Sikhnet link provided by Pritpal Singh (Southall)
Let us know what you think
What can we do to help the Afghani Sikhs ?
Harjinder Singh
maninblue
Harjindersingh_amritsar@yahoo.com
The Tribune – Punjab Budget 2012-13; Shun populism, experts to FM
Go for additional resource mobilisation and shun populism — this is the message that economists in the region have for Punjab Finance Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa, as he gets ready to present his maiden budget in the state assembly on June 20.
Ruchika M. Khanna
Economists in the region want the Finance Minister to present a development-oriented budget. They feel that this can happen only if the budget proposals have some direction for generating additional revenue, which in turn can be used on infrastructure and social development in Punjab. With the state having amongst the lowest tax to gross state domestic product ratio, experts say time has now come to take hard decisions, if Punjab has to get on a growth trajectory.
- Need of the hour is to improve state’s own resource mobilisation. This can be done through increasing some service/user charges, plugging loopholes in tax collection and by drastically cutting down administrative expenditure. Tax to GSDP ratio in the state is amongst the lowest at a little over 7 per cent. This should be brought up to at least 12 per cent. The government should cut down on non-development expenditure by adopting austerity measures.
R S Ghumman, eminent economist and professor, CRRID
- The budget should strongly outline drastic cut down on administrative expenditure. The government should first do away with the posts of chief parliamentary secretary. Administrative expenditure by all government officials should also be cut substantially. Besides, the FM should give special focus on the education and health sectors which have remained neglected. The budget should have a thrust on improving this farm sector.
S S Johl, noted economist
- While the budget should have a thrust on agriculture and diversification from the wheat-paddy crop cycle, the other sectors that the FM needs to deal with immediately in the budget is to improve the power sector. The direct tax collection in the state needs to be enhanced, if we want more development in the state. In Punjab, the direct tax paid by a person is just Rs 6.25 per annum. Comparatively, in Rajasthan it is Rs 55.16 and in Karnataka it is RS 114.13 per annum. We have to impose more taxes, if we want to have more funds at our disposal for carrying out development activities.
M S Sidhu, head of Economics Department, PAU
The Tribune – Ready to resolve Nanakshahi calendar row: Pakistan Sikhs
Perneet Singh, Tribune News Service
Amritsar, June 16. Even as the SGPC is following the amended Nanakshahi calendar, Sikhs in Pakistan as well as New Delhi today observed the martyrdom day of Guru Arjan Dev as per the original version of the calendar.
Addressing a gathering on the occasion, Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) member Swaran Singh offered a platform to resolve the differences among the community members over the calendar issue. “We are ready to host a gathering of Sikhs from around the world in Pakistan so that misunderstandings can be removed and a strong appeal can be made to the Akal Takht to implement the original calendar in letter and spirit,” he said.
PSGPC chief Sham Singh, who was also present, endorsed his views. Pleading to the Akal Takht to implement the original calendar, released by the Sikhs’ highest temporal seat in 2003, American Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (AGPC) coordinator Pritpal Singh said if there was any amendment to be made, it should be done after holding consultations with Sikh leaders from across the world and calendar’s architect Pal Singh Purewal.
PSGPC members said there had been a lot of confusion relating to gurpurabs, martyrdom days and other important dates due to certain amendments made by the SGPC in the original calendar “without evolving a consensus within the community”.
A large number of Sikhs had gathered from all over the world to observe the martyrdom day of the Guru at Gurdwara Shaheed Asthan inside Gurdwara Dehra Sahib, Lahore.
Meanwhile, the DSGMC, headed by Paramjit Singh Sarna, also observed the martyrdom day today as per the original calendar.
The main programme was organised at Lakhi Shah Wanjara Hall in Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib. Though the Akal Takht has endorsed the amended Nanakshahi calendar and directed all to follow it, the PSGPC and the DSGMC continue to stick to its original version while observing various events.
The Asian Age – Differences in NDA, decision on president’s poll deferred
New Delhi, 17 June 2012. Strong reservations from key ally JD(U) over pitting a candidate against UPA nominee Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday forced the NDA to defer its decision on the presidential election.
At a two-hour inconclusive meeting of the NDA, the JD-U is believed to have disavoured a fight against Mukherjee because of his stature but BJP is said to have been keen on backing former Speaker P.A. Sangma, who has been propped up by BJD and AIADMK with an eye on the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
After the meeting at BJP leader L K Advani’s residence, from which BJP’s oldest ideological ally Shiv Sena kept away, NDA convener Sharad Yadav merely said more discussions were needed to arrive at a right decision.
“The NDA meeting took place today. Various leaders put forth their views in detail. More discussions are required in this regard to arrive at the right decision.”
“L.K. Advani will talk to chief ministers of NDA-ruled states and all others. NDA will meet sometime later again to take a decision in this regard. Those outside (Delhi) will also be consulted,” Tadav told reporters after the meeting.
The JD(U), which shares power with BJP in Bihar, was clear that there is no strong purpose served by contesting against Mukherjee, a tall leader with vast experience in government and Parliament, and more so when the UPA has a clear edge in the electoral college.
However, BJP leaders including Advani and Sushma Swaraj are understood to have argued that Mukherjee should not go uncontested, especially in view of the Lok Sabha polls due two years hence.
