Official and Non-Official Visitors

The visits by the officials and non-official visitors prove very beneficial to the jail administration. These create a healthy atmosphere among the inmates who realize that, in spite of their being behind the bars, they are properly looked after and cared for and infuses a feeling of confidence among them which leads to better discipline. Non-official visitors are appointed by Government. A separate register is maintained where the recommendations made by them are entered. These recommendations are duly considered by the jail authorities.

District Crime Prevention Society. – The Punjab Crime Prevention Society replaced the erstwhile Punjab Prisoner’s Aid Society after the partition. It was established with the object of checking the commission of crime and reformation of prisoners and ex-prisoners so that they might become useful citizens. Under the control of this central organisation, the activities at district level are carried on by the District Crime Prevention Society, Ludhiana.

Since its inception in 1958, the Society at Ludhiana has done commendable work at the District Jail, Ludhiana. It has provided two radio-sets for the entertainment of prisoners. Besides, the society helps the needy and poor prisoners by providing elementary needs like soap, oil and other toilet articles, etc. Sweetmeats are distributed amongst the prisoners on the Independence and Republic Days.

The resources of the District Crime Prevention Society are, however, quite meager. These consist of funds raised from the relatives of the prisoners at the time of their interview, subscriptions from the members of the society and donations from public. Paise ten are charged from the relatives of each prisoner who seek interview with them. The daily income from the source comes to about rupees 3 to 5.

District Probation Officer, Ludhiana. – The officer is required to funtion under the Probation of Offenders Act, 1958, a Central enactment, under which any offender, who is held guilty of any offence not punishable with death or imprisonment for life, can be released on probation of good conduct with or without supervision of the Probation Officer upto a maximum period of three years. In case of an offender below 21 years of age, the courts have been restricted not to pass any sentence of imprisonment unless such an offender is considered undesirable for release on probation. It has been further laid down in the Act that for the purpose of satisfying itself whether it would not be desirable to release on probation an offender (under 21 years of age), the court shall call for a report from the concerned Probation Officer and consider it before the award of sentence.

An offender can be released on probation with or without supervision of the Probation Officer, depending on the nature and circumstances of the cases and character, antecedents and the possibility of the future reformation of the offender. The probation period and the conditions of the bond can be varied in the interest of the offender or the public so that the maximum period of probation shall not exceed three years from the date of the original order. If there is any breach of conditions, etc., the probation benefit can be withdrawn and the original sentence awarded to the offender by the court on the report of the Probation Officer of otherwise. But, where the failure is for the first time and without prejudice to the continuance in force of the bond, a penalty not exceeding Rs. 50 can be imposed.

In 1962, the Probation of Offenders Act, 1958, was enforced in the first phase in seven districts of the erstwhile Punjab State with comparatively lesser incidence of crime. In 1966, the Act was extended to some other areas including Ludhiana district.

Ludhiana district was covered under the Probation of Offenders Act of May 1, 1966 and the officer started functioning from July, 1966. He is under the administrative control of the Inspector-General of Prison, Punjab. The Chief Probation Officer attends to the probation work in the State under the guidance and control of the Inspector-General of Prisoners, Punjab.

The District Probation Officer has to maintain all types of records of the probation work in the district. He is to supervise the probationers placed under this charge and to submit their monthly progress reports to the courts. He is to move the courts to vary the conditions of the bonds of the released persons for tightening or relaxing them in certain cases. He is to assist the probationer for his rehabilitation in society so that he does not revert to crime. Whenever possible, he is to endeavour to secure for the probationer training facilities and employment opportunity, etc.

(d) Organisation of Civil and Criminal Courts

Since the separation of the executive from the judiciary in the States from October 2, 1964, the administration of both civil and criminal justice in the district is controlled by the District and Sessions Judge, Ludhiana.

