, senior medical officer, Fazilka civil hospital admitted that the hospital was facing shortage of staff. "We try to cope with the rush of the patients. The higher authorities had been apprised of the situation and urged them to fill the vacant posts early," he added.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Fazilka-district-in-a-shambles/articleshow/15332641.cms

Sisters to get saplings as Rakhi gift in Punjab - Times of India

Dinesh K Sharma, TNN | Aug 2, 2012, 02.57AM IST

FAZILKA: This Rakshabandhan, sisters in Fazilka district of Punjab will get saplings as gift from their brothers. As part of a novel campaign to spread awareness about environment, a city-based NGO - Graduate Welfare Association of Fazilka (GWAF) - has invited all brothers in the region to take part in this 'green mission'.

According to Navdeep Asija, GWAF secretary, all sisters will get saplings as gifts on Thursday (Rakshabandhan day). A free call centre has been set up for the purpose and people can order saplings free of cost on phone by calling one of the green ambulances (No. 9915184000), he said.

"You need not worry about the saplings, gardener and plantation. We are here to take care of everything. Rickshaws will take saplings to the houses of people who ordered the plants. The men pulling rickshaws are trained green warriors, they will help you plant the trees," said Vikram Ahuja of Zamindara Farm Solutions, which is providing the technical know-how for the campaign.

The men with green ambulances will plant the saplings and take an undertaking from the recipients on protecting them.

Rita Nagpal, a teacher, said it's a unique initiative taken by the GWAF for the protection of trees. "I would love to receive such a memorable gift from my brother on this Rakhi. I will take care of the sapling so as to keep the bond of brother and sister intact for years to come," she said.

Ridhima Chuchra, a student, said people are aware of the need to protect the environment but too busy to plant trees.

Meanwhile, the third Anand Utsav, an annual environment festival organised jointly by GWAF, Punjab forest department and Zamindara Farm Solutions, will start here on Rakshabandhanday. This year the organizers hope to plant 10,000 saplings. The GWAF had planted nearly 4,000 saplings in the past two editions of Anand Utsav.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Sisters-to-get-saplings-as-Rakhi-gift-in-Punjab/articleshow/15320641.cms

फोन करो और रक्षाबंधन का उपहार पाओ

अमृत सचदेवा, फाजिल्का : भाई-बहन के प्यार का प्रतीक रक्षा बंधन का त्यौहार इस साल फाजिल्का में पर्यावरण संरक्षण को समर्पित होगा। एनजीओ ग्रेजुएट्स वेलफेयर एसोसिएशन व जमींदारा फार्मसाल्यूशंस इस रक्षा बंधन के मौके पर फोन पर पौधे मंगवाकर घर के बाहर लगवाने की मुहिम 'डायल-ए-ट्री' की शुरुआत कर रही है। दोनों संस्थाओं ने सभी भाइयों से अपील की है कि वे रक्षा बंधन पर बहनों को दिए जाने वाले उपहार के तौर पर पौधा भेंट करें।

देश में सबसे पहले फाजिल्का में घरों तक निशुल्क पौधे पहुंचा लगाने की ये मुहिम 2009 में शुरू हुई थी। ग्रेजुएट वेलफेयर एसोसिएशन के सचिव नवदीप असीजा व जमींदारा फार्मसाल्यूशंस के निदेशक विक्रम आहूजा ने बताया कि वर्तमान में फाजिल्का का अर्बन क्षेत्र 10.4 वर्ग किलोमीटर है। लेकिन यहां वन 0.5 प्रतिशत ही हैं। उनका लक्ष्य शहर व आसपास के गांवों में वनों का रकबा बढ़ाना है। इस साल 10 हजार पौधे लगाने की मुहिम के तहत जमींदारा फार्मसाल्यूशंस पर बनाए कॉल सेंटर पौधा लगवाने की इच्छा का फोन आने पर 24 घंटे के भीतर पौधा लगवाएगी। फोन लाइन 99151-84000 पहली अगस्त से खुल रही है। दो अगस्त से पौधे लगने शुरू हो जाएंगे। पौधे लगाने की शुरुआत शहर की बाधा झील पर वन मंत्री सुरजीत ज्याणी दो अगस्त सुबह 10 बजे करेंगे। 13 अगस्त को मुहिम का समापन नई आबादी में सांस्कृतिक कार्यक्रम 'आनंद उत्सव' के साथ होगा।

