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Performance to be
BJP’s plank Cong poll panel
to meet on Feb 14 Minister rejects
feel-good factor Industries
Minister warns crusher owners 328-cr plan to
improve power supply |
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HP to upgrade 700
schools Martyr cremated
with honours OBC Welfare
Board set up Villagers seek
arrest of cop 40-cr plan for
bus stops
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Performance to be BJP’s plank Shimla, February 10 Stating this at a press conference here today, Mr Suresh Bhardwaj, state BJP chief, said while the success of the Vajpayee government on the economic, foreign affairs and development fronts had brought about the feel-good factor in the country, while the first year of the Congress in office in the state had been a “complete disaster”. Development works had come to a standstill and the government had wasted time and energy in targeting political opponents, he added. Mr Bhardwaj said the previous Dhumal government had given hydel power generation a new thrust. In contrast, the present government had failed to sign even a memorandum of understanding for any hydel project. The much-publicised crusade against corruption had failed and not a single case had been proven, he said. The BJP leader condemned the government for installing hoardings and welcome gates with portraits of Ms Sonia Gandhi. It was a misuse of public money, he said. The party would bring it to the notice of the Election Commission and demand action. |
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Shanta claims BJP wave in Himachal Kangra, February 10 Mr Shanta Kumar was talking to mediapersons at Gupt Ganga here yesterday. He was here in connection with the meeting of the district BJP executive. He said people of the state were fed up with the anti-people policies of the Congress government. He claimed that the wave was in favour of the BJP. The meeting was attended by all members of the Kangra district BJP executive, including all BJP MLAs and former MLAs. Those present included Mohinder Kumar Panday, Mr Dulo Ram, district president Choudary Ramesh Dhawala and the former Health Minister, Mr J.P. Nadda. To mobilise the organisation, Mr Shanta Kumar said Assembly segment-level meetings would be held between February 23 and March 4 in the Kangra Lok Sabha constituency. |
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Cong poll panel to meet on Feb 14 Shimla, February 10 Mrs Vidya Stokes, Himachal PCC chief, said here today, that the general house of the Pradesh Congress Committee would also meet in the same day and Mr Ashok Gehlot, central leader in charge of Himachal affairs would also be present at the meeting. Replying to a question she said any decision regarding alliance with Mr Sukh Ram, HVC chief would be taken after ascertaining views of the Mandi district unit and the senior leaders of the area. Ultimately the issue was to be decided by the high command keeping in view all factors. Regarding readmission of the expelled leaders into the party she said that this could be done by laying down certain principles and on that basis considering each case on merit. She said personally she felt that indiscipline should not be encouraged. There should be no place for habitual defectors who deserted the party after being denied the ticket and contested against the official candidate in every election. She said there was no dearth of candidates in the party and the decision to have Dr D.R. Shandil, who won the Shimla seat as an HVC candidate in the last Lok Sabha poll was a tactical one. Dr Shandil had been in touch with the party for the past several months and he could be inducted in the party only after he quit the NDA on February 5. |
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Minister rejects
feel-good factor Dharamsala, February 10 Talking to
mediapersons here, he said the question of a feel-good factor in a
country where more than 40 per cent of the people were living below
the poverty line and crores of youth were unemployed did not
arise. The minister blamed the BJP for ignoring the interests of
Himachal. Major Mankotia said in Himachal there was a feel-good
factor due to the pro-poor policies of the Virbhadra government. Asked
whether he would contest from Kangra, Major Mankotia said the decision
rested with the party high command. |
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Industries Minister warns crusher owners Dharamsala, February 10 Mr Ram Lal Thakur said despite clear directives of the Supreme Court and orders from the state government, crusher owners were still using heavy machinery to extract raw material from their units. This he said, was leading to a situation where water level was going down alarmingly and destroying the ecology of the hills. He regretted that officials responsible for checking these illegal ways of extraction of material were conniving with unit owners. When it was pointed out that some crusher owners from Punjab were responsible for the use of machines, the minister said he would ensure that no illegal activity was allowed. He asked the crusher owners to discipline themselves so that the government did not have to force the implementation of court orders. |