Civil Justice. – On the civil side , the District and sessions Judge Ludhiana, is assisted by the Additional District Judge, Ludhiana ,Senior Sub Judge Ludhiana and four Sub Judges- three Ist class posted at Ludhiana and one 2^nd class posted at Jagraon . The Sub Judge posted at Jagraon also visits Samrala for ten days in a month .

The civil courts try all sorts of cases of civil nature upto the powers with which the senior Sub-Judges have been invested.

The Senior Sub-Judges are invited with magisterial power and they are allotted some criminal work also. The Sub Judges, Ist class and Sub-Judges 2^nd class have been given powers of Judicial Magistrate, Ist. class and Judicial Magistrate, 2nd class, respectively.

Additional District Judge, Ludhiana.- On the civil side , the Additional District and Session Judge is known as the Additional District Judge and he hears appeals against the judgements and decrees of Sub-Judges of all Classes upto Rs.10,000 and hears cases under the Land Acquisition Act,1894, and Hindu Marriage Act, 1955(Act 25 of 1955).

Senior Sub-Judge, Ludhiana.- He is the appellate authority in Small Causes cases of money suits not exceeding Rs. 100, land suits not exceeding Rs. 250, and unclassed units not exceeding Rs. 500. He is also a Subordinate Judge, 1^st Class and as such can hear suits of any value. He is Rent Controller under the East Punjab Urabn Rent Restrictions Act, 1949. He can try cases under the Guardian and Wards Act, 1890, and Provincial Insolvency Act, 1920. He is Commissioner under the Workmen’s Compensation Act, 1923, and Payment of Wages Act, 1936. He acts as Tribunal under the Displaced Persons (Debt Adjustment) Act, 1951. He is a member of the Tribunal constituted under the Defence of India Act, 1962. He is a Judge of the Small Cause Courts under the Provincial Small Cause Courts’ Act, 1887.

He hears transfer applications in panchayat cases, revision applications under the Punjab Gram Panchayats Act, 1952. He can hear applications under the Indian Succession Act, 1925, and disposes of cases under the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955. Besides, he is incharge of the process serving establishment.

Sub-Judges, 1st Class. – All the sub-Judges are Subordinate Judges exercising jurisdiction to try suits of any value. They are Rent Controllers and also try cases under the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955.

Sub-Judge, 2nd Class. – With the separation of the judiciary from the executive in 1964, the Senior Sub-Judge and the sub-Judges, 1st Class have been invested with the powers of a Judicial Magistrate, 1st Class.

The statement below shows the number and nature of cases tried by the civil courts in the district during the period from 1956 to 1965 :

Nature of cases tried	1956	1957	1958	1959	1960	1961	1962	1963	1964	1965
Civil suits	1,735	2,106	2,397	2,284	2,415	2,181	2,307	2,142	2,031	2,270
Execution cases	1,401	1,293	1,639	1,896	1,724	1,935	1,915	1,585	1,871	2,043
Guardian cases	37	35	40	60	34	38	26	25	24	13
Succession act cases	133	117	204	173	160	59	43	109	125	1
Workmen’s compensation Act	1	13	16	177	26	29	23	16	26	46
Payment of wages act	22	19	28	35	19	102	52	53	78	74
Rent restrictions act	599	621	749	813	722	885	667	684	623	756
Hindu marriage act	117	121	97	101	118	130	178	132	121	126
Panchayat Revision	47	51	46	43	32	31	55	24	37	20
Miscellaneous	701	686	1,135	986	1,150	1,673	1,832	890	1,566	1,386

(Source: Senior Sub-Judge, Ludhiana)

Criminal Justice. – On the criminal side, the District and Sessions Judge, Ludhiana, is assisted by the Additional Sessions Judge, Ludhiana, the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Ludhiana, and 6 Judicial Magistrates – 5 posted at Ludhiana and 1 posted at Samrala.

With the separation of the judiciary from the executive, powers of the District Magistrate, on the criminal side, have been vested in the Chief Judicial Magistrate under the control of the District and Sessions Judge. The Chief Judicial Magistrate supervises the criminal judicial administration of the district. He allots the police station to the Judicial Magistrates with the approval of the District and Sessions Judge. Usually, the jurisdiction of a Judicial Magistrate extends to 3 to 4 police stations.

