Chandigarh, March 16
The second Budget to be presented by the Haryana Finance Minister, Mr Birender Singh, in the Vidhan Sabha tomorrow, will, in all probability be, sans fresh taxes.

Mr Birender Singh, who has been building up on the work done by his predecessor, Prof Sampat Singh, in toning up the financial health of the state, will lay greater thrust on areas like infrastructure and the social sectors like the empowerment of women and child welfare.

It is expected that keeping in line with the priorities of the UPA government led by the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, and taking a page from the Union Finance Minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, Mr Birender Singh, too, will allocate more funds for the welfare of the weaker sections and the rural sectors.

Members of the Vidhan Sabha will discuss the Budget for two days from March 21. Voting on the Budget will take place on March 22.

Since March 23 will be a day for non-official business, the Appropriation Bill will be voted only on March 24. The final day of the session has been marked for legislative business. The Haryana State Legislature Bill (Prevention of Disqualification) Bill and four other Bills will be presented on that day. The Bill, which had been already promulgated by the government in the form of an ordinance, would pave the way for the exclusion of the offices of Chief Parliamentary Secretary and Parliamentary Secretary from the definition of office of profit.

The other Bills listed for presentation on the last day are the Indian Stamp Act (Haryana Amenment) Bill, the Haryana Protection of Interest of Depositors Bill, the Haryana Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill and the Haryana Municipal (Amendment) Bill.

The government does not expect any trouble during the session from the Opposition, which numerically is no match for the Treasury Benches. Earlier, the former Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, had announced that he would attend the session. However, Mr Chautala has left for the USA for medical treatment and is unlikely to come back before the session concludes.s

Sonepat, March 16
As many as five persons were reportedly killed and two injured in different incidents in the district during the past 24 hours.

According to information, Sunil, Pawan and Sahib Singh of Mahmoodpur village were returning to their village late last night on a motor cycle from Gohana when they were hit by a Jeep (HR-03A-0957). Sunil died on the spot, while Pawan reportedly succumbed to serious injuries at the PGIMS, Rohtak. Sahib Singh is admitted to the PGIMS.

Vishnu Bahadur of Prem Colony on the Kundli border was crossing the GT Road along with his friend, Sudan, on a cycle when they were knocked down by a car last night. Vishnu Bahadur died on the spot and Sudan has been referred to the PGIMS, Rohtak, in a serious condition. The police recovered the body of a 35-year-old person from the GT Road, near the Asawarpur turning, on Wednesday evening. The body has not yet been identified.

In another incident, Bijender of Gamri village consumed celphos tablets when he was pulled up by his mother for consuming liquor late last evening. He was taken to the PGIMS, Rohtak, in serious condition, but has reportedly died.

Chandigarh, March 16
Work on the electrification of the Delhi-Rohtak railway line will be started in the next financial year.

Announcing this here today the Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, said with the electrification of this railway link, transportation in the NCR would become faster.

He said the Union Railway Minister, Mr Lalu Prasad Yadav, had, while presenting the Railway Budget, announced three ambitious projects for Haryana. These were the laying of the Rewari-Jhajjar-Rohtak railway line, the survey of the Loharu-Bhiwani railway line and bringing Ambala and Rewari under the multi-model high axle load freight corridor.

He said the Rewari-Jhajjar-Rohtak railway line would be completed in three years.s

Chandigarh, March 16
The Union Law Minister, Mr Hans Raj Bhardwaj, today filed his nomination papers for a Rajya Sabha seat, which will fall vacant on the completion of the term of the INLD MP, Mr Faquir Chand, from Haryana.

Mr Bhardwaj filed three sets of papers with the Returning Officer, Mr Sumit Kumar. His name was proposed, among others, by the Chief Minister, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda; the president of the Haryana Congress, Mr Bhajan Lal; and many Ministers.

Mr Sumit Kumar also administered the oath of allegiance to the Constitution to Mr Bhardwaj.

The working president of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee, Dr Ram Parkash, was also present.

Later talking to newsmen Mr Bhardwaj said that Haryana’s proposal to have a separate High Court had been under consideration of the Central Government and a national law school would also be set up in the state. He said the process of consultation with the Chief Justice of India and the Chief Minister for setting up the separate High Court would commence after the Budget session of Parliament.

However, he made it clear that this was a complex issue. He said the state government had given an assurance to provide land for the law school.

In reply to a question whether the law was being amended to deal with hostile witnesses, Mr Bhardwaj said the government had taken the issue very seriously. His ministry was working to tone up the criminal justice system. However, he refused to elaborate, saying the issue related to the Home Ministry.

When asked about his priorities for the state, Mr Bhardwaj said he had been dedicated to the cause of Haryana and gave an assurance that he would work in cooperation with the Chief Minister.

He said the UPA government was committed to ensuring transparency by bringing accountability in the executive, the judiciary and the legislature. He said the vacancies of judges were also being filled to speed up the disposal of pending cases in various courts.

In reply to a question on the Sutlej-Yamuna link canal, Mr Bhardwaj said Mr Hooda had been focusing on the issue. He said he himself, being a Union Minister, would provide all help to both states in an impartial manner. 

