 |
Friday,
July 26, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
|
CM:
adopt new road strategy for HP Dhumal defends SSSB working Virbhadra
woos employee voters
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
HP Governor, CM congratulate Kalam Palampur students to meet CM today School students
lathi-charged Kishore nite today
|
|
CM:
adopt new road strategy for HP Shimla, July 25 In a letter to the Union Minister for Rural Development, Mr Shanta Kumar, he said states like Himachal Pradesh had no other means of communication except roads. Due to difficult terrain, high per unit cost of road construction and low population density, the connectivity levels in the state was low in comparison to the national average. Out of a total of 16,997 villages, only 5,876 villages were connected by road and another 751 villages were being connected under the PMGSY works approved during the past two years. He said 10,370 villages were yet to be connected. Only 2,731 villages could be under PMGSY according to parameters laid down under this scheme as per current estimates as many as 2,092 roads, with aggregate length of 12,825 km, would require an investment of Rs 2,650 crore. To provide universal connectivity to villages with population exceeding 250 persons the state would require about Rs 2.650 crore during the five years period up to 2007. In 2000-2001 allocation to the state was Rs 60 crore, where as on an average Rs 500 crore a year was required to achieve the objectives of the yojna. He said a realistic financial allocation parameters for the hill states were required to be framed keeping in view the low levels of connectivity, higher per unit cost, in absence of alternative communication facilities like rail and fair links. Further diversion of forest land for roads was a problem. He said 637 roads taken under PMGSY involved forest land and as such it would not be possible to take up work on these. Before taking possession of forest land after obtaining permission under the Forest Conservation Act, compensatory afforestation charges were required to be paid. As per preliminary estimates about Rs 12 crore would be involved as compensatory afforestation charges. These charges should be made admissible under the PMGSY, he said. Similarly, population criteria also required some change as most of villages in the state have low density of population and dispersed locations. There were cases where large number of villages were located in a cluster far away from the main road but since none of such villages had more than 250 population, there could not be taken up under the scheme. He said in order to address this problem, it was appropriate that cluster of villages having collective population of more than 250 could be connected by one road. For the villages which could not be covered under the cluster project the population norm should be relaxed 100 based on merit of each case, he added. |
|
Dhumal defends SSSB working Shimla, July 25 In a statement here yesterday, he said as many as 2,930 persons were appointed on recommendation to various boards, corporations and government departments in violation of rules during 1993-97 period. He refuted the allegation that development in the state had come to a standstill and said by giving such “false” statements, the Congress leaders wanted to divert the attention of the people from the achievements of the present government. He said besides Rs 1200 crore central assistance, which the state had got during the past four years, the Annual Plan size had gone up from Rs 1008 crore in 1997-98 to Rs 1900 crore during the current year. Budget for vital sectors like roads and education had also been increased tremendously. A sum of Rs 350 crore had been earmarked for construction and maintenance of roads during the current year as against Rs 90 crore spent during 1997-98. Similarly, allocation for the education sector had been increased from Rs 356 crore to Rs 960 crore during the current year. Mr Dhumal said Congress leaders were criticising the government was raising loans to pay salaries to its employees. But the question was whether the employees, who played a significant role in the development of the state, should be paid or not. |
|
Virbhadra
woos employee voters Shimla, July 25 In a statement here today, he accused the BJP of misleading the employees on the issue and asserted that the Congress when in power had given the maximum benefits to employees and it would continue to fulfil its commitments. The Congress would also restore the power for appointment of dependents of the deceased government employees on compassionate ground to the Heads of Departments. He also assured that political victimisations of all categories of employees by the present BJP government would be reviewed and revoked to give justice to the affected employees. |
|
New HP districts by Aug 15 Hamirpur, July 25 Addressing a gathering at Lohakhar village in the Bamsan Assembly segment of the district today, the Chief Minister said that it was not reasonable that there were three Deputy Commissioners for the 34 Assembly seats and nine for other 34 seats. To end this anomaly more districts would be carved. The Chief Minister’s announcement was greeted by the audience. He said all areas of the state would be developed without political or other considerations. He said that the Congress party had neither any policy nor a programme and it would be finished politically from the state after next elections. He announced that Rs 1.55 crore would be spent on the third phase of the Lagwalti Bamsan drinking water supply scheme and another Rs 4.52 crore for the Mahesh Kwal drinking water supply scheme. He said funds had been sanctioned for these projects. Mr Ishwar Dass Dhiman, Education Minister stressed the need for the creation of smaller districts in the state. Mrs Urmila Thakur, Parliamentary Secretary, Mr Pyere Lal, Chairman, Hamirpur Zila Parishad and Mr Karam Singh, former MLA also spoke on this occasion. Earlier the Chief Minister inaugurated the Uhal-Parnali road via Bakker
Khad. |
|
HP Governor, CM congratulate Kalam Shimla, July 25 In his message Dr Suraj Bhan wished him a happy and successful tenure and said that the country would immensely benefit from his farsightedness. Mr Dhumal in his message said Dr Kalam was a world renowned scientist and his elevation to the highest office was a matter of pride for the country. |
|
Palampur students to meet CM today Dharamsala, July 25 Brighu, spokesman of the samiti, said the students’ agitation had been deferred for a few days after consultations with the district administration. He said a 200-strong delegation would leave for Shimla to meet the Chief Minister to remind him of his assurance given at Manali. |
|
School students
lathi-charged Shimla, July 25 Anticipating trouble, private bus operators had kept their buses off the road. However, the students staged a protest, demanding action against the guilty driver and conductor and the bus operator. They blocked traffic at Boileauganj. The owner of the bus and the president of the Private Bus Operator Union held talks with the protestors and also apologised to them. They admitted that the driver was at fault and he should be given maximum punishment. This, however, did not satisfy the protesting students and they continued to squat on the road. The police had to use force to disperse them. Some students received minor injuries in the lathi charge. The police has arrested Kuldeep and Mukesh, the driver and conductor, respectively, of the bus involved in the accident. |
|
Kishore nite today Shimla, July 25 As many as 14 artistes from Chandigarh and Himachal Pradesh will participate in the event. According to Ms Sudha Mehta, president of Ananaya Arts, the artistes — six males, six females and two in the age group of 16 to 18 — have been selected after a preliminary round held at Chandigarh. Well-known personalities like Jagttar Jagga, Punjabi pop singer, and Subhash Ghosh, music composer, will perform during the event to be directed by Mr Anil Agnihotari, modelling personality. |
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | In Spotlight | Chandigarh Tribune | Ludhiana Tribune 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 122 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