The Chief Judicial Magistrate and Judicial Magistrates deal with all types of cases relating to crime except security cases. All Judicial Magistrates try cases under the Indian Penal Code, Punjab Excise Act, 1914, Essential Commodities Act, 1955 and other special Acts relating to their police stations. The Chief Judicial Magistrate is vested with powers to try summary nature cases. All criminals apprehended by the police are produced before the Judicial Magistrate in whose jurisdiction the criminals may have been apprehended or in whose jurisdiction the crime may have been committed.

After investigation, the challans are put in by the police in the courts of Judicial Magistrates who also act as Magistrates and which the investigation of criminal cases. A case generally takes two months for trial but cases of inter-district or inter-state nature may extend even upto six months or so.

The Judicial Magistrates have also been vested with the powers of Sub-Judges with varying jurisdiction.

On the separation of the judiciary from the executive, cases of security fro keeping the peace and security for good behaviour under Criminal Procedure Code are tried by the following courts :-

Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Ludhiana .. Cases relating to Ludhiana Tahsil

Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Jagraon .. Cases relating to Jagraon Tahsil

Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Samrala .. Cases relating to Samrala Tahsil

The Sub-Divisional magistrates are also called upon to perform executive functions in addition to the trial of above types of cases.

Panchayat Adalats. – Petty criminal judicial cases relating to minor thefts, trespasses, encroachments on public property, public nuisance and damages to property of value not exceeding Rs. 250, etc., are entrusted to Gram Panchayats under the Punjab Gram Panchayat Act, 1952. Besides, the Panchayats have also been empowered to try judicial cases under various sections of the Indian Penal code, etc. e.g., in matters concerning issue of summons, production of documents, oath and affirmation by a public servant, promulgation of orders, etc. The panchayats can also try cases under the Punjab Vaccination Act, 1953 section (16), the Cattle Trespass Act, 1871, (sections 24 and 26), the Punjab Primary Education Act, 1919 (sections 70), the Punjab Weights and Measures Act, 1941 (sections 25 to 33), the Punjab Juvenile Smoking Act, 1918 (sections 3 and 4), the Public Gambling Act, 1867 (sections 3, 4 and 7), the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1890 (sections 3 to 7), the Indian Forest Act, 1927 (sections 26 to 33), and the Punjab Land Preservation Act, 1900 (section 19).

On civil and revenue judicial side, the panchayats can try suits for the recovery of movable property or the value of such property, suits for money or goods due on contracts or price thereof, suits for compensation for wrongfully taking or damaging movable property, and suits mentioned in clauses j, k, l and sub-section 30 of section 77 of the Punjab Tenancy Act, 1887. The pecuniary limits of panchayats with ordinary powers is Rs. 100 in criminal cases, Rs. 200 in civil cases and Rs. 100 in revenue cases whereas this limit is to Rs. 200 to Rs. 500 and Rs. 200, respectively, for panchayats with enhanced powers.

The provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the code of Civil Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act do not apply to the proceedings before a panchayat except to the extent mentioned in the Punjab Gram Panchayats Act, 1952.

Petty cases of criminal nature are entrusted to the Gram Panchayats under the Punjab Gram Panchayat Act, 1952. The panchayats being elected bodies, however, generally do not consist of persons having adequate knowledge of law and usual formalities of the procedure are generally conspicuous by their absence in the trial of cases by the panchayats.

The judicial work done by the panchayats during 1959-60 – 1965-66 is shown in the Appendix at page 416.

Revisions against the decisions of the panchayats are heard by the Judicial Magistrates to whom the powers are delegated by the Chief Judicial Magistrate.