Rewari, March 16
In a head-on collision between a Maruti car (HR-36B-2386) and a Gypsy (HR-26D-7105) on the Rewari-Dharuhera road, near Jaunawas village, 7 km from here, last evening, Suman Yadav, wife of Raj Kumar Yadav, and Vikrant Yadav, a nephew of Raj Kumar Yadav, were killed, while Raj Kumar Yadav and his two sons, Rohit and Gagan, all occupants of the Maruti car, were injured.

Vikrant Yadav (15) died on the spot, while Suman, who had been rushed in a critical condition to Delhi, succumbed to her injuries at Safdarjung Hospital.

The condition of Raj Kumar Yadav and his two sons, who too had been referred to Safdarjung Hospital, was stated to be serious. The mishap occurred when Raj Kumar Yadav, along with other members of his family, was going in his Maruti car from Rewari to the Hola fair at Milakpur village, about 25 km from here, while men in the Gypsy were returning to their village after attending the fair.s

Yamunanagar, March 16
A tantrik allegedly kidnapped a couple and later killed them. He also attempted to kill the 16-year-old daughter of the couple.

The motive behind the murder, according to the police, was property of the couple. Tantrik, Irfan and his wife Hameda, residents of Saharanpur district of Uttar Pradesh have been arrested.

Police sources said bodies of Ahmed Ansari and his wife Afsana had been recovered from Saharanpur. The two were allegedly killed with stones and an axe on March 6 but till yesterday he kept telling the police that he had sent the couple to Ajmer Sharif in Rajasthan for prayers.

Ahmed, a shopkeeper in Buria was in financial crisis for sometime. He went to the tantrik for help who reportedly told him that an evil spirit was responsible for his plight and it needed to be “propitiated”, said police sources. On March 6, he took the couple to Saharanpur (on the same day he killed the two) and returned here to take their daughter Alka along.

He reportedly told Alka that her father had suffered a heart attack. He took Alka along. On the way to Saharanpur, he allegedly beat up Alka and told her that she had to sacrifice her life for the well-being of her father.

However, Alka escaped and reported the matter to the police.

On March 12 the police arrested the tantrik and his wife from Saharanpur. Initially, he told the police that he had sent the couple to Ajmer Sharif for prayers. A police party was sent to Ajmer Sharif.

After questioning the tantrik confessed to the murder. Superintendent of Police Sultan Singh said that the tantrik killed the couple for property. Registration papers of Ahmed’s house have been recovered from the possession of the tantrik. Yusuf of Saharanpur has also been arrested in the case.

Chandigarh, March 16
Haryana and Britain today agreed to share each others’ experiences and new technologies in the emerging areas of mutual interest.

The British High Commissioner, Sir Michael Arthur, who called on Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, here today, described Gurgaon as a success story and offered to be a partner with Haryana in agricultural technology.

The envoy, who was leading a 10-member delegation, also described Haryana as a brand name saying, “We have put Haryana on the map for British investors”.

He said that a lot of British investment had been made in India and areas of interest would be agriculture and food processing. British companies were more keen to share technology.

He said now investment by Indians was at number eight among those investing in UK, but when the new list would be published, India would rank at number five.

Mr Hooda appointed the Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary, Industries and Information Technology, Mr P. K. Chaudhry, as the Nodal Officer to continue deliberations on vital issues with the business delegation from Britain.

Mr Hooda said an investment friendly climate had been created by his government within a short period of one year and as a result of implementation of the new industrial policy and his visit to Japan and South Korea to invite investors, the industrial scenario in the state had changed.

Mr Collin Dennis, Chief Executive Officer, Campden and Charleywood Food Research Association, said that they were keen to share their experiences with the Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar.

Chandigarh, March 16
Conceding a long-standing demand of Scheduled Castes employees’ organisations of the state, the Haryana Council of Ministers today endorsed the 85 th Amendment to the Constitution and decided to implement the measure with prospective effect.

As a result of the decision, the Scheduled Castes employees promoted to Class III and Class IV posts under the reservation policy will be entitled to accelerated seniority.

The Government of India had earlier notified the Amendment to the Constitution.

The council also approved the transfer 10 acres belonging to the Horticulture Department on the Rohtak bypass to the Education Department for the construction of building of the new government college at Jind.

Jhajjar, March 16
Four persons have been killed in two separate incidents since yesterday in the district.

According to information, Raj Kumar, a youth of Khairpur village, was stabbed with a broken glass bottle by Baljeet of the same village last night. The two had reportedly consumed liquor together. However, after getting drunk heavily, they entered into a fight and Baljeet attacked the deceased.

A brick-kiln labourer was beaten to death by his three associates at Badli yesterday. The deceased was identified as Pyare Lal, who hailed from Uttar Pradesh.

In another incident, two workers of the HNG factory, situated in Bahadurgarh, were killed by a train on the Delhi-Bathinda section here. The deceased, Sunil Rai and Harinath, were returning home from the factory. They could not spot the train which ran them over.