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लगाए जाएंगे छायादार पौधे

फाजिल्का : असीजा ने बताया कि मुहिम के तहत नीम, बकायन, अमलताश, गुलमोहर, जामुन, टाहली के पौधे लगाए जाएंगे। यह पौधे छायादार होते हैं और विशुद्ध भारतीय प्रजातियां हैं।

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अब तक की उपलब्धियां

फाजिल्का : साल 2009 में मुहिम की शुरुआत के मौके पर लगाए गए 12 सौ में से छह सौ, 2011 के आनंद उत्सव में लगाए 23 सौ में से 16 सौ पौधे बढ़कर वृक्ष बनने लगे हैं।

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बहनों में उत्साह

फाजिल्का : इस बार रक्षा बंधन पर भाई की तरफ से मिलने वाले पौधे के उपहार को लेकर बहनों में काफी उत्साह है। कांशी राम कालोनी की नेहा सेतिया, आदर्श नगर की तनु सचदेवा व कैलाश नगर की संदीप कौर ने कहा कि पौधे के रूप में मिले उपहार की वह खूब देखभाल करेंगी। पौधे बढ़कर वृक्ष बनेंगे तो पर्यावरण संरक्षण तो हो होगा ही, साथ ही उनका अपने भाइयों के साथ स्नेह और प्यार भी प्रगाढ़ होगा।

Love that grows: tree saplings as rakhi gift

On Rakhi, to protect the environment, the women in Fazilka will receive saplings as gift from brothers. The Graduates Welfare Association of Fazilka (GWAF) is behind this mission. "On Rakhi, all sisters in Fazilka will get a tree sapling each as gift from brothers," GWAF secretary Navdeep Asija stated here on Tuesday. "We hope it helps the community bond with the environment, besides family."

Third Anand Utsav, annual environment festival of the GWAF, Punjab forest department Punjab, and Zamindara Farmsolutions, will open on Raksha Bandhan. This year, its organisers plan to plant 10,000 tree saplings. The young trees are hauled on board two "green ambulances" or transformed cycle rickshaws that on Thursday forest and wildlife minister Surjit Jiyani will flag off from the Badha wetland.

Fazilka's total urban area of 10.4 square kilometres has a green cover of less than 0.5%. Of more than 3,500 tree saplings planted in the last two editions of the festival, 2,200 have survived, mainly on the outskirts.

Under the "Dial-a-Tree" project opened in Fazilka last year, people can order free-of-cost tree saplings on telephone by calling one of the green ambulances. The rickshaws take saplings to their door. "The men pulling the rickshaws are trained green warriors, carrying the knowledge of a variety of trees, besides manure, cutters, and trenching equipment," said Vikram Ahuja of Zamindara Farmsolutions. "They will even take care of your existing trees and remove any signs nailed into the trunk. The men will plant the trees and receive an undertaking from the receiver about protecting and take care of the gift."

Punch a helpline number and the tree is delivered within 24 hours of the request. "People are aware of the need to protect the environment but too busy to plant trees," said Dr Bhupinder Singh, patron of the GWAF.

"They also don't know from where to source saplings, manure, and manpower. The 'Dial-a-Tree' service is solution to that problem. Call us once and we bring the tree to you, provided you agree to protect it." The GWAF will seek help from the army for the mass plantation of trees in Fazilka.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Punjab/Chandigarh/Love-that-grows-tree-saplings-as-rakhi-gift/SP-Article1-906095.aspx

फाजिल्का को 64 करोड़ के प्रोजेक्टों का तोहफा

अमृत सचदेवा, फाजिल्का : राज्य के 22वें जिले फाजिल्का की शुक्रवार को पहली वर्षगांठ मनाई गई। इस मौके राज्य के उप मुख्यमंत्री सुखबीर सिंह बादल ने इस सरहदी जिले को 64 करोड़ रुपये के प्रोजेक्टों का तोहफा दिया। इसके अलावा उप मुख्यमंत्री द्वारा जलालाबाद के लिए जरूरी दो पुलों, एक स्कूल की इमारत और एक स्टेडियम लोगों को समर्पित करने के साथ जलालाबाद हलके ने सरहदी क्षेत्र से चंडीगढ़ बनने की दिशा में पहली छलांग लगा दी है।