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328-cr plan to improve power supply Mandi, February 10 Laying the foundation stone of a 33-kv substation at Makreri village in Jogindernagar subdivision today, the Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, said the entire distribution system would be modernised and revamped with a view to improving power supply and reducing transmission losses. A sum of Rs 40.61 crore had been allocated to Mandi district under the APDRP project. Of this, Rs 10 crore would be spent in the current financial year. He said Himachal Pradesh had made a breakthrough by providing electricity to all its census villages way back in 1987. However, new sub-villages had sprung up over a period of time which too would be covered during the next two years, he asserted. The Chief Minister said his government was committed to the welfare of the farmers, workers and other low income groups. Efforts were being made to provide irrigation facilities to the farmers to help them switch to cash crops like off-season vegetables in addition to the traditional crops. Referring to the shortage of staff in schools and health institutions, Mr Virbhadra Singh said efforts were being made to make functional staff available. He said as many as 145 doctors and 181 nurses were posted in remote areas recently. In addition, 22 specialists were being recruited shortly to provide improved medical services. The Chief Minister also inspected the progress of the ongoing 100-MW Uhl Hydroelectric Project, stage III, and urged the engineers and workers to accelerate the pace of work. The Parliamentary Affairs and IPH Minister, Thakur Kaul Singh, thanked the Chief Minister for taking interest in the development works of Mandi district. Mr Brij Behari Lal Butail, Revenue Minister, was also present. |
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HP to upgrade
700 schools Dharamsala, February 10 She said that in budget , had provision for opening seven colleges and upgrading 20 high schools, 50 middle schools and 200 primary schools but due to a ban by the High Court no college could be started . She said , however, 90 high schools had been upgraded to senior secondary level, 82 middle schools to high level and 421 primary schools to middle schools. The minister said 2170 teachers would be appointed by February 15 as parateachers in middle , high and senior secondary schools while 500 more as primary teachers are being recruited. She said for new institutions 3500 teachers would be recruited in a year to man all institutions and process has been started. Ms Asha Kumari also announced that long overdue promotions of principals, headmasters and lecturers was also in the pipeline. She said at present there were 200 vacancies of principal in the state. |
Martyr cremated with
honours Bilaspur, February 10 Wreathes were laid on behalf of the Himachal Government,
district administration and the police by officers present on the
occasion. A large number of party leaders and representatives of
various organisations and panchayats also paid homage. He is survived
by a three-year-old daughter and a wife. Bilaspur Sadar (MLA)
Tilakraj Sharma expressed grief and offered his condolences to the
family. |
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OBC Welfare
Board set up Shimla, February 10 The board will monitor the schemes meant for the uplift of the Other Backward Classes and invite recommendations for new initiatives. Mr Chander Kumar, Forest Minister, will be its Vice-Chairman. The Secretaries for Finance, Industries, Cooperation, Social Justice and Empowerment, Education, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, MPP and Power, PWD, IPH, and Food and Supplies will be its official members and the Director, Social Justice and Empowerment, will be the Member Secretary. As many as 62 non-official members have been nominated to the board. |
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Villagers seek arrest of cop Mandi, February 10 A memorandum signed by villagers of Dehlu was submitted to the Chief Minister who was touring the area. They sought the arrest of the head constable, who they alleged, consumed liquor at a hotel with the four accused who were now in police remand. According to the police, Daya Ram had gone on leave after the incident. The bail application of an advocate involved in the case has been rejected by the court of the Additional Sessions Judge. |
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40-cr plan for bus stops Mandi, February 10 This was stated by the Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh yesterday at Jogindernagar, while dedicating a modern bus terminal to the people, constructed at a cost of Rs 50 lakh. |
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