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Rs 339-cr irrigation, drinking Virbhadra should
hand over land to Sagar Katha case fabricated, claims Virbhadra CM: BJP leaders encouraged encroachments |
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OBC quota to be increased to 27 pc, says Virbhadra All files to be routed through Pro-VC Care for orphans, exhorts Governor World Bank to help ‘greening of textbooks’ CBI gets 2 months in Baljee case 9 new cases of leprosy reported 5 hurt in road accident
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Rs 339-cr irrigation, drinking water plans Shimla, October 20 Stating this at a two-day workshop in connection with the implementation of the Rs 13.26-crore Indo-German project for augmenting minor irrigation and rural drinking water supply here today, Mr Kaul Singh, Irrigation and Public Health Minister, said a Rs 140 crore irrigation project had been submitted to the Centre for funding by the German Government. Besides extending irrigation to 10,000 hectare of land, it would help development in 20,000 hectare along with forestry, horticulture and animal husbandry components. A Rs 199-crore drinking water project had also been presented to the German Government for funding through the Union Ministry of Economic Affairs. He said the aim of the projects was to support the setting-up of local water user groups to guarantee long-term success of demand-driven rural water supply and re-habilitation and maintenance of micro-irrigation schemes. The technical cooperation phase would address all relevant issues to bring about a change in the attitude and behaviour of the beneficiaries. Mr Kaul Singh said that technical cooperation from Germany was relevant as geographical and other conditions of Germany and Himachal Pradesh were similar. He said the state government would come out with a water policy soon and urged the experts attending the workshop to address all aspects of water requirement in the state to aid the formulation of the policy. Reiterating the government’s resolve to provide water to every habitation in next three years, Mr Kaul Singh said the endeavour was also to bring the maximum possible area under irrigation. All these aspects would form part of the water policy, he added. The workshop is being attended by a team of Gescellschaft for Technische Zuoammenarbet
(GTZ) — a German agency for foreign aid — Panchayati Raj functionaries, representatives of water user associations, engineers of the Irrigation and Public Health Department and senior officers of various other departments concerned. The project has been divided into two phases. The technical cooperation phase will extend up to three years and financial cooperation will be for six years. The technical cooperation phase will be fully funded by GTZ and financial cooperation will come into operation only after success of the technical phase. The second phase of the project involves an expenditure of Rs 51 crore on the development of irrigation facilities in the state. |
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Virbhadra
should hand over land to govt: Dhumal Shimla, October 20 Talking to mediapersons, here, he pointed out that Mr Virbhadra Singh had secured his complete unit permissible under the Land Ceiling Act at the time of the enforcement of the Act and as such he could not inherit even an inch of land from his mother’s property. He said as such the entire 161 bighas of land should have been vested in the government after the death of his mother. He expressed surprise over the decision of the Financial Commissioner who ordered vesting of only 80 bighas of the land in the government. The BJP leader wanted to know what action had been taken against the Subdivisional Officer who wrongly transferred the 161 bighas of land in the name of Mr Virbhadra Singh. Moreover, at a time when panchayat pardhans were being disqualified for encroaching upon the government land, action should be taken against those who had illegally retained government land. Mr Dhumal further said that Mr Virbhadra Singh derived all benefits from the 161 bighas of land which he illegally retained for almost 10 years and wanted to know what action was being taken to recover the loss caused to the state exchequer. He reiterated that the government was indulging in political vendetta to harass rivals while employees owing allegiance to the opposition were being punished with vindictive transfers, and political leaders were being targeted by the Vigilance Department. |
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Sagar Katha case fabricated, claims Virbhadra Dharamsala, October 20 However, the Chief Minister on being asked whether he would resign if charges were framed against him in the Sagar Katha case by the state high court, he ducked the query. About the possibility of BJP-led government filing a charge sheet against him after Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi, he said it could be the intention of NDA government, which could not be ruled out. However, he said he was on a firm wicket adding the BJP-led government at the Centre could not make any case against him. Launching a scathing attack on Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, former Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, he said his government wants to proceed carefully before ordering an inquiry and filing a case against him related to alleged corruption charges. He said that the previous Dhumal government’s tenure was only dominated by gimmicks and it did nothing worthwhile for the development of the state. He said even in the opposition, Mr Dhumal continues to indulge in gimmicks to mislead the people of state for pushing his political interests. The Chief Minister said that Mr Dhumal who was making a lot of hue and cry that state capital should be changed from Shimla was not only irrational but also ridiculous. He said that changing the capital of the state was not a child’s play as it entailed huge expenditure. |
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CM: BJP leaders encouraged encroachments Kangra, October 20 Mr Virbhadra Singh was addressing a public meeting at the municipal ground here on the concluding function of the 20th Youth National Basketball Championship. He said 13 pradhans had been dismissed for such encroachments and byelections would be held for these posts. The Chief Minister said: “I will not allow teaching shops to be open in the state in the garb of the private institutions and a survey will be conducted to see that schools and colleges without proper infrastructure and quality education be closed”. He ridiculed the previous government for taking a decision to allow more than a dozen B.Ed colleges to be opened in the state. He announced Rs 2 lakh grant to the HP Basketball Association for conducting the championship. |
