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No fresh taxes in state Budget
CM projects growth rate of 8.2 per cent
Race for RS seat hots up
Notice to CM in defamation case
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Keep deities out of politics, says Virbhadra
17 PSUs in the red: report
Highways issue taken up with Centre: CM
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No fresh taxes in state Budget
Shimla, March 3 Several new initiatives have been announced in the Budget, which focuses on strengthening the infrastructure and services sector. Introduction of gender budgeting to gauge the impact of women empowerment schemes, setting up of a disaster management authority, promotion of jatropha cultivation, pilot project for rejuvenation of water bodies and doing away with laws of the days of “inspector raj” are the other important steps announced to further fuel economic growth. Presenting the Budget, Mr Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister, said there was no need to impose fresh taxes as unprecedented buoyancy in tax collection, particularly due to the implementation of VAT, and higher returns from the power sector had taken care of the needed resource mobilisation. He said despite financial constraints the government had provided additional financial benefits to the tune of Rs 410 crore to employees and announced release of another instalment of additional dearness allowance with effect from July 2005. He also announced hike in remuneration of ad hoc veterinary doctors from Rs 8,000 to Rs 14,000 per month from April 2006. The annuity payable to the existing Param Vir Chakra awardees is proposed to be increased from Rs 4,500 to Rs 1.25 lakh; for the Maha Vir Chakra awardees from Rs 3,600 to Rs 1 lakh; and for the Vir Chakra awardees from Rs 2,700 to Rs 50,000. The annuity for the Ashok Chakra awardees is to be increased from Rs 4,000 to Rs 1 lakh; for the Kirti Chakra awardees from Rs 3,300 to Rs 1 lakh; and the Shaurya Chakra awardees from Rs 2,400 to Rs 50,000. The annuity to the Sena Medal winners, mentioned in dispatch, various Yudh Sewa medals and the Vishisht Seva medals will be doubled. For all new gallantry award winners, one-time lump sum grant instead of the present system of cash award is proposed. The one-time lump sum grant for the Param Vir Chakra awardees and the Ashok Chakra awardees will be Rs 25 lakh; the Maha Vir Chakra awardees and the Kirti Chakra awardees Rs 15 lakh; and the Vir Chakra and the Shaurya Chakra awardees Rs 10 lakh. The Samman Rashi to the freedom fighters is to be enhanced to Rs 2,000 per month. The monthly honorarium of the chairperson of the Zila Parishad is to be increased from Rs 2,700 to Rs 3,000 and that of the vice-chairperson from Rs 1,800 to Rs 2,000 per month. The honorarium for the chairperson of the Panchayat Samiti will be increased from Rs 1,250 to Rs 1,500 and the vice-chairperson from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,200. For the gram panchayat pradhan, it will go up from Rs 750 to Rs 1,000; the up-pradhan from Rs 650 to Rs 750; the Zila Parishad members from Rs 1,250 to Rs 1,350; and the Panchayat Samiti members from Rs 750 to Rs 800. The sitting fee for the members of the Gram Panchayats is also proposed to be increased from Rs 100 to Rs 125 per sitting. Similarly, the monthly honorarium for the president of the Municipal Council will be raised from Rs 1,250 to Rs 1,500; and the president of the Nagar Panchayat from Rs 750 to Rs 1,000. The vice-president of the Municipal Corporation will receive an honorarium of Rs 1,200 against that of the Nagar Panchayat Rs 800. The members of the Municipal Council will get an honorarium of Rs 500 and the sitting fee for the members of the Nagar Panchayat proposed to raised from Rs 100 to Rs 125. While 15,000 daily wagers, who have completed eight years of service as on March 31, 2004, will be regularised, the ad hoc workers, who have completed 10 years of services, will be made daily wager in the first phase and regularised after five years of service. |
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CM projects growth rate of 8.2 per cent
Shimla, March 3 The gross domestic product of the state increased from Rs 18,062 crore in 2003-04 to Rs 20,093 in 2004-05 and as per the advance estimates it was likely to be Rs 22,382 crore in the current year. The state’s economy achieved a growth rate of 8.1 per cent in 2003-04, which was likely to increase marginally to 8.2 per cent during the current year which was higher than the national average. He said per capita income of the state took a leap from Rs 27,486 in 2004-05 to Rs 30,138 in 2005-06. The main contributors to economic growth were industries and service sectors which accounted for 17.3 per cent in 2004-05. The picture was not very rosy on the agricultural front with contribution declining from 55.5 per cent to 21.1 per cent over the past five decades. The tax revenue increased from Rs 1,722 crore last year to Rs 1,762 crore in 2005-06 and the grants-in-aid also shot up to Rs 3,639 crore from Rs 2,415 crore over the period. |