The statistics regarding the different types of cases tried by the criminal courts during the period 1956 to 1965 are given below :

Year	Regular cases	Security cases	Summary cases
1956	2298	876	11234
1957	3186	913	13242
1958	2859	1213	16594
1959	3145	1401	16151
1960	3114	1558	16347
1961	3475	1756	11317
1962	4199	1988	11747
1963	4322	1831	17766
1964	4527	2074	11765
1965	5367	252	9932

(Source: Chief Judicial Magistrate, Ludhiana)

(e) Bar Associations. – Bar Association have been establishment in various Tahsils of the district in order to encourage intensive study of law to promote and maintain the higher standard of professional conduct, to protect and promote the interests of the lawyers, to make a critical appraisal of the existing laws and to discuss the various legislative measures enacted from time to time and their implications.

The District Bar Association, Ludhiana, was already in existence about the beginning of the present century. Its strength in 1965 was 184. Besides, there are separate Bar Associations at Jagraon and Samarala. The Bar Association, Jagraon, was formed about the year 1922. Its strength in 1965 was 14. The Bar Association, Samrala, was formed in 1935. Its strength in 1965 was 40. Besides, there are separate Bar Associations at Jagraon and Samarala. The Bar Association, Jagraon, was formed about the year 1922. Its strength in 1965 was 14. The Bar Association, Samrala, was formed in 1935. Its strength in 1965 was 40.

APPENDIX

Judicial Work done by panchayats in Ludhiana District

		1959-60	1960-61	1961-62	1962-63	1963-64	1964-65	1965-66
A-Revenue Cases
1	Cases pending at the beginning of the year	151	196	257	304	278	273	352
2	Cases instituted	530	555	631	866	612	704	552
3	Cases received by transfer	17	26	18	22	16	25	13
4	Cases transferred from Panch-yats and returned for presentation to courts and Panchyats	27	21	35	44	17	24	10
5	Cases decided	520	499	591	780	616	626	589
	(a) cases dismissed	85	83	115	261	136	101	102
	(b) cases compounded	215	267	337	416	319	374	385
	© cases decreed	230	149	139	193	161	151	102
6	Cases pending at the end of the year	151	257	280	278	273	352	318
B	Criminal Cases
1	Cases pending at the beginning of the year	114	117	128	188	145	136	181
2	Cases instituted	394	461	560	776	441	608	435
3	Cases received by transfer	28	21	13	28	20	37	30
4	Cases transferred from Panch-yats and returned for presentation to courts and Panchyats	19	32	36	70	32	55	34
5	Cases decided	400	439	481	677	438	545	439
	(a) cases dismissed	73	78	97	121	85	116	101
	(b) cases compounded	273	332	315	579	310	375	291
	© cases convicted	54	29	69	77	43	54	47
6	Cases pending at the end of the year	117	128	174	145	136	181	171

CHAPTER - XIII

OTHER DEPARTMENTS

The set-up, staff, duties and functions of the important Government Department located in the district, which do not mention in other Chapters are briefly given hereunder.¹

Irrigation Department

The following offices of the Irrigation Department are located in the district : -

1. Superintending Engineer, Sirhand Canal Circle, Ludhiana;

2. Executive Engineer, Sidhwan Division, Ferozepur Canal Circle, Ludhiana and

3. Executive Engineer, Ludhiana Drainage Division, Ludhiana.

Sirhand Canal Circle, Ludhiana. - It is under the Superintending Engineer, Sirhand Canal Circle, Ludhiana, who is under administrative control of the Chief Engineer, Irrigation Works, Punjab, Chandigarh. He is assisted by 1 Circle Head Draftsman, 2 Draftsman, 1 Superintendent, 1 Head Clerk, besides other ministerial and Class IV staff.

The Superintending Engineer, Sarhind Canal Circle, Ludhiana, controls the following divisions, each of which is under an Executive Engineer : -

(i) Ropar Division (Sirhand Canal), Ropar

(ii) Ferozepure Division, (Sirhand Canal Circle), Ferozepure ;

(iii) Bathinda Division (Sirhand Canal Circle), Bathinda

(iv) Bist Doab Division (Sirhand Canala Circle), Jullundur.

