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in HP BJP Shimla, February 5 Hardcore RSS men have been given key posts in the new set-up of the state BJP in which new faces with clean image have been inducted. Chief Secretary removed
Short session of Assembly likely to be convened
Vigilance team questions Dr Sharma
Part-time workers to be regularised
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HP to set up council to redress traders’ grievance
Shimla, February 5 The Himachal government will consider the setting up of a trade development and welfare council to safeguard the interests of traders.
Snag cripples telecom services
Two get police remand for burning court records
Let us work on Rampur projects, plead engineers
IFS officers sore over delay in promotions
Viral disease in trout fish eradicated
Fire in college: 7 rounded up
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Hardcore RSS men get key posts in HP BJP
Shimla, February 5 Significantly, not a single minister of the Dhumal government has been included in the new team of office bearers announced by Mr Suresh Bhardwaj, state party chief, here today after consultations with senior leaders and taking the high command into confidence. Only two members of the outgoing body have been retained. An important feature of the exercise is that factional considerations have not been given any importance and an effort has been made to bring non-controversial leaders to the forefront. Regional and caste considerations have been given due consideration and barring Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti , all districts have been represented. In the 12-member new body, including Mr Bhardwaj, five posts have gone to the Rajput community, three to Brahmins, one each to the Scheduled Caste, the Scheduled Tribes, the other backward classes and the Sood community. Mr Ambacharan, a former private secretary of Mr Shanta Kumar, has been made office-secretary. All prominent leaders have been accommodated in the 52- member executive committee, including 17 special invitees. Mr Mohinder Pande, an RSS man, has been given the all-important assignment of general secretary (organisation). Mr Chander Sen, another leader with RSS background, will be the other general secretary. Mr Kirpal Parmar and Mr Ram Swaroop, general secretaries in the outgoing team, have been elevated to the post of vice-president. Mr Dulo Ram, a Shanta Kumar loyalist, and Mr Jai Ram Thakur, an ABVP leader, have also been made vice-presidents. New faces have been inducted with a view to raising the third line of leadership. The four secretaries are Mr Baldev Bhandari, Ms Rajkumari, Mr Balbir and Mr Raseel Singh. Mr Ashok Sood has been made treasurer while Mr Randhir Sharma and Dr Rajiv Bindal will the two spokespersons. Mr Bhardwaj said the conveners of various front organisations and cells would be announced by February 15. The new members of the executive committee are: - Mr Shanta Kumar, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Mr Maheshwar Singh, Mr Suresh Chandel, Mr Jai Krishan Sharma, Mr Gulab Singh Thakur, Mr Jagat Prakash Nadda, Mr Kishori Lal Vaidya, Mr Maharaj Krishan Badiyal, Mr Kishan Kapoor, Mr Ravinder Singh Ravi, Mrs Sarveen Chaudhary, Mr Vikram Singh Thakur, Mr Alam Chand, Mr Ramesh Sharma, Mr Roop Singh Thakur, Mr Karam Dev Dharmani, Mr Ishwar Das Dhiman, Mr Rikhi Ram Kaundal, Mr Chander Mohan Thakur, Mrs Pratibha Kaushik, Mr Parveen Sharma, Mr Laaj Kishore Sharma, Mr Narender Bragta, Mr Khushi Ram Balnatah, Mr Divesh Sharma, Mr Rattan Jagtambha, Mr Ganesh Dut, Mr Suneel Gupta, Mr K.D. Shridhar, Mrs Chandermani Negi, Mr Neenju Ram, Mr Madan Sharma, Ms Satya Pitan and Mr Hari Narayan Seni. The special invitees are: Mr Nageen Chander Pal, Mrs Veena Thakur, Mr Subhash Thakur, Mr Virender Kashyap, Mr Divender Bushahri, Mr Yuvraj Bodh, Mrs Sheela Devi, Mr Gian Singh Chandel, Mr Dalip Singh Tomar, Mr Subhash Sahore, Mr Tulsi Ram, Mr Gandharav Singh, Mr Ganga Ram Jambal, Mrs Neelam Sharma, Mr Rakesh Pathania, Mr Virender Kanwar and Mr Desh Raj. |
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Chief Secretary removed
Shimla, February 5 He has been replaced by Mr Shamsher Singh, the next seniormost officer currently holding the charge of Additional Chief Secretary, Power, and Chairman of the State Electricity Board. He will continue to hold the present charge. Both of them are 1968 batch IAS officers and due for superannuation later this year. Mr Kaul when contacted said he would seek premature retirement. He said since he had just six months of service left quitting early would not make much difference. He said he had already made a request to the government in this regard. Sources close to the officer, however, said he was upset over the treatment meted out to him and had decided to put in his papers to uphold the dignity of the apex administrative service of the country. Mr Kaul, who had assumed charge of the top bureaucratic post only four months ago, has been made Adviser Tourism and Industries. Mr Shamsher Singh, who has been close to Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, was a strong contender for the post when Mrs Rajendar Bhattacharya retired in September last. However, the Chief Minister chose not to disturb the seniority and elevated Mr Kaul to the coveted post amid reports that the two officers would be obliged in turns. As Mr Kaul is due to retire on September 30 and Mr Shamsher Singh a month later, the change was expected to come around March. However, it seems the snap Lok Sabha poll has cut short the tenure of Mr Kaul by a few months. A postgraduate in English from the Panjab University, Mr Shamsher Singh has held several important posts during his career. He remained the Finance Secretary for almost eight years. |
