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Friday,
August 22, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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Star-studded
rail line celebrations Panchayats
to get more powers Dhumal
flays Mall incident 2 held for
attack on Pinjore lawyer |
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Himachal shifts 21 IAS officers 30,000
pilgrims visit Manimahesh
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Star-studded rail line
celebrations on anvil Shimla, August 21 Giving details of the programme, Major Vijay Singh Mankotia, Tourism Minister, said here today that a host of cultural and sporting events would be organised from November 9. The emphasis would be on reviving the old glory of the Queen of Hills. While the over 150-year-old Gaiety Theatre would be brought alive with plays featuring the best stage personalities of the country, the historic Annandale ground would once again become the venue of the Durand cup championship which started from this ground in the pre-Independence days. He said he had already written to Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi and other top theatre artistes to perform at Shimla. A cricket match featuring top Indian cricketers would also be held at Chail which has the distinction of having the highest cricket field in the world. Then there would be the Shimla beauty contest, which was virtually the unofficial Miss India competition until the Femina Miss India contest was introduced. Efforts were also being made to rope in some top Bollywood stars for the event. There were also plans to hold a function like “beating retreat” on the historic Ridge in which bands of the Army, Air Force and Navy would participate. Another attraction would be the vintage car rally which would be flagged off from Kalka and terminate at Shimla. The cars would be displayed on the Ridge. The programme, which might extend up to six days, would also showcase the state’s rich cultural heritage. Himachali artistes would perform during the cultural evenings. Besides the centenary celebrations, the Tourism Department would also organise the pre-world cup paragliding championship at Bir-Billing in Kangra from October 30 to November 2 in collaboration with the paragliding association of France. The minister said these events would help maintain the tourist inflow, which had increased significantly during the first four months of the current financial year. The average occupancy recorded in the hotels of the state Tourism Development Corporation was 52.50 per cent as against 33 per cent in the previous two years. Similarly, the occupancy in the private hotels was also around 75 per cent, much higher than previous years. He, however, expressed concern over the haphazard growth of major tourist destinations like Shimla and Manali and said it was high time that effective steps were taken to regulate construction activities in such areas. |
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Panchayats
to get more powers Shimla, August 21 He said the government proposed to provide more powers to panchayats. Mr Virbhadra Singh said that the government had initiated steps to provide them executive, administrative and financial powers to panchayats for development activities within their areas. He said that the PRIs had been granted supervisory powers over various departments to supervise and evaluate their performance. He said that the panchayats had also been associated with formulation of development projects at village level for proper utilization of funds. The Chief Minister announced the construction of panchayats bhavans at all district headquarters for PRI functionaries. He said that the government would consider to allow entry of PRI functionaries to Himachal secretariat complex during visiting hours. Mr Sat Mahajan, rural Developmental and Panchayati Raj
Minister said that he had attended meetings of 10 zila Parishads in the state to take stock of problems of these institutions. |
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Dhumal flays Mall incident Shimla, August 21 He told newsmen that the inference one could draw from the incident was that either anti-social elements no longer feared the police or they were hand-in-glove with law enforcers. Otherwise, the Mall was a place where even women could move out till late night, he said. He said the victim of the attack, Mr M.K. Sisodia had earlier written to all MLAs regarding the activities of some Pinjore-based anti-social elements associated with the Congress. He apprehended attack from these persons. Mr I.D. Dhiman, a BJP legislator, who had raised the issue in the House, received threatening phone calls now. Mr Dhumal said the nexus between political leaders and criminals should be exposed. Stray cattle from neighbouring states were brought to Himachal Pradesh and pushed into gorges. While the High Court treated his letter in this regard as a public interest litigation, the state government had not even bothered to give a reply, he said. Mr Dhumal charged the government with indulging in political vendetta and punishing the BJP supporters with transfers. Those who supported the BJP had been placed under suspension and no action had been taken against those who supported Congress, he said. |
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2 held for attack
on Pinjore lawyer Shimla, August 21 The arrested persons were Sukhpreet alias Sukku and Bharat Bhushan, the police was looking for other accused named by Sisodia in the FIR and more arrests were likely.
— PTI |
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Himachal shifts 21 IAS officers Shimla, August 21 Mr S.K.