Sidhwan Division, Ludhiana.- It is under the Executive Engineer, Sidhwan, Ludhiana, who is under the administrative control of the Superintending Engineer, Ferozepore, Canal, Ferozepore, Ludhiana and Ferozepore districts fall within the jurisdiction of this Division.

The Executive Engineer, Sidhwan Division, Ludhiana, is assisted by 3 Sub-_Divisional Officers, posted one each at Ludhiana, Moga and Zira, 1 Deputy Collector, 1 Head Draftman, 1Draftman,1 Tracer,14 Sectional Officers, 1 Head Clerk, 3 Accountants Clerks, 11 Clerks.3 Sub- Divisional Clerks,1 Head Revenue Clerk, 9 Assistant Revenue Clrks,7 Revenue Clerks 7 Ziladars and 90 irrigation Booking Clerks, besides Class IV staff.

The Sub-Divisional Officer, Ludhiana, assists the Executive Engineer in the maintenance of the Sidhwan Branch system and collection of revenue therefrom from within the district .

Ludhiana Drainage Division, Ludhiana.- It is under the Executive Engineer, Ludhiana Drainage Division, Ludhiana, who is under the administrative control of the Superintending Engineer, Patiala Drainage Circle, Patiala. He is assisted by 4 Sub-Divisional officers, posted one each at Ludhiana, Moga, Bhatinda and Malerkotla, and a Sub-Divisional Officers (Machanical) posted at Sangrur, 30 Sectional Officers, 1 Head Draftsman, 5 Draftsmen, 1 Head clerk and 1 Accountant, besides other ministerial and Class IV staff.

The main functions of this division are to attend to drainge and flood works in Ludhiana, Bhatinda, Sangrur and Ferozepore districts.

The Sub- Divisional Officer, Ludhiana Drainage Sub-Division, Ludhiana, attends to the drainage and flood works in Ludhiana district.

Public Works Department

The following officers of the Public works Department are located in the district :-

(1) Executive Engineer, Ludhiana Provincial Division, (B & R), Ludhiana ; and

(2) Executive Engineer, Ludhiana Public Health Division, Ludhiana.

Ludhiana Provincial Division (B. & R.), Ludhiana. – This division was formed in 1955-56. Its function is to maintain public buildings and roads in the district, and to construct new roads and new buildings pertaining to the various departments. The Executive Engineer, Ludhiana Provincial Division (B & R), Ludhiana, who is incharge, is under the administrative control of the Superintending Engineer, P.W.D. (B & R), Jullundur Circle, Jullundur.

The Executive Engineer is assisted by 3 Sub-Divisional Engineers, (No. 1 and No. II at Ludhiana, besides another at Khanna), 1 Head Draftsman, 2 Assistant Draftsmen, 2 Tracers, 13 Sectional Officers, 7 Road Inspectors, 3 work Inspectors, 1 Head Clerk, 1 Divisional Accountant, and other ministerial and Class IV staff.

Ludhiana Public Health Division, Ludhiana. – Nangal Public Health Division, with headquarters at Ropar, was formed consequent upon the partition in 1947. In 1948, the headquarters of this Division were shifted to Ludhiana and it was re-named Ludhiana Public Health Division. This division was closed in April, 1950 and instead A.
R.P. fire Fighting Division Ludhiana, was formed. This was also closed in August, 1950, and again the Ludhiana Public Health Division, with headquarters at Ludhiana, was formed.

The Executive Engineer, in-charge of this Division, is assisted by 3 Sub-Divisional Officers, 12 Sectional Officers, 1 Head Draftsman, 2 Assistant Draftsmen, 2 Tracers, 2 Fitters, besides other miscellaneous and Class IV staff.

This division is entrusted with the engineering side of the public health and all the water-supply and sewerage schemes. Sanitary installations of the different towns in Ludhiana District are executed by it on behalf of the local bodies. The installation of water-supply and sewerage and their maintenance in all the Government buildings in the district is also undertaken by this division.

