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Cabinet nod to Ski village project
Gaggal airport widened for landing 50-seater planes
Lalu to inquire about Shatabdi complaints
AIHRA seeks repatriation of Tibetans
Nehrian boy tops Class VIII exam
Medicare in Chamba goes for a six
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Mani Shankar to visit Chamba
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Cabinet nod to Ski village project
Shimla, May 25 The Cabinet, which met under the chairmanship of Mr Virbhadra Singh, the Chief Minister, approved the draft agreement with certain modifications. The agreement was held up as the company, which is setting up the project, wanted exemption under the Tenancy and Land Reform Act under which land and built-up property could not be sold to non-agriculturists. However, several ministers had reservation on the issue and they were not in favour of granting exemption to the company. While the government refused to give any details regarding the exemption, sources said the company would be allowed to give houses on long lease and rental basis, subject to certain conditions. The company would prepare and implement a complete environment management plan and respect all traditional rights of the local people pertaining to grazing and utilisation of forest resources. It would use local water resources only with the consent of the local panchayat. The Cabinet also decided to enhance the travelling allowance, daily allowance and transfer grant by 50 per cent and hotel rent by 100 per cent for the government employees. The minimum daily allowance would be Rs 48 instead of Rs 32 and maximum Rs 180 instead of Rs 120. The Chairman and Vice-Chairman would be entitled to Rs 6 per km instead of the existing rate of Rs 2 per km outside the state and Rs 2.50 per km within the state and their daily allowance had also been enhanced to Rs 200 per day from Rs 150 per day. The non-official members of various committee would also be entitled for reimbursement at the rate of Rs 6 per km reimbursement instead of the existing Rs 3 per km outside the state and Rs 3.50 per km within the state. Their daily allowance had been increased to Rs 180 from the existing Rs 120, bringing it
at par with the highest officer of the state government. The conveyance allowance was increased from Rs 20 per day to Rs 30 per day. The total financial liability would be approximately of Rs 10 crore per annum. The cabinet also approved Leave Travel Concession facility (LTC) for Bharat Darshan to those government employees who are left with four years or less service for superannuation and also approved 100 per cent increase in the Tribal and Winter Allowance of the employees serving in the tribal areas of the state. A proposal for enactment of the Himachal Pradesh Societies Registration Act by repealing Registration Act, 1860, and was approved. The Cabinet also approved the mechanism to be adopted by the gram panchayats to collect tax on minor minerals. The
panchayats will be authorised to charge Rs 10 per truck and Rs 5 per trolley on extraction and export of sand, stone and bajri in their area and Rs 50 per truck on slates. The step is likely to benefit the gram panchayats in generating their sources of income. As per another decision, the upper limit for tendering had been waived for "A Class" contractors . In case of "B-Class" contractors, the upper limit would be Rs. 1 crore, "C-Class" Rs 40 lakh and "D-Class" Rs 10 lakh. The Cabinet approved the amendment in the Himachal Pradesh Motor Vehicles Taxation Rules, 1974, to effect penalty of 25 per cent on delayed payment of the tax. It also approved the "Himachal Pradesh Medicinal Plants Policy-2006" to exploit and promote the herbal potential of the state by 2025. Other decision included creation of a new irrigation and public health division at Nainidhar in Sirmour and continuation of services of 10 junior engineers appointed on a contract basis in the department for four years, nod to absorption of employees of the state Handicrafts and Handlooms Corporation on secondment basis in the Department of Industries against the vacant posts of class-III and IV and clear the backlog of six posts of class IV posts reserved for handicapped persons in the Forest Department through direct recruitment.
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Gaggal airport widened for landing 50-seater planes
Dharamsala, May 25 At present Jackson Airways offers a Delhi-Bhuntar (Kulu)-Kangra flight thrice a week and a Delhi-Kangra ticket costs Rs 5,043. But once 50-seater service begins, the fare is likely to be reduced to half of it, which would boost tourism in McLeodganj and adjoining spots, in the district. Mr Sandeep Saini, Assistant Manager of the Gaggal Airport, said passengers would make a beeline for an aerial route to Kangra if the flight was made economical by reducing airfare to almost half. “Talks are on with Deccan Airways for starting a 50-seater service and a decision is expected soon. Frequency of flights in the new set up will depend on the service provider,” he says. Deputy Commissioner Bharat Khera said the airstrip, which earlier was 3,900 feet long, had been extended to 4,500 feet making it longer than airstrips in Shimla and Kulu. Permission has also been taken from the Forest Department for felling of trees near the airstrip. Mr Saini added the airport buildings had also been spruced up and a passengers terminal added to it. An Air traffic control tower has also been put up in accordance with the new set up. One big hurdle to the expansion of the airport was the road that connects Dharamsala with the Pathankot-Manali highway. The district administration has now acquired land for the construction of an alternative road, work on which bas also begun. Some area around the air-strip has to be kept vacant and the existing road was too close to the runway but the alternative route would soon be completed,” said Mr Saini. Even though poor air-connectivity has always been a hurdle to the promotion of tourism in the area, the need for a proper airport was highlighted during the India-Pakistan Cricket Test match in 2004, when the Pakistani team had to be brought in two separate 18-seater planes as the air-strip was narrow for a bigger plane. Regarding safety measures, we already have the system put in place and have sufficient fire staff. The security of the airport, which at present with the state Police Department, might be handed over to the Central Industrial Security Force after the expansion,” said Mr Saini.