उप मुख्यमंत्री ने जलालाबाद में लड़कियों के सरकारी स्कूल को लोकार्पित करने से लेकर फाजिल्का में 37 करोड़ रुपये की लागत से बनने वाले जिला प्रबंधकीय परिसर का नींव पत्थर रखा। साथ ही उन्होंने 59 लाख रुपये खर्च करके बनी फर्द केंद्र, पटवार केंद्र और गांव थेह कलंदर में 3.15 करोड़ रुपये की लागत से तैयार 66 केवी पावर ग्रिड को लोकार्पित किया। वहीं, मंडी लाधूका में दो करोड़ रुपये की लागत से सेम नाले पर बने पुल को भी लोकार्पित किया। इससे पहले उन्होंने जलालाबाद में 9.81 करोड़ की लागत से बने लड़कियों के सरकारी सीनियर सेकेंडरी स्कूल की इमारत का लोकार्पण कर सात करोड़ रुपये की लागत से बनने वाले खेल स्टेडियम का शिलान्यास किया। उन्होंने जलालाबाद में 100 बिस्तर वाले अस्पताल को बनवाने की घोषणा भी की। इस अस्पताल पर 22 करोड़ रुपये खर्च आएंगे। इस मौके अपने संबोधन में उप मुख्यमंत्री ने राज्य के नए बने जिलों में विश्व स्तरीय बुनियादी ढांचा विकसित करने की अकाली-भाजपा सरकार की वचनबद्धता भी दोहराई। उन्होंने कहा कि सरहदी क्षेत्र में होने के चलते जिला फाजिल्का हमेशा सरकार के एजेंडे में सबसे ऊपर रहेगा। राज्य सरकार लगातार केंद्र की कांग्रेस की अगवाई वाली यूपीए सरकार से सरहदी जिले के लोगों का जीवन स्तर ऊंचा उठाने और युवाओं के लिए रोजगार के नए अवसर पैदा करने की मांग करती रही है लेकिन अफसोस है कि केंद्र सरकार ने अभी तक यह मांग परवान नहीं की है। राज्य सरकार ही अपने सीमित संसाधनों से सरहदी क्षेत्र के सभी हलकों के सर्वपक्षीय विकास के लिए विशेष पैकेज देगी। इस मौके पर उनके साथ वन मंत्री सुरजीत ज्याणी, सांसद शेर सिंह घुबाया, भाजपा सांसद नवजोत सिंह सिद्धू, भाजपा प्रांतीय अध्यक्ष अश्विनी शर्मा, बल्लूआना के विधायक गुरतेज सिंह घुड़ियाना, यूथ अकाली दल के जिलाध्यक्ष संजीव गोदारा, योजना बोर्ड के चेयरमैन प्रेम वलेचा, मुख्यमंत्री के सलाहकार कमल शर्मा, डीसी डा. बसंत गर्ग, एसएसपी गुरिंदर सिंह ढिल्लो, सरपंच निर्भय सिंह, एडवोकेट गुरप्रीत सिंह संधू व अन्य अकाली-भाजपा नेता मौजूद थे।

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सूखे से निपटने के लिए केंद्र दे आठ सौ करोड़ रुपये

फाजिल्का: उप मुख्यमंत्री बादल ने कहा कि पंजाब के सूखा प्रभावित इलाकों के लिए केंद्र सरकार से आठ सौ करोड़ रुपये और एक हजार मेगावाट से अधिक बिजली की मांग की गई है। इस मांग को लेकर मुख्यमंत्री प्रकाश सिंह बादल ने खुद केंद्रीय मंत्रियो से बात की है। उन्होंने कहा कि राज्य के मेहनतकश किसान अपने सीमित वित्तीय संसाधनों में से डीजल के पैसे खर्च कर अपनी धान की फसल को बचा रहे हैं ताकि देश की अनाज की निर्भरता को कायम रखा जा सके।

http://www.jagran.com/punjab/firozpur-9514222.html

On first anniversary as district, Fazilka gets slew of projects

Fazilka, the 22nd district of Punjab, on Friday celebrated its first anniversary with deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal gifting the region projects worth Rs. 64 crore. After a prolonged agitation under the umbrella of a Joint Action Committee (JAC) and a final hunger strike by BJP MLA 