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Short session of Assembly likely to be convened
Shimla, February 5 According to official sources, it was decided in the meeting of the Cabinet today, which was presided over by the Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, who later left for Delhi. The four-day session of the state Assembly would be held on February 24. During the session, Mr Virbhadra Singh is likely to present interim budget for the year 2004-05 and would seek vote-on-account for three months. The budget session of the state Assembly would be held in June when the Chief Minister, who also holds the portfolio of finance, would present full budget of the state for the next financial year. This has been decided in view of the coming Lok Sabha elections, which are likely to be held in the third week of the April.
— PTI |
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Vigilance team questions Dr Sharma
Shimla, February 5 The Vigilance Department had threatened that it would move the court for the cancellation of his bail in case he failed to cooperate with the investigators. The special investigation team questioned him about the discrepancies in the payments made from the secrecy funds for the printing of question papers to the printer, who happens to be his relative. He was asked why the university gave the contract to a printer who did not have the capacity to carry out the job. He was confronted with the information that the printer got the work done by other printers and the amount paid to them was much less than the payment made by the university. While the university paid Rs 64 lakh for the purpose, the actual amount paid to the printers worked out to about Rs 34 lakh. He was asked to explain the discrepancy of Rs 30 lakh. Dr Sharma reportedly told the police that he had nothing to do with the payments, as it was the responsibility of the secrecy officer. The special investigation team also took specimens of Dr Sharma’s writing and signature. The investigations into the scam have reached the final stage and the department is now trying to identify the end beneficiaries of the Rs 30 lakh. |
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Part-time workers to be regularised
Shimla, February 5 The decisions were taken at a meeting of the state Cabinet held here today under the chairmanship of
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh. It also decided to set up a department of public grievances for speedy redress of public grievances and to ensure a responsive and efficient administration. The Cabinet approved that departments like the PWD, irrigation and public health, forests and other agencies engaged in the execution of projects could hire workers on a daily wage basis for 89 days. In another decision, all part-time workers, except those of the Education Department, who had completed 10 years, would be made daily wage workers. It also decided to make payments to growers whose fruit was procured under the market intervention scheme by the HPMC before Shivratri. The Cabinet decided to give grant to Mahila Mandals and Yuvak Mandals for the construction of bhavans for the mandals in state in a phased manner. It also approved that for promoting sports in rural areas, incentives would be given to sports club to encourage sports activities. As per the policy, approved college lecturers would be appointed on a contract basis on a monthly remuneration of Rs 10,000. |
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HP to set up council to redress traders’ grievance
Shimla, February 5 This assurance was given by Mr Virbhadra Singh, Himachal Chief Minister, to members of the coordination committee of the state Beopar Mandal who met him under the leadership of Mr M.L. Khurana, President of the Himachal beopar mandal, here yesterday. He said the government would take all possible steps to redress grievances of traders. They should also file Sale-Tax returns in time and issuing bills to the consumers. They should voluntarily provide the information sought by the authorities and deposit tax to avoid default. Mr Ashok Sood, spokesperson of the Beopar Mandal, told mediapersons that the Chief Minister also agreed to set up trade welfare council to help traders in times of distress and evolve a comprehensive trade policy in consultation with the proposed council. He said the policy would take care of all issues particularly the “shifting of trade” from Himachal to neighbouring states because of faulty tax structure. The Beopar Mandal urged him to rationalise the tax structure and do away with provision which empowered the Deputy Commissioner to fix margin of profit. The provision was made in the Essential Commodities Act at a time when foodgrain and other necessities were in short supply. It was no longer required. It also wanted the government to take steps to check illegal sale of various items by military canteens to civilians and ensure that all government departments made purchases from within the state. It would boost trade and bring more tax revenue to the state exchequer. |
