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Thursday,
April 4, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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HP Govt ready to sell Wildflower Hall shares HP fiscal health “worsening” Dhumal against policy adopted by SSB NDA govt has betrayed voters: HPCC Stokes expels Kewal Chauhan |
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Rs 1656 lakh for
HP roads BADDI DIARY OPD patients raise din on
staff shortage Women protest against liquor vend’s opening Telecom Dept told to
pay compensation Concern over
pollution in Sirsa river
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HP Govt ready to sell Wildflower Hall shares Shimla, April 3 The government expressed its willingness to sell its share during the hearing of the petition filed by the EIH before the Company Law Board
(CLB), challenging the purported meeting of the board convened by government directors, by which its government officer was appointed Executive Director. The government indicated during the hearing that it was prepared to sell its shares at a value Rs 20 crore to Rs 25 crore to the
EIH. The CLB on the plea of the EIH advised that it would be appropriate to have the evaluation of the property done by an independent
value acceptable to both parties. The Additional Solicitor-General of India, Mr Mukul
Rohatgi, sought time to consult the government on the matter. Meanwhile, Mr Raman Khanna, spokesperson for the
EIH, said the company was in control of the hotel as evident from the fact that salaries were being paid to the staff through cheques and all other expenditure was being incurred to run the hotel, which had good occupancy. The lawyer for the company said no change had been recorded in the composition of the Board of Directors with the Registrar of companies and as such all directors of the EIH were still on the board. The government’s plea that the company failed to complete the project within the stipulated period also did not hold as it had been completed on April 18, 2001. The Financial Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Tourism, gave the non-objection certificate for making it operational on April 19, 2001. However, even after completing all formalities, it was not given the completion certificate. Even the compounding fee for minor deviation from the sanctioned building plans was paid. |
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HP fiscal health “worsening” Shimla, April 3 The fiscal indicators present an alarming scenario with the borrowings, to which the government had been resorting to bridge the budget deficit, reaching an unsustainable level. The debt to gross state domestic product
(GSDP) ratio has been increasing at a fast pace indicating a reduction in the state’s ability to meet its debt obligations and thus increasing the risk for the lender. The ratio shot up from 0.49 in 1996-97 to 0.69 in 2000-01. The state’s total outstanding loans swelled from Rs 4966 crore in 1997-98 to Rs 10,669.80 crore in 2001-02. The figure would reach Rs 12484.54 crore by the end of current financial year as projected in the Budget. Similarly, the interest ratio has also increased steadily from 0.15 in 1996-97 to 0.26 in 2000-01 indicating that the interest payments on part borrowings had assumed serious proportions and had become a major constraint in the programme spending of the government. The weighted average cost of debt as indicated by the ratio of interest payments to the total outstanding debt is 10.15 per cent in 2000-01 and is now close to the growth rate of GSDP seriously constraining debt sustainability. The capital outlay capital receipts ratio had been less than one indicating that a large part of capital receipts was used to meet revenue expenditure. The ratio of tax receipts to the GSDP has been static around 0.06 suggesting that the contribution of state’s own taxes to the total tax collections was insignificant. Besides, the state had a negative balance from current revenues
(BCR) during 1996-2001 period, which reflected its inability to generate surplus from current revenues. The ratio of revenue deficit and fiscal deficit, which indicates the extent to which the borrowings were being used to meet now productive revenue expenditure, has increased sharply from 27 per cent to 70 per cent over the period. This was a clear indication of worsening debt burden of the state. |
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Dhumal against policy adopted by SSB New Delhi, April 3 Mr Dhumal, who called on the Union Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, at his office said the new policy made population percentage as the recruitment criteria which meant that only 0.6 per cent of the total recruitment by the SSB would be made from Himachal Pradesh. He said while the new policy would benefit bigger states which had not effectively implemented population control measures resulting in higher population growth, it would adversely affect employment avenues in hill states, especially Himachal Pradesh, which had effectively implemented the national family welfare programmes. During his meeting with the Home Minister, Mr Dhumal demanded 10 per cent quota of the total recruitment in the SSB for youths from his state. He also demanded continuation of the civil component of the SSB functioning in Kinnaur, Keylong and Chamba. The Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister also took the opportunity to impress upon the Home Minister to bring four more districts of his state under the Border Area Development Plan. Of the six districts in the state, only two — Kinnaur and Lahaul Spiti — have been included in the plan. |
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NDA govt has betrayed voters: HPCC Chowari (Dalhousie), April 3 Launching a mass awareness campaign of the Congress in the Bhattiyat constituency in Chamba district, Mr Shiv Kumar Upmanyu, Chairman, Disciplinary Committee of the HPCC, accused the BJP-led government of clinging on to the Ram Temple issue. Addressing Congress workers, Mr Upmanyu said whenever the BJP got the chance to rule, it had always ruled in the name of religion. He said the BJP had time and again tried to get votes in the name of “swadeshi and Ramrajya”. But by raising the issue of Ram Temple, the BJP had increased its number from two to 180. Mr Upmanyu said the BJP pretending to be far from the politics of religion was now contemplating to get the votes of educated people. He described this gimmick of the BJP as a greed for power than a change in ideology. Mr Upmanyu ridiculed the BJP’s dream of making India corruption-free. Mr Upmanyu categorically stated that today the people wanted peace and development. In this new era the people had no time to think about Ram Temple and communalism. |