Surjit Kumar Jyani, Fazilka along with Pathankot was given district status on July 27 last year. The city's main junctions were decorated like Diwali had come three months early. Sukhbir, who presided over a function organised to mark the occasion at the MR College Stadium, laid the foundation stone of the Rs. 37-crore district administrative complex (DAC), besides inaugurating a Rs. 59-lakh computerised revenue record centre at Fazilka, a Rs. 3.15-crore 66KV power grid station at village Theh Qalandar and a Rs. 2-crore high-level bridge over Jalalabad main drain at Ladhuka.

The deputy CM, whose constituency Jalalabad is part of Fazilka, also laid the foundation stone of a Rs. 9.81-crore new building of the Government Senior Secondary School for Girls and a Rs. 7-crore multi-purpose sports stadium at Jalalabad, besides inaugurating two bridges that cost Rs. 1.21 crore on the Jalalabad drain crossings

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He also announced the setting up of a 100-bed hospital costing Rs. 22 crore at Jalalabad at the earliest, and promised construction of a building for the Government Senior Secondary School for Boys too. He said that being a border area, the development of Fazilka district would always remain on the top of the agenda of the state government.

In reply to a query, Sukhbir pointed out that due to deficit of rainfall in the state, the state government has already urged the union government to release Rs. 800 crore for providing relief to the farming community, which was "forced to bleed to save the paddy crop".

Forest minister Jyani, Ferozepur MP Sher Singh Ghubaya, Amritsar MP Navjot Singh Sidhu, state BJP president Ashwani Sharma and deputy commissioner Basant Garg were among those present on the occasion.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Punjab/Bathinda/On-first-anniversary-as-district-Fazilka-gets-slew-of-projects/SP-Article1-902966.aspx

Exploring greater rail connectivity with India

By Saif Asif Khan

Last month, Pakistan participated in a meeting of the railway authorities of the Economic Cooperation Organisation countries in Ankara. The ensuing discussions and resulting press release have made it evident that the original Registered Community Design member countries, Pakistan, Iran and Turkey, plan to bolster their rail links in the coming few months, with the Islamabad-Istanbul cargo service to be hopefully recommenced shortly. Pakistan's business community participated wholeheartedly in the meeting; with a clear mandate that in order to elicit interest from the private sector, the service needed to be regular and punctual. 

I believe that from the point of view of Pakistan, there were two very significant outcomes from this meeting. Firstly, the meeting illustrated the resolve at both the government and private levels to develop rail transport within the ECO block as a viable form of transport, which also reflects the present government's prioritisation of better trade linkages with Central Asia and the Greater Middle East region, so to say. This is a most certainly a positive development, given both the saturation and financial turmoil currently facing Pakistan in its more traditional markets in the West. Secondly, the meeting made Pakistan even more painfully aware of its poor state of rail infrastructure. Indeed, the participants noted that the current running time of the Gül Train, which is a cargo train connecting Islamabad with Istanbul via Tehran, was the longest in Pakistan (10 days). This has extended the train's total running time to an unattractive 18 days (4 days each in Iran and Turkey). Pakistan was asked to curtail the running time the train spent while traversing its territory.

However, there is an elephant in the room, which no one appears to notice. With all the talk about enhancing trade with India over the past one-and-a-half years, our policymakers are surprisingly lethargic when it comes to the issue of improving Pakistan's rail connectivity with India, located in our immediate neighbourhood. While the spillover effects from this would be enormous (think about the teeming hundreds who use the dilapidated rail wagons to visit their loved ones and holy sites in both the countries every year), let us talk about this proposal from a pure business point of view.

The existing setup: At present, two provinces of Pakistan's territory with rail networks share borders with India: Sindh and Punjab. 

The Thar Express plies the tracks linking Sindh with Rajasthan. Besides being a service that is marred by severe delays and inefficiency, the tragedy is that it is utterly useless to businessmen. No cargo trains are allowed on this route, even though a considerable amount was spent by the Government on widening the track gauge prior to the reopening of the route in 2006. Opening up this route would greatly serve the interests of businesses based in Sindh, which trade with Maharashtra and Gujarat, and are presently using the Mumbai-Karachi sea route. The business community has asserted that this route will save considerable money now being paid as ocean freight to shipping lines, which take almost ten days for loading and unloading; while trains would allow cargo to reach dry ports within a period of 24 hours at much lower handling cost. 