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OBC quota to be increased to 27 pc, says Virbhadra Dharamsala, October 20 The Chief Minister, who was presiding over the closing ceremony of 20th junior national basketball championship at Kangra, government would enhance the reservation quota for OBCs from 18 per cent to 27 per cent when the report of the commission on the OBCs was received. He said the Congress was committed to the welfare of the other backward classes and weaker sections. The Chief Minister hit out at previous Dhumal government for making hollow promises and indulging in political gimmicks to woo voters from the weaker sections of the society. He criticised Mr Dhumal for terming the JBT examination as JBT scam. He said the examination had been conducted with absolute fairness and there was no irregularity at any stage of the examination. He said the state education board, which conducted examination, was contemplating to file a defamation suit against Mr Dhumal for his irresponsible remarks about JBT examination. The Chief Minister said his government would make education up to the graduation level for girls free. He also disclosed that elementary education (up to VIII standard) would be made mandatory adding that about 2500 middle schools would be opened by his government to achieve this target. He emphasised that his government was also committed to improving sports infrastructure in the state. |
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All files to be routed through Pro-VC Shimla, October 20 Dr Sharma has been confronting the government on every matter ever since a Vigilance probe was ordered against him in connection with a question paper scam and other irregularities in the university. Only two days ago, the government had appointed Dr L.R. Verma, a former Vice-Chancellor of the Dr Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, as the Pro-Vice-Chancellor. The council also decided to post Mr K.S. Dogar as the Controller of Examinations until a regular incumbent is appointed. A deadline of three months was fixed to fill the post. Regarding action on the proceedings of an earlier meeting, which
recommended to send Dr Sharma on leave to pave the way for an impartial probe into charges against him, the meeting was informed that the Governor, Mr
V.S. Kokje, had not taken a final decision on it. Mr Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister, had also advised Dr Sharma to proceed on leaves, but he refused to do so.
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Care for orphans, exhorts Governor Dehar (Sundernagar), October 20 Mr Kokje visited the orphanage, about 22 km from here, last evening. He was given a warm welcome by all 73 students and staff of the institution. Mr Kokje was impressed with the functioning of the institution and said it was being run in a better manner than those being run by the government. Addressing the students, orphans should be treated with care so that they do not go astray and create trouble society. He thanked all those who are donating for this good cause. He said regard for human values, which was worth appreciation. Mr Kokje donated a washing machine to the orphanage. Welcoming the Governor, Mr Satya Parkash, president of the Trust, said the orphanage was started in 1983 with just three children whereas now there were 73 children getting education here. Mr Sohan Lal Thakur, local MLA, who is a patron of the orphanage, thanked the Governor for paying a visit to the institution. Students of the orphanage presented a cultural programme.
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World Bank to help ‘greening of textbooks’ Shimla, October 20 Stating this while speaking at a workshop on environmental education in school system (EESS) here today, Mr R. Mehta, Advisor, Union Ministry of Forests and Environment, said 10 more states, including Himachal Pradesh, had been included in under programme in the Rs 12 crore second phase out of which about Rs 80 lakh would be spent in the hill state. The existing books of social science, language and science for Class VI to VIII would be modified to infuse basic environmental concepts. The exercise, he said, would be carried out in such a manner that there would be no increase in the burden on students. The existing textbooks would be modified to help establish a link between the students and their immediate environment. Besides, a global learning and observation to benefit the Environment (GLOBE) programme was also being implemented in selected schools to involve students in such practical activities as would enable them to learn about environment. In all 100 schools from each of the 10 new states would be selected for the hands-on environmental learning programme being implemented through the Indian environmental society. The Globe-trained teachers would help students to observe and explore their environment and understand their related problems and issues. The students would collect data in accordance with globe protocols regarding weather, soil and forests. Dr Desh Bandhu, president of the society, said that the main objective of the programme was to link students teachers and the scientific research community. |
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CBI gets 2 months in Baljee case Shimla, October 20 The directions were passed on a plea by the CBI seeking extension of time to complete the investigation. The high court in its earlier order passed on December 14, 1999, had transferred the investigation in the case to the CBI on a petition filed by Renu Baljee. Hotelier Harsh Baljee was murdered in November 1996 in the military area of Shimla. |
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9 new cases of leprosy reported Kumarhatti, October 20 Talking to TNS here today, Dr Vijay Kashyap, in charge of Leprosy Hospital, Mandhodhar, near here, said all fresh cases pertained to migrant labourers. During the campaign, 16 teams of health officials and workers conducted a door-to-door survey, he said. |
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5 hurt in road accident Kumarhatti, October 20 A case under Sections 279 and 337 of the IPC has been registered against the Raj Kumar driver of the truck. The bus was on its way to Parwanoo from Solan. |
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