Shimla, April 7
The Comptroller and Auditor-General of India (CAG) has pulled up the Himachal Pradesh Government for its failure to achieve the targets set by the 11th Finance Commission (EFC) under the fiscal reform programme for the 2000-01 to 2004-05 period, which further worsened the financial position of the debt-stressed state. It has warned that the ever-increasing ratio of fiscal liabilities to the GSDP (gross state domestic product) together with a large revenue deficit could lead the state into a debt trap.

The latest report of the CAG presented in the House today revealed that the fiscal liabilities almost doubled from Rs 8,621 crore in 2000-01 to Rs 16,533 in 2004-05 and the annual interest liability shot up from Rs 597 crore to Rs 1,641 crore over the period.

The average growth rate of interest payment came to 21.08 per cent. In addition, the state had given guarantees, which stood at Rs 4,751 crore. The government could not maintain the minimum cash balance with the Reserve Bank of India and obtained ways and means advances of Rs 1,579 crore on 93 days and overdraft of Rs 320 crore on 27 days.

The government failed to meet the milestones set by the EFC for bringing about financial discipline as a result of which it could not avail revenue deficit grant to the tune of Rs 414.23 crore. The revenue receipts increased from Rs 4,634 crore from Rs 3,175 crore and the percentage of interest payments to revenue receipts worked out to 35.40 per cent as against the target of 18 to 20 per cent. The increase in interest payment was 175 per cent over the period as compared to the overall recommended limit of 50 per cent for the five-year period ending on March, 2005.

The state government had entered an MoU with the Union Government for compression of revenue expenditure, enhancement of revenue receipts and generation of non-debt capital receipts which it failed to achieve.

Only eight vacant posts were abolished against a target of 2,000 posts, a comprehensive review of existing allowances had not been carried out and regulatory authority to revise passenger tariff and policy to enhance user charges in proportions to annual price level had not been framed. The report also brought out several cases of indifferent implementation of development projects. As many as 114 roads sanctioned between March, 1977, and December, 2003, remained incomplete even after incurring an expenditure of Rs 38.25 crore.

Similarly, 84 rural water supply schemes and 11 irrigation schemes remained incomplete. Only 12,000 hectare of flood-prone area was protected as against the target of 2.31 lakh hectare because of inadequate provision of funds. Use of material other than that approved at Indora, Rohru and Gagret flood-protection divisions led to below-specification work costing Rs 65 lakh.

The state cooperative milk producers federation accumulated losses to the tune of Rs 13.46 crore because of gross under-utilisation of capacity of chilling plants, which ranged from zero to 18 per cent in case of seven plants.

An amount of Rs 279 crore was incurred without planning because of the failure of the Deputy Commissioner to prepare annual action plans under the backward areas sub-plan.

An amount of Rs 30 lakh was paid to the St Bede’s College, Shimla, for addition and alterations though there was no provision for it in the grant-in-aid rules. A grant of Rs 1.53 crore was released to the GGDSD College, Baijnath, for 22 surplus posts of teaching and non-teaching staff.

The arrears of revenue as on March 31, 2005 amounted to Rs 364.89 crore. Test checks revealed under-assessment and short levy in 852 cases resulting in loss of revenue amounting to Rs 154 crore for the year 2004-05. Incorrect grant of claims in respect of 18 dealers led to the non-realisation of sales tax amounting to Rs 23.57 crore. Wrong classification of 16 industrial units resulted in short levy of sales tax of Rs 1.22 crore.

Kulu, April 7
Even as the father of two minors, who were injured in a kerosene stove fire incident, had accused his own mother of pouring kerosene on her grandchildren, the police investigation has ruled out any foul play and termed the incident as “an accident”. The incident took place in Naggar Mashad village in Kulu district, about 50 km from here, three days ago.

The police official investigating into the case said the father of the children, Sohan Lal, had himself tried to light the stove, when its cap burst and oil fell on the children. As a result, Dinesh (3) and Shivani (4) caught fire and sustained burns, he added.

As soon as the children caught fire, there was panic in the house and their father put clothes over them and doused the fire. “When the incident took place, Swari Devi, their grandmother, and her daughter-in-law (Sohan’s wife) came rushing from outside.