For instance, according to a 2006 study supported by the World Bank, it costs $550 to ship a 20 ft container from Mumbai to Karachi. On the other hand, a comparable container sent through the Delhi-Wagah route costs an Indian trader just $325. The distance between Delhi and Wagah (approximately 500 kilometres) is roughly comparable to that between Khokrapar and Ahmadabad (Gujarat). Therefore, we could assume a similar cost involved in using this route for container trains; a clear cost advantage to the business community of both the countries. 

The other route, linking the two Punjabs, is of greater use to the business community of both countries in its present state. This is true despite the fact that there are frequent complaints about severe shortages of rolling stock, warehousing facilities, corruption, and general inefficiency at this border. But it is encouraging to hear that over the past one year, both countries have been involved in efforts to revamp the existing setup for trucks at Wagah-Attari, which should alleviate the situation somewhat, by easing the burden on the rail route. According to a study by Indian think-tank ASSOCHAM, the improved border crossing is expected to help bring trade to $8 billion annually, from the existing level of $2.6 billion. 

Potential for improvement: While there is obviously plentiful room for improvement in the two routes mentioned above, let us explore the possibility of further rail linkages between India and Pakistan.

Jaisalmer district in Rajasthan is the terminus of a broad gauge track of Indian Railways, which joins with the main system at Jodhpur. Jaisalmer is highly connected to the rest of India by air, road and rail. It is situated 217 km from Pakistan's major rail station Rohri, which is less than the distance between Karachi and Rohri (478 kms). Jaisalmer earns a large share of its income from tourism. On the other hand, Rajasthan state itself is rich in minerals, agricultural produce and industry. In particular, the establishment of a further link between Sindh and Rajasthan would serve the interests of the farming community on both sides, and help in dealing with shortages of food in times of famine and drought, which this region is susceptible to.

Another rail linkage, which could perhaps be explored with Rajasthan is with Anupgarh, which is located right on the border of Rajasthan, and is bounded on the west by Bahawalnagar district of the Pakistani Punjab, and on the north by East Punjab. Anupgarh is the hub of Rajasthan's food grain industry, and is one of the terminals for India's North Western Railway Service. To provide some perspective, keep in mind that Anupgarh is located no more than 200 kms from Multan. 

If we were to move outside of Rajasthan to East Punjab, we would notice that there are some railway terminals that could almost readily be of use to us besides the Wagah-Attari terminus. Consider for instance Firozpur, which is serves as a Railway Divisional Headquarters for Indian Railways, and has easy access by road and rail to other cities such as Amritsar, Ludhiana, Jullundur, Delhi, and Chandigarh. Incidentally, until 1970, the Ganda Singh Wala-Hussainiwala route, which opens into Firozpur district of India, functioned as a conduit for the trade of fruits and food products between Pakistan and India. There is also a disused railway track, which presumably used to connect the two countries. In 2005, there were proposals to reopen the border; while there has also been indication of interest from Pakistan's business community to open this border during the recent thaw in Indo-Pak ties, but it remains closed to date (This crossing is just located at a drive of 45 minutes from Lahore).

History also tells us that there is another previously used route, which can be reinvigorated with some effort. The Indian rail terminal of Fazilka was connected by rail tracks to Mandi Sadiqganj on the route to Bahawalnagar, and then to Bahawalpur. The distance between Fazilka and Mandi Sadiqganj is approximately 150 kms. Before partition of the subcontinent, this rail line was of great importance for connecting Delhi with Karachi via Bhatinda. It may be kept in mind that Bhatinda is one of the largest railway junctions in India, with no less than six rail routes extending from it. Major industries in Bhatinda include fertilizers, energy petrochemicals, textiles, citrus fruits and sugar. All of these should be of interest to Pakistani industrialists.

In particular, according to the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation the Bhatinda oil refinery could become an important gateway to Pakistan for the supply of petroleum products from India and potentially naphtha from Pakistan, if relations between the two neighbors improve further in coming times. In this scenario, then, a working rail link between Bhatinda and Pakistan would be of great benefit to Pakistan. 