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Race for RS seat hots up
Shimla, March 3 Among those who are being considered as hot contenders for the seat are Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) chief Viplove Thakur and Revenue Minister Sat Mahajan. Both of them hail from Kangra district from where three ministers were dropped during the downsizing of the Cabinet. The Rajya Sabha seat is falling vacant on the completion of the tenure of BJP MP Kripal Parmar next month. The possibility of a leader from Kangra finding favour for the seat is higher as Mr Parmar was also from Kangra. Moreover with allegations of discrimination and inadequate representation for Kangra in the Cabinet being a major political issue, the seat might go to either Mrs Thakur or Mr Mahajan, who have incidentally shared a very close rapport during their political careers. Mrs Viplove Thakur, who lost the last Assembly election from Jaswan, was appointed the state party chief. “Being a woman leader from Kangra district is the single biggest factor in her favour and she has a good rapport with the high command, including AICC chief Sonia Gandhi,” said a senior Congress leader. Another very strong contender is the veteran leader, Mr Sat Mahajan, whose name has time and again cropped up for being appointed as a Governor. He has remained the PCC chief and has a very long experience as a minister and parliamentarian. He is learnt to be keen to go to the Centre as this will pave the way for the electoral debut of his son, Mr Ajay Mahajan, from Nurpur. Other Congress men who are vying for the Rajya Sabha seat include Mr Natha Ram, Chairman of Cooperative Bank, Mr Phunchok Roy, former MLA from Lahaul and Spiti, Ms Krishna Mohini, former MLA from Solan, and Mr A.N. Vidyarthi, a retired bureaucrat. It is reliably learnt that a former PCC chief and Power Minister, Mrs Vidya Stokes, is supporting Mrs Thakur. On the other hand, the Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, has kept his options open and has so far not indicated as to who he would back. “There is a possibility that the Chief Minister might put his weight behind Mr Mahajan’s candidature,” feel political observers.
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Notice to CM in defamation case
Shimla, March 3 In the petition which came up for hearing yesterday, Mr Katwal had challenged the order of the Session Judge, Una, who had quashed the order of Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Una, issuing summon to Mr Virbhadra Singh in a defamation case field by Mr Katwal. The notice was issued by the Chief Justice, Mr V.K. Gupta. Mr Katwal had alleged that on December, 3, 2003 the Chief Minister had made a defamatory statement which was carried by some newspapers. Mr Virbhadra Singh had alleged that Subordinate Service Selection Board had become a den of corruption and jobs were being sold. The petitioner alleged that since he was the Chairman of the board at the relevant time, these allegations have been levelled against him and the same were defamatory in nature. The CJM, Una, after perusing the preliminary evidence, issued process against Mr Virbhadra Singh. This order was challenged before the Session Judge, Una, who had quashed the order of the CJM. The order of the Session Judge was challenged before the High Court by Mr Katwal. |
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Keep deities out of politics, says Virbhadra
Shimla, March 3 Without making a direct reference to the recent verdict given by the congregation of deities of the Kullu valley against the ski village project, which was also being opposed by the BJP, he said those using deities to achieve political ends were doing a great disservice to the institution which had helped in preserving the cultural and religious traditions since ages. The deities played a pivotal role in the festivals like Dasehra and Shivratri. As such it was in the best interest of the state and the people to keep the deities out of politics. |
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17 PSUs in the red: report
Shimla, March 3 The report on PSUs placed in the Vidhan Sabha today revealed that 17 PSUs, the accounts of which had been finalised, were perpetually in the
red and the cumulative loss amounted to Rs 895 crore as on March 31, 2005. The total
investment of the government in these companies, having over 50,000 employees on rolls, was
Rs 726 crore. |
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Highways issue taken up with Centre: CM
Shimla, February 3 Stating this in the Vidhan Sabha while replying to a question of Mr Mohinder Singh (BJP) during the question hour the Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, said that the proposed national highways were Aut-Jarol-Sainj, Shimla-Kunihar-Nalagarh and Una-Aghar-Badsar-Jahu- Rewalsar -Mandi.
— TNS |
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