Punjab State Electricity Board

Ludhiana Circle of the erstwhile Punjab P.W.D., Electricity Branch, now Punjab State Electricity Board, was created in November, 1953 and Ludhiana Operation Division, Jullundur Operation Division and Thermal Operation Division, Karnal, were placed under its administrative control. Subsequently the following new divisions were also attached to this circle :-

(i) Khanna Tubewell Division ;

(ii) Carrier Communication Division, Dhulkote ;

(iii) Panipat Tubewell Divisions ; and

(iv) Hoshiarpur Operation Division.

In 1955, Jullundur and Hoshiarpur Operation Divisions were detached from the Ludhiana Circle, and instead Moga and Ferozepore Operation Divisions were attached to it. Later on, Thermal Operation Division, Karnal, Khanna Tubewell Division, and Carrier Communication Division, Dhulkot, were also detached from it, and Muktsar Operation Division was attached to it in 1959. Early in 1964, Ludhiana Operation Division was split up into two divisions, viz., Ludhiana Division No. I and Ludhiana Division No. II.

In March, 1966, the Ludhiana Circle, Punjab State Electricity Board, Ludhiana, had the following divisions under it :-

(i)	Ludhiana Sub urban Division, Punjab State Electricity Board, Ludhiana (formerly Ludhiana Division No. I) ;
(ii)	Ludhiana City Division, Punjab State Electricity Board, Ludhiana (formerly Ludhiana Division No. II) ;
(iii)	Moga Division, Punjab State Electricity Board, Moga ;
(iv)	Ferozepore Division, Punjab State Electricity Board, Ferozepore ; and
(v)	Musktsar Division, Punjab State Electricity Board, Muktsar.

The Superintending Engineer, Ludhiana Circle, Punjab State Electiicity Board, Ludhiana, is incharge of this circle. He is assisted by 1 Assistant Engineer, 1 Circle Superintendent, 1 Circle Head Draftsman, 1 Assistant Draftsman, 1 Tracer, beisded ministerial and Class IV staff. Bhatinda Division, Punjab State Electricity Board, Bhatinda, formed in June 1966, was also attached to the Ludhiana Circle.

The main functions of the Punjab State Electricity Board are to provide electric connections for domestic, commercial, industrial and agricultural use, to ensure its steady supply and also to plan future demand and make arrangements to meet it.

Co-operative Department

In 1937, the office of the Assistant registrar, Co-operative Societies, Ludhiana, was decentralized from the officer of the Assistant Registrar, Co-operative Societies, Ambala. At that time, the field staff consisted of only 4 Inspectors. This strength was increased to 5 Inspectors and 25 Sub-Inspectors on December 31, 1954.

Ludhiana District was previously controlled by the Deputy Registrar, Co-operative Societies, Jullundur. With the selection of Ludhiana as one of the seven districts in India for the Intensive Agricultural Development Programme in 1960-61, a separated Deputy Registrar, Co-operative Societies, Package Programme, was posted at Ludhiana in October, 1960, and an additional Assistant Registrar, Co-operative Societies, was posted in 1962.

At present the Co-operative Department is represented at the district level by the Deputy Registrar, Co-operative Societies, Package Programme, Ludhiana. He is assisted Registrar, along with their respective staff, as under :

(i) Assistant Registrar, Co-operative Societies< package Programme, Ludhiana. He is assisted by 20 Inspectors, 66 Sub–Inspectors, 1 Statistical Assistant, besides ministerial and Class IV staff.

(ii) Assistant Registrar, Co-operative Societies, Package Programme, Jagraon, with headquarters at Ludhiana. He was appointed in 1962. He is assisted by 18 Inspectors, 56 Sub-Inspectors, 1 Statistical Assistant besides ministerial and Class IV staff.