Finally, I would like to identify Malout, which is located at a distance of only 45 kms from Pakistan, and used to lie on the erstwhile Bhatinda-Karachi line. Malout is famous in India for its agricultural equipment manufacturing industry; an area in which Pakistan is quite weak. Another major industry in the region is related to high cotton cultivation in the region. Since the past few years, cotton-related business has been booming in the region. It is worth mentioning here that the market for second-hand cars and two-wheelers in Malout has also grown to become one of the biggest in the region. All of these represent potential opportunities for Pakistan.

In conclusion, Pakistan stands much to gain from better rail connectivity with India, if we go by the rail terminals that I have identified above. If we look at the broader picture, India already maintains vigorous rail links with Bangladesh and Nepal, is working on building a track to Myanmar, and is studying the possibility of linkage with China. Conversely, Pakistan seems to lag far behind in this respect despite of the available endless opportunities; some of which have been highlighted above. In this regard, the private sector in Pakistan must step forward, given the present difficulties being faced by Pakistan Railways, and assume a leading role, because they are the ones who stand to gain the most.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2012%5C07%5C24%5Cstory_24-7-2012_pg5_14

वरदान साबित हो रही फाजिल्का-अबोहर ट्रेन

जागरण संवाददाता, फाजिल्का

बसों से तीन गुना से भी कम किराए के चलते फाजिल्का-अबोहर रेल ट्रैक पर शुरू हुई एकमात्र यात्री गाड़ी यात्रियों से पूरी तरह लदी हुई चल रही है। इस गाड़ी के चलने से बस संचालकों की मनमर्जी से आजिज यात्रियों ने राहत की सांस ली है।

हालांकि रेलवे ने इस ट्रैक पर अभी तक एक ही गाड़ी चलाई है जिसके चलते इस ट्रैक का लाभ न तो यात्रियों को पूरी तरह मिल रहा है और न ही रेलवे विभाग को इस ट्रैक से कोई कमाई हो रही है। क्योंकि इस गाड़ी का आने जाने का समय दोपहर का है, जिसके चलते सुबह दफ्तरी कामकाज वाले लोग और शिक्षण संस्थानों के विद्यार्थी इस गाड़ी का लाभ नहीं ले पा रहे हैं। उसके बावजूद यह गाड़ी दोनों तरफ से पूरी तरह लदकर चल रही है।

रविवार को भी करीब सात सौ सीटों वाली इस यात्री गाड़ी में दर्जनों लोगों ने सीटें न होने के चलते खड़े होकर सफर किया, जबकि फाजिल्का से अबोहर वापसी मौके इस गाड़ी के लिए पांच सौ टिकटों की बिक्री की पुष्टि स्थानीय स्टेशन सुपरिंटेंडेंट अशोक सेतिया ने की है।

हालांकि सुविधा के मामले में यह गाड़ी थोड़ी फिसड्डी साबित हो रही है क्योंकि बठिंडा से वाशिंग लाइन में पानी भरकर चलने वाली इस गाड़ी में अबोहर पहुंचते-पहुंचते पानी समाप्त हो जाता है। इसके चलते अबोहर से फाजिल्का व फाजिल्का से अबोहर तक सफर करने वाले यात्रियों को पानी न होने के चलते भारी परेशानी का सामन करना पड़ता है।

नार्दर्न रेलवे पैसेंजर्स समिति ने रेलवे विभाग से फाजिल्का में वाशिंग लाइन स्थापित करने की मांग की है ताकि यहां आधे घंटे के ठहराव के दौरान गाड़ी में पानी भरा जा सके।

http://www.jagran.com/punjab/firozpur-9497502.html

Police rope in rickshaw -pullers

Gaurav Sagar Bhaskar

22 July 2012

FEROZEPUR: In a first-of-its kind exercise, the state police have joined hands with rickshaw operators to provide them free road safety education and training.

In response to the request of Graduates' Welfare Association, Fazilka, (GWAF), the state additional director general of police (traffic) has asked all police commissioners and SSPs to impart free road safety education and training to all rickshaw operators and their unions.

