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Monday,
April 1, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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Centre under WB pressure: Surjewala CM assures increase in wheat MSP Doubts raised about Bt cotton Employees criticise closure of corpn Ex-MLA asked to give account |
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Crime against women cell opened
Kataria for upgradation of 3 rly stations
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Centre under WB pressure: Surjewala Kaithal, March 31 This was alleged by Mr Shamsher Singh Surjewala, president, Haryana Krishak Samaj and former HPCC chief, while addressing a press conference here yesterday. Mr Surjewala was accompanied by former minister Tejinder Mann. He was here to mobilise party workers for a rally to be held at Kurukshetra on April 2 to be addressed by Mr Bal Ram Jakhar President all-India Krishak Samaj, Mrs Mohsina Kidwai, Mr Kamal Nath, both AICC General Secretaries, Mr Butta Singh, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, HPCC President, and other senior party leaders. Mr Surjewala said it was a pity that the rate of interest on bank advances made for luxury items was brought down from 16.5 per cent to 10 per cent by the government, whereas the rate of interest on advances for agriculture purposes was near 18 per cent and with
compound interest it came to about 24 per cent. He said farmers as well as consumers were the worst hit by the “faulty” policies of the BJP-led Central Government. On the one hand, the government had failed to purchase the agriculture produce at a remunerative price (or the minimum support price), thus causing huge losses to the farmers all over the country, and on the other was trying to dismantle the public distribution system, thus increasing the financial burden on the average consumer. He said the items that used to be supplied through fair price shops during the Congress regime and were available to consumers at reasonable rates were now being sold in the open market resulting into a manifold increase in their prices. Mr Surjewala took to task the Central
Government for not announcing the minimum support price for wheat as yet and that it should be fixed at Rs 700 per quintal. He also demanded Rs 2500 as MSP for mustard. Mr Surjewala said if the
government failed to concede to the “genuine” demands of the farmers and other sections of society, their organisation would launch an agitation. |
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CM assures increase in wheat MSP Hisar, March 31 Addressing party workers here last evening, he said the Centre would announce the minimum support price (MSP) soon and added that at a meeting held recently the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, and other senior ministers had given a positive response on the issue. He hoped the Centre would increase the MSP this year and added that the government had made adequate arrangements for the storage of wheat. Claiming that his government had taken many steps for the welfare of farming community, he urged them to diversify their crop pattern and change the wheat-paddy rotation. He said it would be difficult for the state government to purchase wheat and paddy in the future and urged the farmers to instead grow flowers, fruits, pulses, sugarcane and vegetables. Mr Chautala said the government had decided to set up two sugar mills and five food processing units in the state during the next financial year. He said that a delegation of farmers had been sent to Israel to study dairy development and drip irrigation system there and claimed that his government was paying the highest price for sugarcane in the country. Mr Chautala said that special emphasis was being laid on the development of dairy farming in the state and the Pashudhan Vikas Board had been set up to promote animal husbandry. Criticising the Congress, he said that it had failed to play the role of an effective opposition in the state and instead of giving constructive suggestions to the government, it was misleading people. He also criticised kisan unions and alleged that some leaders were trying to create law and order problem in the state by misleading farmers. |
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Doubts raised about Bt cotton Sirsa, March 31 According to experts, independent trials have shown that the average economic advantage of Bt cotton over conventional cotton was only 10 per cent. Cotton specialists feel that if Indian cotton growing farmers use the recommended technologies with the already available varieties, it is possible to get better yield and control pests and diseases. They say that if the agriculture development officers transfer the available technology in the right earnest to the farmers then it is possible to produce international quality cotton. |
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Employees criticise closure of corpn Bhiwani, March 31 The corporation was constituted in 1970 for the extension of irrigation facilities in the state. Under the schemes, the corporation had installed tubewells throughout the state and later started work of bricklining the raw water-courses (minors) in 1973 to improve irrigation facility. The corporation had made 22,000-km-long raw water-courses as pucca which had resulted in green revolution in the state. The employees of the association deplored that the Chief Minister had assured them of no retrenchment during the budget session and contrary to this he took this decision. They said “the officers and employees of the corporation are trained and it is a big technical institution of the state and they are quite adequate to contribute to the development of the state”. They said the corporation had recently prepared a magnificent project under water conservation movement in 37 blocks of the state. The employees have requested the Chief Minister to review the decision of the closure to save the families from starvation. |
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Ex-MLA asked to give account Ambala, March 31 Talking to mediapersons here, Mr Jasbir Mallour said Nirmal Singh had failed to undertake development works even though he became MLA thrice. “The former minister, Mr Nirmal Singh, must issue a white paper on the development activities during his term and the assets he built after his becoming an MLA,” he said. Mr Mallour said Mr Nirmal Singh even failed to undertake development in his village Mohra. It was only now that the cremation ground shed and a school boundary wall were being constructed. “About Rs 18 lakh was being spent in Nirmal Singh’s village,” he said. He said a large number of development works were being undertaken in the Naggal Assembly constituency. “Sarkar Apke Dwar announcements are being completed and 55 new roads are being laid in the constituency out of which work on 22 roads have been completed,” he said. Mr Mallour said three drains had been sanctioned to protect the Naggal area from floods. A bridge was also going to come up on the Tangri river from Majri village to Durana village. A flood-relief siphon too was going to be built at a cost of Rs 10 crore in Khaira village. |
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Crime against women cell opened Ambala, March 31 The function was presided over by the IG Police, Ambala Range, Mr Alok Joshi. The cell has been opened at 54 A, Shastri Colony, Ambala Cantt. The IG said the cell would enable the proper implementation of criminal laws as enacted for the protection of rights of women in the jurisdiction of Ambala range. “It will help to protect the rights of women and to educate them. Also to enable police to intervene on behalf of women in cases involving marital discord and domestic violence and to open an avenue for women where they can be heard patiently and sympathetically,” he said. He said the cell was also going to serve as a counselling centre for women. “The cell will also educate, train and sensitise the police force about the new laws regarding crime against women,” he said. Among others, the DC, Mr Mahinder Kumar, SPs Mr Sandeep Khirwar, Mr Manoj Yadav, Mr M.S. Ahlawat, Ms Charu Bali Khirwar, Asst SPs Mr Vikas Arora, Ms Bharati Arora and DSP Ashok Sabharwal were present. |
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Kataria for upgradation of 3 rly stations Ambala, March 31 Talking to mediapersons here, Mr Kataria said these railway stations need to be modernised since people come from far off places for business purposes. “Also, the Ganganagar-Hardwar Express needs to have a stoppage at Barara and the Jansewa Express must stop at Jagadhari for the convenience of the people,” he said. Mr Kataria said three railway lines need to be laid one from Yamunanagar to Kalka via Naraingarh, the second Yamunanagar to Patiala via Kurukshetra, Pehwa and the third from Yamunanagar to Dehra Dun via Paonta Sahib,” he said. In replying to a query, Mr Kataria said the BJP national executive meeting was going to be held at Goa. “We are going to discuss the debacle in the recent elections in four states and the MCD elections of Delhi,” he said. Mr Kataria said although the BJP-led NDA government had performed well, including the Pokharan explosions, winning the Kargil war, improving Foreign Exchange position and announced a good minimum support price for procuring farmers’ produce, there has been electoral defeat which is a matter of concern. “It is a time for introspection,” he said. He condemned the terrorist attack in Jammu and said terrorism must be dealt with a strong action. On the relations between the BJP and the INLD, Mr Kataria said the party high command’s decision was final and their relation continues. “At a recent meeting, we have decided that BJP MLAs may need to meet the CM regarding general problems, he said. |
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