The main function of the Deputy Registrar is the propagation and supervision of the co-operative movement. He is to co-ordinate the Departments of Agriculture and Co-operative, to enable them to move hand in hand to accelerate the progress of agriculture production. He also looks after the supply line (agriculture in-puts like fertilizers, seeds, pesticides and insecticides, etc.) as also the easy and timely supply to credit to farmer at reasonable rates.

The duties of the Assistant Registrar and registration of Co-operative societies, fixation of maximum limit of co-operative societies, advance of loans, management and audit of the Central Co-operative Banks and Unions of all co-operative societies in the district, appointment of liquidators for co-operative societies, making arrangements for the supply of fertilizers, seeds, agricultural implements etc., through co-operative societies, management of labour societies, etc. the main functions of the Assistant Registrar are supervision of the co-operative societies, popularization of the co-operative movement in the area, and ensuring of supply of credit and production requisites to the farmers through the co-operative societies. The Assistant Registrars are to further ensure that the management do not act arbitrarily and run the societies according to the bye-laws, rules and the Act. They are also to co-ordinate the activities of different department.

FINANCE DEPARTMENT

The department is represented at the district level by the Treasury Officer who is incharge of the District Treasury.

The district Treasury was previously under the control of an Extra Assistant Commissioner (Revenue Department) who could not obviously devote full attention to this job, being incharge of magisterial work in addition to treasury duties. Under the scheme of Re-organisation of Treasuries, introduced on December 14, 1955, it came under the administration control of the Finance Department and a whole-time Treasury Officer, belonging to the Punjab Finance and Accounts Service Cadre and well versed in the accounting procedure, was appointed for efficient control of the treasury accounts and funds.

The Treasury Officer is assisted by 2 Assistant Treasury Officers (one each for the Sub-Treasuries at Samrala and Jagroan), 1 Sadar Treasurer, 1 Assistant Treasurer and 2 Sub-Treasurer, besides other ministerial and miscellaneous staff.

The main function of the treasuries is to receive Government revenues and make payments on behalf of Government (both State and Central expect post offices) to public as well as Government offices.

ANIMAL HUSBANDRY DEPARTMENT

The department is represented in the district by the District Animal Husbandry Officer, Ludhiana, who is under the Deputy Director, Animal Husbandry, Jullandhar. He is assisted by 21 Veterinary Assistant Surgeons, 2 Animal Husbandry Assistants, 12 Livestock Assistants and 9 Veterinary Compounders, besides other miscellaneous staff.

The main activities of the Department are veterinary aid, improvement of livestock, control and eradication of contagious diseases amongst the livestock, poultry and piggery farming, etc. the department has started a separate unit for eradication of rinderpest, under the charge of the Rinderpest Eradication Officer, Punjab , with headquarters at Ludhiana. Animal Husbandry parties tour through out the State and perform Got Virus Vaccination on mass scale against rinderpest.

Under the control of District Animal Husbandry Officer, Ludhiana, there is a Pig Breeding Unit at Ludhiana, started in 1965, and six sub-units in the six piggery development blocks at Samrala, Machhiwara, Khamanon Kalan, Khera, Sahnewal and Dakha. The unit at Ludhiana is under the charge of a wholetime Veterinary Assistant Surgeon while the sub-units are under the Veterinary Assistant surgeons of the Veterinary Hospitals of their area. The Piggery Development Officer, Punjab, Chandigarh, renders administrative and technical advice.

There is also a Feed Processing Centre at Ludhiana, run by the Punjab Poultry Corporation, Chandigarh. It was established in 1965. It’s under the charge of the Assistant supervisor. The centre is under the administrative control of the Punjab Poultry Corporation. Its main functions are to procure, mix and distribute poultry feed to government poultry farms, co-operative poultry societies, poultry association, poultry farms, etc.

Attached to the Feed Processing Centre is the Government Poultry Service Centre at Ludhiana under the charge of a Poultry Supervisor. It was started 1963-64 to develop poultry farming in the district by catering to the needs of poultry breeders and guidance on problems of poultry farming like veterinary aid, prohylactic vaccination, disease control, marketing, etc., and also to arrange for the collection of eggs from poultry farmers for onward supply to the Punjab Poultry Corporation.