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Lalu to inquire about Shatabdi complaints
Shimla, May 25 Talking to mediapersons here today, he said that since he would try to understand as to why such complaints were being received. Mr Yadav, came by a special train from Kalka to
Kaithalighat, 20 kms short of the capital town, from where he travelled by car. Echoing his concern for the farmers and horticulturists of hill states like Himachal and Jammu and Kashmir, he said that he would explore the possibility of finding ways to ensure timely transportation of their produce to markets. He added that after holding discussions with the state government he would explore possibility for any such arrangement. In order to run trains on time and with much more
efficiency, the Railways will have a new time table from June 1. On his first ever visit to the Queen of Hills, accompanied by wife Mrs Rabri Devi and four daughters, the Railway minister will spend three days here. Though he will be attending a number of official engagements ,it is the meeting of the 55th Rajbhasha Salahkar Samiti which brings him here. "From June,1the Indian Railways will function according to a completely new time table to ensure that commuters, especially office goers make it on time to office and back home," he remarked. Congestion on the tracks would be removed by starting dedicated freight corridors at an estimated cost of Rs 22,000 crore . "The corridors will reduce congestion on the tracks, making it possible for us to start some fast trains, which will further improve the efficiency of the Railways," he said. In the first phase, the corridors will be between Ludhiana-Kolkata and Mumbai-Delhi. The second phase of the project will link Chennai-Kolkata, he disclosed. Taking credit for bringing the profit of the Railways to Rs 13,000 crore last year, he said that he was now aiming for Rs 20,000 crore profit for next
year. Commenting on one of his most talked about project the
'Garib rath', he said that within six months this fully air-conditioned train would be launched at the normal fare. He said that the Railways would set up logistic parks in the most remote areas of the country and link all the major ports with them. "A double stack container has already been launched between Jaipur and Pipawaha in Gujarat," he said. Mr Yadav had lunch with the Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh ,at his official residence
Oakover, where all the ministers and senior bureaucrats were present.
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AIHRA seeks repatriation of Tibetans
Chamba, May 25 Addressing mediapersons here last evening, Mr M.U. Dua, national president of the association, asked the government to repatriate Tibetans so that the rights of both Tibetans as well as Indians could be safeguarded. He stated that he would also raise the issue before the International Human Rights Commission, National Human Rights Commission and Amnesty International. Mr Dua said nobody knew what the Tibetans were doing under the so-called security cover inside their territory in Dharamsala and there were many places and buildings where even mediapersons were not allowed to enter. Mr Dua alleged deterioration of law and order situation at Dharamsala as clashes between Tibetans and local people were occurring frequently. Speaking on the 200-day human rights awareness and cultural chetna yatra, Mr Dua said the yatra had commenced on January 26 and would conclude on August 15, covering 33 states of the country and neighboring countries of Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal.
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Nehrian boy tops Class VIII exam
Dharamsala, May 25 Board Chairman B.R. Rahi said the decision of the board to give 15-minutes extra time to the students had improved the overall percentage of marks. Declaring the results, board Secretary K.D. Lakhanpal said 1,13,555 children had appeared in the examination, of which 84,572 had passed it and 4,581 had got compartment. A total of 1,639 students had taken the compartment examinations, of which 1,395 had been declared pass with a pass percentage of 85.05. The last date for applying for re-checking and re-evaluation, without late fee, is June 14, 2006. Nitish of Government SSS, Nehrian, has topped the merit list, while Garima Rana of MGM Public High School, Jwalamukhi, has stood second and Saurabh Rana of Bharatiya Public School, Jogindarnagar, has got the third position.
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Medicare in Chamba goes for a six
Chamba, May 25 The district has been identified as “backward district” and figured 50 on the list of backward districts of the country. The district has a population of over 4.60 lakh (as per the 2001 census) but is looked after by 79 doctors. Out of 113 posts of doctor, 34 are lying vacant. According to official sources, the health sub-centre that have been locked due to dearth of staff included Bhandal, Dand, Kandi, Priyungal, Panjei, Tirugala, Telka, Sanwal, Gulei and Kuned. The PHCs that are running without doctors are Dharwas, Saach, Purthi, Nakrot, Bhanad, Dandi and Jadera. The zonal hospital at Chamba is under workload pressure due to skeletal staff. Against 21 posts of doctor, six are lying vacant. The shortage of paramedical staff in rural health institutions is worse. Against the sanctioned strength of various categories of paramedical staff, 39 posts of pharmacist, 23 posts of senior laboratory technician, 42 posts of staff nurse, 89 posts of male health worker, 56 posts of female health worker, 62 posts of Class- IV employee, 38 posts of safai karamchari and 2 posts of radiographer are vacant. About 195 posts of ayurvedic doctor, including other staff, in the Ayurveda Department, Chamba are also lying vacant.
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Mani Shankar to visit Chamba
Chamba, May 25 According to official sources, he would tour Shimla, Kinnaur, Kulu and Chamba districts and hold meetings with members of the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) of the state. Mr Aiyer would address a meeting of the members of PRIs of Chamba district on May 30.
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