"It's a welcome move by the state police," said GWAF secretary general Navdeep Asija. The inclusion of people - who are at the bottom of the development pyramid but play important role as service providers and also safeguard environment - in the road safety programme would help bridge the gap between common man and governance, he added.Initially, Project Ecocabs was designed for the welfare of rickshaw pullers and to improve overall quality of cycle rickshaw service in Fazilka. The project is operational since June 20, 2008.

On April 28, 2010, the high court took suo motu notice of media reports on 'Fazilka Ecocab' and directed Punjab, Haryana governments and Chandigarh administration to implement the same concept across the two states and UT. On HC directions, the project was being made operational in more than 22 cities of Punjab.

There were about three lakh cycles rickshaws operational in various cities and towns of Punjab. Every day, each rickshaw saves approximately 3 litre of fuel and 45.6 kg of fresh air, which is required to burn that fuel. Besides providing safeguard from pollution/exhaust gases, rickshaws generate jobs.

"Cycle rickshaw operations in Punjab save about 9 lakh litre of fuel and 1.37 crore kg of fresh air per day. It also provides direct and indirect employment to more than 3.5 lakh poor families across the state. Cycle rickshaws cover almost 90 lakh km and transport more than 60 lakh passengers every day," said Asija.

With number of motor vehicles increasing on Indian roads, road safety had also become a major cause concern. About 5.5 crore commuter trips are undertaken in Punjab every day, 60 lakh trips of which are solely being covered by cycle rickshaws.

The Punjab road crash data for 2010 indicates that among three lakh rickshaws, only two fatal accidents were reported. In both cases, rickshaws were at the receiving end. On the other hand, five lakh cars were responsible for more than 1,500 fatalities. The comparison shows that cycle rickshaws have emerged as a most sustainable mode of transportation in the state as well the country.

"It's the need of the hour to have 'Vision Zero', which implies that no death on roads," said GWAF patron Bhupinder Singh. To achieve this goal, the help of the state traffic police was sought because it keep on organising traffic awareness programmes, he said.

Hindustan Times. Page 2, Chandigarh Edition.

58 lives lost, Fazilka admn yet to ponder over road safety

Praful Chander Nagpal

Fazilka, July 18
The district administration is yet to take up the road safety measures as 58 precious lives have been lost in road accidents in the district from October 2011 to June 2012. The administration has reportedly failed to complete the proceedings to constitute a district-level road safety council even as an year has passed since Fazilka was declared a district.

District Transport Officer Gurtej Singh says, "The copy of notification of the council is yet to be obtained from transport authorities." He admitted that the ex-officio members have not been included in the committee so far.

The Graduate Welfare Association, Fazilka, has obtained information in this regard. As per the information released by the Punjab Police, there are about 400 accident black spots in Punjab out of which 14 fall in Fazilka district.

Those in Fazilka district have been identified at Balluana (Abohar-Malout Road), Alamgarh (Abohar-Sriganganagar Road), Hanumangarh bypass chowk (Abohar), Seetogunno bypass (Abohar), New Hanuman Mandir Tikoni (Fazilka), T-point (Near Malout Chowk Fazilka), Sanjeev Cinema Chowk (Fazilka), Khuai Khera (Near Fazilka Co-operative Sugar Mills), Jalalabad bus stand, Arianwala Chowk (Jalalabad), Shaheed Bhagat Singh Chowk (Jalalabad), Tiwana Mour (Jalalabad), Nimwala Chowk (Jalalabad) and village Ghubaya in Jalalabad.

"Nothing much in terms of engineering interventions, removal of encroachments in black spot areas has been done in order to improve road safety," said Navdeep Asija, technical advisor and member of the governing council, Punjab State Transportation Society.

Traffic management does not seem to be the priority of the district administration. As per official sources, in the last six months (Jan 2012-June 2012) the traffic police have issued challans to only 4,666 in Fazilka district.

Interestingly, no challan was issued for drunken driving while only 34 persons were penalised for overspeeding. The district police is not equipped with electronic gadgets like alcometer and speed guns to curb drunken driving and overspeeding.

"We have been frequently issuing challans to the drivers jumping the red light and have removed black films from the glasses of vehicles. Besides, traffic awareness seminars are also organised in schools and colleges twice a week," claimed District Traffic In-charge, inspector Gurpiar Singh.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120719/bathinda.htm#2