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Snag cripples telecom services
Kumarhatti, February 5 The problem started from Monday morning and was persisting till yesterday. Though the services were restored by Monday evening, the problem resurfaced next morning. The problem could not be rectified till
yesterday. Mr S.K. Bose, General Manager (Telecom), Solan district, said the sang in media adviser had affected the services. The department was on the job and soon services would be normalised, he added. |
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Two get police remand for burning court records
Nahan, February 5 Both accused were wanted in connection with the burning of the court records at Rajgarh on January 18 night. Their parents handed over them to the Rajgarh police yesterday. According to Mr S.R. Sharma, SP, Sirmaur, four persons were involved in the crime. The taxi driver, whose vehicle was hired by the accused that night, had given some vital clues to the police. Following these clues the Rajgarh police took into custody Sadanand, the main accused in the case, who allegedly burnt the records. But despite efforts the police could not extract any information from Sadanand. At present Sadanand is on judicial remand. Mr Sharma said the accused had confessed to having helped Sadanand in committing the crime. |
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Let us work on Rampur projects, plead engineers
Sundernagar, February 5 It has further sought the execution of the project by the state as it will generate employment for the youth and provide work to the project and transmission wing of the board. The association has hailed the decision of the government to create the Himachal Pradesh Jal Vidyut Vikas Nigam, which will accelerate hydel power development in the state. |
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IFS officers sore over delay in promotions
Shimla, February 5 The state Indian Forest Service Association has drawn the attention of the government to the prevailing stagnation at the senior levels of the Conservator of Forest, the Chief Conservator of Forests and the Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests. It pointed out that while 1989 batch IPS officers had been promoted to the rank of the DIG, the 1985 batch IFS officer were awaiting promotion as the Conservator of Forests. Similarly, 1984 batch IPS officers had become IGP whereas 1980 batch IFS officers were still cooling their heels as conservators. Recently 1978 batch IPS were elevated to the post of the Additional Director General of Police but 1975 batch IFS officer were yet to be promoted as the Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests. A deputation of the state IFS officers association led by Mr R.A. Singh, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, met the Chief minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, and urged him to restore parity in the matter of promotions in the two all India cadres. They pointed out that promotions would not involve any financial implication but ensure the due status to forest officers, which would go a longway in raising their morale. The Chief Minister while assuring the association that the matter would be looked into urged young forest officers to volunteer their services for the wildlife wing he said the government would take steps to provide more facilities to make wildlife service more attractive. The department would be strengthened and equipped to effectively protect the states flora and fauna. |
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Viral disease in trout fish eradicated
Shimla, February 5 Mr Harsh Mahajan, Animal Husbandry Minister, said the department had succeeded in raising a stock of 60,000 troutlings at its Patlikuhl farm which would be sold to private rearers. He said the department expected to raise 12 tonnes of trout during the current year. Besides, with the import of one lakh eyed ova of rainbow trout from Denmark, hatchery had been filled to capacity and it would be in a position to stock the rivers. The sale of pan-sized trout was being resumed from this month onwards and the farms at Sangla, Barot, Nagni, Holi and Dhamwari would restart their activities for which new seed stock was being imported. |
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Fire in college: 7 rounded up
Kangra, February 5 Mr Virender Thakur, subdivisional police officer, Kangra, said here today that the police suspected that the fire was part of sinister designs of some employees involved in the sale-purchase scandal of medical equipment. The scandal is being investigated by the Vigilance Department. He said vigilance officials had visited the college on Tuesday and had asked for some documents. Meanwhile, the SP, Vigilance, said the department had asked the college authorities to provide the documents. |
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