The BJP is said to be keen on supporting Sangma so that the alliance could rope in parties like BJD and AIADMK that could be valuable in thenext Lok Sabha elections. (PTI)
http://www.asianage.com/india/differences-nda-decision-prez-poll-deferred-987
Open Places of Worship Day 13 May 2012 & Gingelom 14 May 2012
On Sunday 13 May many Limburg places of worship opened their doors to all-comers
Both the Sint-Truiden and the Hoepertingen gurdwara took part
I was on duty in Hoepertingen together with Inderjit Singh and Harjit Singh
Hoepertingen Gurdwara 13 May, Enjoying tea, pakoré and somosé with our guest
Hoepertingen Gurdwara 13 May, Enjoying tea, pakoré and somosé with our guest
Guru Ram Dass Sikh Study Cultural Centre
Smisstraat 8B
Hoepertingen
B-3840 Borgloon, Limburg
On 14 May I took some pictures on the way to Gingelom and of my Gingelom student and her family
14 May, fields just north of Gingelom
14 May, fields just north of Gingelom
14 May, fields just north of Gingelom
To see more Belgium and Netherlands gurdwara pictures :
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12445197@N05/sets/72157622147381380/
To see more Belgium (mostly Limburg) pictures :
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12445197@N05/sets/72157622046344528/
More Belgium pictures to follow
Harjinder Singh
Man in Blue
The Tribune – Pakistan refuses to attend flag meet; LoC trade halted
Ravi Krishnan Khajuria, Tribune News Service
Jammu, June 16. In a setback to efforts for maintaining peace along the Line of Control, the Pakistani Army today refused to attend a crucial flag meeting with its Indian counterpart at Chakan-da-Bagh in Poonch district. The trans-LoC trade remains suspended for the past two days – first time since it was started four years ago.
Jammu-based traders say they have already suffered a loss of about Rs 1 crore.
Three days ago, Pakistani soldiers targeted forward Indian posts in the KG Sector. Lance Naik Harvinder Singh was killed and three other Indian soldiers were injured. In the same area, the Pakistani troops had shot dead a BSF jawan, PK Mishra, of the 94 Battalion.
“A flag meeting was scheduled between Army officers of the two sides at 11 am today at Chakan-da-Bagh trade point. We had to take up the ceasefire violations and cross-LoC firing by the other side in Poonch’s KG Sector,” said an Army source.
“Pakistani Army officers sent us a message expressing their inability to attend the meeting. They said they would inform us in due course of time,” said the source. The Pakistani side neither assigned any reason for the abrupt cancellation nor did they give any fresh dates, said the source.
The recalcitrant attitude of the Pakistani authorities has abruptly halted the cross-LoC trade via Chakan-da-Bagh. Cross-LoC Traders’ Poonch Association chief Pawan Anand said on June 14-15, the Jammu-based traders had dispatched 22 trucks carrying bananas, chilli and tamarind, but the Pakistani authorities did not open the gates. “The trucks returned, causing a loss of Rs 1 crore,” he said.
“Ceasefire violations are common, but these had no impact on trade,” said Anand. This is the first time the trade route has been shut down.
What happened
- The flag meeting was scheduled between Army officers of both sides at Chakan-da-Bagh trade point to take up ceasefire violations and cross-LoC firing in Poonch’s KG Sector
- Trans-LoC trade suspended for the past two days, the first time since it was started four years ago, after ceasefire violations
- Jammu-based traders say they have already suffered a loss of about Rs 1 crore
Dawn – Taliban praise India for resisting Afghan entanglement
Kabul, 17 June 2012. India has done well to resist US calls for greater involvement in Afghanistan, the Taliban said in a rare direct comment about one of the strongest opponents of the hardline group that was ousted from power in 2001.
The Taliban also said they won’t let Afghanistan be used as a base against another country, addressing fears in New Delhi that Pakistan-based anti-India militants may become more emboldened if the Taliban return to power.
The Afghan Taliban have longstanding ties to Pakistan and striking a softer tone towards its arch rival India could be a sign of a more independent course.
Direct talks with the United States, which have since been suspended, and an agreement to open a Taliban office in Qatar to conduct formal peace talks have been seen as signs of a more assertive stance.
US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta this month encouraged India to take a more active role in Afghanistan as most foreign combat troops leave in 2014. The Taliban said Panetta had failed.
“He spent three days in India to transfer the heavy burden to their shoulders, to find an exit, and to flee from Afghanistan,” the group said on its English website.
“Some reliable media sources said that the Indian authorities did not pay heed to (US) demands and showed their reservations, because the Indians know or they should know that the Americans are grinding their own axe.”
There had been no assurance for the Americans, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told Reuters on Sunday.
“It shows that India understands the facts,” he said.
India is one of the biggest donors in Afghanistan, spending about $2 billion on projects ranging from the construction of highways to the building of the Afghan parliament. It has also won an iron ore concession in a $11 billion investment.
But New Delhi has avoided involvement in bolstering Afghan security, except for running courses for small groups of Afghan army officers at military institutions in India.
“No doubt that India is a significant country in the region, but is also worth mentioning that they have full information about Afghanistan because they know each other very well in the long history,” the Taliban said.
“They are aware of the Afghan aspirations, creeds and love for freedom. It is totally illogical they should plunge their nation into a calamity just for the American pleasure.”
India backed the Northern Alliance during the civil war and was frozen out of Afghanistan once the Taliban took over in 1996 until their ouster by US forces. It has since developed close ties with Kabul, prompting Pakistani fears of encirclement.
Pakistan has strong traditional links with the Afghan Taliban and other militant groups. Islamabad denies that it uses them as proxies to gain leverage in Afghanistan ahead of any settlement to the war, or in case civil war breaks out after foreign troops leave.
Vikram Sood, a former chief of India’s intelligence agency, said the Taliban statement held an implicit warning for India.
“It’s more a gentle reminder asking India not to mess around in Afghanistan after the Americans leave,” he told Reuters.
http://dawn.com/2012/06/17/taliban-praise-india-for-resisting-afghan-entanglement/