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Stokes expels Kewal Chauhan Shimla, April 3 A press note issued by the party said Ms Vidya stokes, president of the
PCC, had expelled Mr Chauhan, who was admitted to the party along with Mr Bachitar Singh and Mr O.P Rattan last year, as he had not only been convicted but had also not filled the membership form. Mr Chauhan was first expelled from the party in 1985 when he contested election as an Independent after being denied the party ticket. However, he was taken back into the party fold in October, 1993 by Mr Virbhadra Singh, the then PCC chief. Subsequently, he joined the Himachal Vikas Congress and was instrumental in framing the party charge sheet against Mr Virbhadra Singh. After the split in the HVC he sought entry into the Congress along with some other leaders. The Virbhadra Singh camp had opposed the entry of Mr Chauhan and said it would lower the image of the party in the eye of the public. However, the Stokes camp readmitted him into the party. |
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Rs 1656 lakh for
HP roads Shimla, April 3 In all, the bank has sanctioned 150 roads and 60 bridges under the scheme so far. On completion of these projects, the RIDF assistance would add 3022.35 km of all-weather roads and 5075.87 meters span length of bridges to provide connectivity to 3559 villages. During the year 2001-2002, the sanctions under the RIDF amounted to Rs 17618.51 lakh. |
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BADDI DIARY BADDI: In the order to channelise the flow of rain water along the Baddi-Barotiwala belt an experimental project has been launched by scientists of the horticulture and forestry university at Nauni near Solan. Being financed by the World Bank, the project is being implemented under the aegis of the Indian Council of Agriculture Research. A team of scientists under the leadership of Dr I.P. Sharma has selected a 1.5 km stretch along the river in Johranpur and Kulariwala villages. The flow of water at the stretch would be channelised in such a way that water flows the centre so that the sides could be protected against erosion. This will also protect plantation and habitation. In order to strengthen the sides of the rivulets massive plantation would be taken up, stated Dr Sharma. Construction of bounds, spurs and retaining walls would also be taken up. In addition to this locally viable species would be grown in the silt and gravel deposited in the catchment area. In order to involve locals a committee comprising 26 families has been formed. It will also bear 10 per cent of the total cost of the project. The project has been launched initially on an experimental basis for a period of three years. A base line survey is being conducted by the Town and Country Planning Department in the state to assess the awareness of various individuals about functions, working and effectiveness of the department. The officials have circulated a questionnaire on various aspects of house building like light, ventilation, earthquake resistance measures, parking traffic, etc. In addition to this the survey will also assess people’s awareness on architecture water harvesting systems, sources of energy and building bylaws. It is also inviting suggestions from individuals on issues relating to working of the municipal corporation of the Town and Country Planning Department. A rich harvest of tomatoes has brought cheer to the farmers in this belt. The vegetable, which is in great demand in Delhi, Punjab, Chandigarh and Ludhiana, has improved the economic standard of the farmers. This has helped local youth gain employment here. In the absence of a permanent source of irrigation, the farmers are still dependent on rain. The farmers have also experimented with new hybrid varieties of tomatoes like manisha, minakshi, tols toi, etc. which have yielded high yields. Even a small land holding of about 2 bigha has yielded a crop worth Rs 30,000. Marketing of these tomatoes has, however, remained a problem with the farmers who have been complaining of middlemen making huge profits and exploiting the poor farmers. They complain that the government has provided no facilities for marketing in the region and the marginal farmers are forced to sell the crops to middlemen. Farmers can produce as many as three crops a year if they have proper irrigation facilities. |
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OPD patients raise din on
staff shortage Dharamsala, April 3 The agitating patients tried to lock the hospital gate as only a woman doctor and an ENT specialist were available to treat more than 400 patients in the out-patient department (OPD). They demanded that either the hospital be provided with doctors and paramedical staff or closed. Sensing trouble, the hospital authorities called the police to control the situation. The din continued for more than an hour. Senior Medical Officer Ashok Sharma, who rushed to the hospital, said although the hospital was upgraded to a 100 bed hospital, its staff strength was less than that of a 50-bed hospital. There were only six doctors against the required strength of 16, he added.
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Women protest against liquor vend’s opening Kangra, April 3 Ms Suman Verma, Ms Sheshi Kanta and Ms Maya Devi, municipal councillors from three wards of old Kangra town, who were heading the protest march, said the women of the area had been demanding its closure for the past one year. They added that they had approached the Deputy Commissioner for the same, who assured them that no new liquor shop would be auctioned in the town. Ms Verma, President of the Mahila Mandal, said despite the assurance of the DC the liquor shop was auctioned. The protesting women threatened that they won’t allow the vend to function there. |
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Telecom Dept told to
pay compensation Shimla, April 3 According to the complainant his telephone was installed at Heera Bhawan, Kotla Nala, Solan. Later when he shifted to his new house at Chambaghat he also got the telephone shifted. He stated that he repeatedly requested the Telecom Department to issue the bills on the new address given to the department, but instead of sending bills, his telephone was disconnected on March 23, 2000 illegally. While directing the Telecom Department, Mr Goel observed that the department had illegally disconnected the telephone. The department was ordered to pay Rs 5000 as compensation and Rs 1000 as litigation to the complainant. |
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Concern over
pollution in Sirsa river Baddi, April 3 The member secretary, Mr Nagin Nanda, said due to unscientific disposal of human and industrial waste, he said open nallahs and the river Sirsa had become polluted. The board chalked out a plan in consultation with the local industrialists. |
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