PUBLIC RELATIONS DEPARTMENT

The department is represented at the district level by the District Public Relations Officer. He is assisted by 3 Field Publicity Assistants (men) and 1 Lady Field Publicity Assistant for field and press publicity in urban and rural areas, 3 Radio Mechanics, 1 Technical Assistant for maintenance of community listening radio-sets besides other staff. He is also provided with a mobile cinema unit, a drama party, a Kavishar Jatha and a children’s film unit.

The functions of the District Public Relation Officer are to serve as a liaison between the State Government and the Public and to disseminate and publicise Government policies and programmes. His work requires expert handling of various media of publicity. Briefly, it comprises multifarious items relating to coverage of Government functions and arrangement for the publication of their reports in the press ; organisation of Public meetings and rural conferences ; holding of Kavi Durbars, variety programmes, dramas, cinema shows and exhibitions ; covering of public reaction to Government policies to the quarters concerned and communication of people’s grievance to the district and State authorities ; distribution of Government publicity literature ; and converage of visits of Ministers and other V.I.Ps., etc. He is also incharge of tourism and cultural affairs in the district.

The department maintains an Information Centre at the district headquarters.

FOOD AND SUPPLIES DEPARTMENT

The Department is represented at the district level by the District Food and Supplies Controller, Ludhiana. This office came into existence in an interesting manner. In 1942, a few officials of the Co-operative Department started purchasing wheat on behalf of Government for distribution among the consumers. In 1944, another wing, known as the Civil Supplies Offices, dealing with the distribution of essential supplies like cloth, sugar and kerosene oil, was also created. In 1948, the District Food and Supplies Controller was made incharge of the foodgrains section in the district and the Civil Supplies Officer was the head of the Civil Supplies Section.

With the introduction of monopoly procurement of wheat and rationing in Ludhiana town in 1946, another office, known as the Rationing Controller’s Office, was established in district. In 1948, due to the de-control of cloth and derationing of cereals and sugar, the office of the Rationing Controller was abolished. It resulted in heavy retrenchment of staff.

Towards the end of 1948, rationing and cloth control were re-introduced and put under the charge of the District Organiser, Civil Supplied and Rationing ,The District Food and Supply Controller, however, remained independent incharge of the food office. The monopoly procurement and rationing was abandoned in 1953 and the food and supplies officer were amalgamated and put under the charge of the District Food and Supplies Controller. The combined office is function since then.

The District Food and Supplies Controller , Ludhiana, is assisted by one District Food and Supplies Officer, three Assistant Food and Supplies Officers, forty three Inspectors and Sub Inspectors, besides other ministrerial and miscellaneous staff. An Inspector, Food and Supplies, is posted at each of the nine important mandis in the district, viz., Ludhiana, Sahnewal, Khanna, Jagraon, Mullanpur, Raikot, Doraha, Samrala and Machhiwara, for the purchase storage and distribution of wheat, rice, etc.

The main functions of the department of the department at district level are procurement of wheat and rice on behalf of the State and Central Governments, storage and dispatch of the wheat within the State and outside it, according to the allotments, distribution of sugar, foodgrains and Kerosene oil through fair price shops; ensuring proper distribution/sale of cement, soft coke and bricks at fixed rates; fixing of the rates of controlled commodities and ensuing their fair distribution and enforcement of the control orders; and grant of licences for foodgrains, cotton, yarn, rice, milling, sugar, Khandsari, fire-wood, brick kilns and kerosene oil and the enforcement of condition thereof.

The department is running 94 fair price shops at Ludhiana,13 at Khanna,2 at Samrala,2 at Raikot, 16 at Jagraon and 2 at Doraha. Government owned godowns are maintained at Jagraon and Khanna. A foodgrains laboratory is also maintained at Ludhiana to check the quality of food grains and rice.

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