M A I N   N E W S

HP defers move on new districts
Differences among top BJP leaders
Tribune News Service

Shimla, August 7
The much-publicised proposal to carve out new districts again suffered set back owing to serious differences among senior leaders of the BJP and pressure from ministers and MLAs seeking district status for their respective areas.

The Cabinet, which met under the chairmanship of Mr P.K. Dhumal, the Chief Minister, here today, chose to defer the sensitive issue keeping in view conflicting demands from partymen and opposition from senior leaders. Initially, the proposal was to be put up before the Cabinet on July 18. However, it was deferred due to lack of data required for exercise.

It was decided to constitute a Cabinet sub-committee under the chairmanship of Mr Kishori Lal, Himachal Industries Minister, with Mr J.P. Nanda, Health Minister, and Mr Ramesh Dhwala, Irrigation and Public Health Ministers, to go into relevant details, consult the quarters concerned and also obtain information from various departments.

It is learnt that as per the proposal three new districts of Palampur, Nurpur and Dehra were to be carved out from the existing Kangra district. Besides, new districts of Sarkaghat, comprising Gopalpur and Dharampur constituencies, in Mandi and Mahasu, consisting of Jubbal Kotkhai, Rohru and Chopal, in Shimla, were to be created.

However, the proposal was not acceptable to partymen from Sundernagar, Karsog, Rohru and Rampur all of whom maintained that their area deserved precedence in the creation of new districts. Senior party leaders from Rohru and Sundernagar met Mr P.K. Dhumal, just before the Cabinet meeting told him clearly that the proposal to create new districts was not in line with assurances given to them and warned him that it would lead to serious political crisis if approved.

The Cabinet decided to grant House Rent Allowance to its employees on enhanced rates from September 1, 1997 to August, 1999 period. The arrears on this account will be paid in six regular quarterly instalments, beginning from July 2002. This will put financial burden of about Rs 60 crore on the state.

Giving details of the Cabinet decisions Mr Harsh Gupta, Chief Secretary, said that the Cabinet also gave approval for the grant of Uniform Allowance at the rate of Rs 140 per month inclusive of Washing Allowance to all Class-IV employees of the state except those posted on security duties in place of present system of providing liveries.

It also approved the proposal regarding grant of ex-gratia in lieu of bonus in favour of the employees and officers of the Himachal Pradesh State Civil Supplies Corporation for the period of 1996-97 to 2000-2001.

The proposal for the upgradation of 13 primary schools to middle standard, three middle schools to high school level, one high school to senior secondary school level was also approved, besides the creation of appropriate number of posts of different teaching and non-teaching categories of employees for these schools.

The Cabinet also approved the creation and filling up of 18 posts of various categories for setting up of district cells at Bilaspur, Una and Kulu under 100 per cent centrally sponsored scheme of the Integrated Child Development Services Scheme with annual expenditure of Rs 36 lakh.

In its bid to strengthen the Panchayati Raj Institutions in the state, the Cabinet approved amendments to the Himachal Pradesh Forest Produce Transit (land routes) rules, 1978 to delegate powers to Pradhans of the gram panchayats to issue passes for export of forest produce. The amount so collected by the panchayats would be utilised by the gram panchayat concern for development purposes.

The Cabinet also decided to bring out a liberalised self-assessment Sale Tax scheme known as “Sadbhavna- 2002” for the benefit of the dealers. The proposed scheme is advanced form of the liberalised policy to relieve the lowest rung of dealers having turnover up to Rs 10 lakh from the submission of details of the purchases involved as for them no other requirement was being imposed.

The Cabinet also discussed the transfer policy for district cadre employees and decided to formulate guidelines whereby respective controlling officers would be authorised to issue transfer orders.

It also mourned the death of Vice-President Krishan Kant.