Baldi, Managing Director of the state Civil Supplies Corporation and Mr Prabodh Saxena Deputy Commissioner, Kangra, swap places. Mr Amandeep Garg, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Kangra takes over as Deputy Commissioner, Lahaul and Spiti, vice Mr Subhashish Panda, who goes as Deputy Commissioner, Bilaspur, replacing Mr P.C. Jassal who has been posted as Managing Director, state Backward Classes Development Corporation, Kangra. Mr Ali Raza
Rizvi, Deputy Resident Commissioner, Delhi, takes over as Deputy Commissioner, Solan vice Bharat Khera who goes as Labour Commissioner-cum-Director Employment. Mr Rajesh Kumar, Director Vigilance, has been posted as Deputy Commissioner, Mandi, vice Mr J.P. Singh, who takes over as Director Urban Development. Mr Onkar Chand Sharma, Deputy Commissioner, Sirmaur has been posted secretary, state Public Service commission. Mr P.C. Kapoor, Secretary Labour and Employment, takes over Secretary Health vice Mr B.S. Chauhan who has been posted Secretary Personnel and Food Supplies relieving Mr Avay Shukla of the additional charge. Mr B.S.
Nanta, Special Secretary Industries takes over as, Director Industries, vice Mr V.P. Gupta, who has been posted Commissioner-cum-Secretary Lok Ayukta and Human Rights Commission. Mr Jagdish Chander, Commissioner Departmental Inquiries, has been posted as Special Secretary, Industries and Member Secretaries, state Council for Science Technology and Environment. Mr S.C. Mehta, Secretary, State Public Service Commission, goes as Commissioner Departmental Inquiries, while Mr M.L. Sharma, Director Land Records takes over as Deputy Commissioner of Sirmaur. Mr Chamel Singh, Special Secretary Education, takes over as Commissioner of the Shimla Municipal Corporation. Mr S.K. Dash has been given additional charge of Secretary Printing and Stationery and Mr
A.R. Basu has been given charge of Secretary Animal Husbandry and Fisheries. The HAS officers transferred included Mr
V.C. Katoch, Additional Secretary, Finance, who has been posted Additional Secretary, PWD vice Mr
R.L. Mohil, who goes as Additional Deputy Commissioner, Shimla. Mr R.S. Negi, Commissioner, Shimla Municipal Corporation, takes over as Director Vigilance. Mr R.S. Gupta, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Mandi, goes as Additional Deputy Secretary, Finance. Madhu Bala Sharma, Additional Director goes as Additional Secretary, Urban Development. Mr
K.R. Bharati, Land Acquisition Officer, PWD, Shimla takes over as Project Director
DPEP, Shimla. Mr Dinesh Malhotra, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Shimla, goes as Director of Small Savings. Mr
B.R. Jamwal, Additional Secretary, Urban Development, has been posted Additional Director, Rural Development. Mr
P.L. Negi, Joint Director, Social Welfare and Mr R.P. Bhardwaj, Joint Director, Primary Education, swap places. Mr Rajesh Sharma, Project Director,
DPEP, takes over Joint Commissioner, Shimla Municipal Corporation. Mr R.S. Verma, Assistant Commissioner to Deputy Commissioner, Mandi, goes as Assistant Settlement Officer, Kulu. Mr D.K. Gupta, Assistant Commissioner, local Municipal Corporation, has been posted Land Acquisition Officer, PWD, Shimla. Mr Man Singh, Deputy Secretary, Revenue, goes as Deputy Secretary, Personnel and will also hold the additional charge of Director of Lotteries. Mr Rakesh Dhiman, Assistant Commissioner, leave reserve, Mandi has been posted Assistant Commissioner to Deputy Commissioner, Mandi. |
30,000 pilgrims visit Manimahesh Chamba, August 21 According to Mr Sunil Choudhary, Resident Commissioner of Bharmour who is also member secretary of the state-level Manimahesh Pilgrimage Committee, the holy chhari of Manimahesh will commence in the traditional way a week before the final and main holy bath on September 3. Mr Choudhary said the district administration was providing all possible facilities and an adequate security cover to the pilgrims coming from various parts of the country. |
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