They were not inside the house at the time of the incident as Sohan Lal had alleged in the FIR,” investigation revealed.

The police found that Swari Devi and her daughter-in-law had picked up a fight around 30 minutes before the fire accident. “Sohan Lal made his mother an accused in the case to settle score with her. There is a dispute between them over land,” the police said.

The police said they could not question Sohan Lal in the case today as he was looking after his children admitted to the Regional Hospital Kulu. The police has registered a case under Section 451 of the IPC against Swari Devi and her daughter-in-law.

Swari Devi was released on bail in the case yesterday. The police found that Swari Devi has two sons, both married and the land dispute was the main cause that led Sohan Lal to implicate his own mother, who had favoured his brother in division of property, into the case.

Dr Mohan Lal, who is attending on the fire victims at the hospital, said the children were out of danger. “Dinesh has sustained 10 per cent burns on the face, while Shivani has sustained 10 per cent burns on her legs. Both are recovering,” he added.

Kangra April 7
The first-ever earthquake memorial to the victims of the April 4, 1905 earthquake, which shook the Kangra valley and left thousands dead and property worth crores destroyed, was inaugurated on the premises of Kangra Rest House here today.

Inaugurating the memorial to the 10,257 victims of the earthquake, Mr B.K. Agrawal, Divisional Commissioner, Kangra Division, said that the memorial would be an eye-opener for all of us so that people should construct earthquake-resistant houses to avoid such a massive human tragedy.

He said this was the first earthquake memorial in the country and the people in this part of the country should give a lead in constructing earthquake-resistant houses.

He said that a seminar would be held here shortly where engineers and masons of this valley would be given guidelines by building experts from the IIT, Roorkee, for the construction of earthquake-resistant houses. Engineers of the local bodies would be trained in the National Institute of Technology, Hamirpur. The Kangra valley is in the seismic zone V and vulnerable to earthquakes.

The tastefully decorated memorial has the Brajeshwari temple before and after the earthquake of 1905, made of tiles which is an attraction for the visitors.

Municipal Committee Executive Officer Parshoutam Singh, the man behind the construction of the memorial, said the memorial was a humble tribute to thousands of the victims of the earthquake. He said that former BJP MP Kripal Parmar contributed Rs 2 lakh for the memorial.

Mr B.L. Sharma, general secretary of the Senior Citizens Forum, contributed Rs 5,100 for the maintenance of the memorial.

Shimla, April 7
The state Assembly today passed the Himachal Pradesh Private Universities (Establishment and Regulation) Bill in the amended form after accepting the report of the select committee of the house which recommended several important changes.

The amended bill makes it difficult for a sponsor to dissolve the university by making a provision that the land and assets will vest in the government if the institution is wound up within 15 years of existence and the closure can be effected only with the approval of the government.

A provision has been made for reserving 15 per cent seats for Himachalis.

The amount under the endowment fund to be established by the sponsoring body has been raised from Rs 2 crore to Rs 3 crore.

The fee structure will be required to be notified and printed in the prospectus and no change will be allowed in it by the government during the course of the academic year.

The house also passed the three bills seeking to raise the salary of the legislators from Rs 4,000 to Rs 8,000 per month and raising the maximum limit for free travel by air, railway or state bus from 80,000 km to 1,00,000 km.

The Himachal Pradesh Courts (Amendment) Bill empowering the state High Court to raise the pecuniary jurisdiction for civil suits was also passed by the house. 

Kulu, April7
Even as the father of two minor children, who sustained burn injuries in a kerosene stove fire, had accused his mother of pouring kerosene on her grandchildren, police investigation has found no foul play in the incident that took place in Naggar Mashad village in Kulu district, about 103 km from here.

The Sub-Inspector, Patlikuhal police post in Kulu district, Mr Lal Singh, who is investigating the case told TNS that the father of the children, Mr Sohan Lal, himself, had tried to light the kerosene stove when its cap burst and sprinkled oil on the children, sitting in the room. The clothes of the children caught fire and both Dinesh and Shivani sustained the burn injuries, he added.