Shimla, December 20
The Himachal Cabinet today approved the Himachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Bill-2006, to ban conversion from one religion to another by force, inducement or by fraudulent means.

The Cabinet which met under the chairmanship of Mr Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister, here today also approved an amendment to Section 167 of Code for Criminal Procedure to incorporate a new provision under which the undertrial prisoners will be produced before the magistrates through video conferencing from jail and carry on the court proceedings as required under the law.

Under the existing law a person in custody has to be presented after every 15 days before a magistrate for the authorisation of the detention in custody and for each proceeding, trial and recording of evidence. With the amendment it would obviate the wastage of manpower, avoid unnecessary state expenditure and minimise chances of escape of the undertrial prisoners.

It also granted approval to the amendment in the H.P. Judicial Rule, 2004 and fixed time table for the conduct of judicial service examinations.

The applications will be required to be submitted by first week of March, scrutinised by second week of March, preliminary examination on first Sunday of April, results to be displayed by third week of April, main examination to be held in first week of May, results of written examination to be declared by first week of June, viva-voce in second half of June and final results by the first half of July.

Amendment to the Himachal Pradesh Civil Services (Premature Retirement) Rules, 1976 was also approved to make it mandatory for the Health Department officers, especially doctors, to render either a minimum of 30 years of service or attain 55 years of age before they could apply for premature retirement by serving a three-month notice to the appropriate authority.

It granted permission for the preparation of the list of below poverty line families for the 10th Five-Year Plan.

It approved the creation and filling of 2,931 posts of teaching and non-teaching categories for newly opened, degree colleges, senior secondary and high schools in the Education Department.

It also granted permission for the creation of 30 posts of dental mechanic and dental hygienist in the Health and Family Welfare Department and upgradation of 7 posts of junior coaches to that of coaches in Youth Service and Sports Department.

It decided to amend the Punjab Police Rules, 1934 (As applicable to Himachal Pradesh) to modify the recruitment procedure to give 50 per cent weightage to the population with the remaining 50 per cent weightage being given to the sanctioned strength of the constabulary in the various districts.

It also decided to constitute a state police Establishment Range Police Establishment and the District Police establishment committees in compliance of the directions of the Supreme Court.

It also granted permission for the merging of the Fish Federation with the Fisheries Department and absorb all 22 employees in the department while the fisheries activities would be continued by the primary cooperative societies as usual.

The Cabinet approved recruitment and promotion rules of additional director of education (colleges), Research Officer (Class-II) gazetted, town and country planner (Class-II) gazetted, junior engineer (civil) HPPWD, drivers.

It also allowed permission for purchase of two vehicles by the Small Scale Industries and Export Corporation, two vehicles by the Housing Department.

Chamba, December, 20
The Chamba Scheduled Castes Welfare Association has resented the stand taken by some social organisations like the Vishav Hindu Parishad and the Hindu Bachao Manch against the conversion of Hindu Dalits to other religions.

Citing the provisions of the Constitution of India granting every individual the freedom to adopt any religion of his or her choice, Mr Krishan Lal Shah, president, and Mr Purshottam Chandra, vice-president of the association, in a statement issued here today said that such a stand was not only an aggression on the liberty and freedom of an individual but also an act against the Constitution of India.

These office-bearers of the association said that a conflict between Hindu Dalits and caste Hindus would continue so long the upper castes did not voluntarily come forward in favour of inter-caste dinning and marriages. They said that to avoid such a conflict to maintain social harmony, the upper castes had no other option but either to treat Dalits at par with them socially and encourage sincerely inter-caste dining and marriages or let the Dalits get themselves converted to any faith of their choice like Buddhism, Sikhism or Christianity.

Kangra, December 20
The newly Vidhan Sabha building at Tapovan, near Dharamsala, constructed at a cost of Rs 7 crore in a record time of seven months would be inaugurated by the Speaker of the Vidhan Sabha, Mr G.R. Musaffir, in presence of the Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, on December 25.

Disclosing this, Mr G.R. Gajta, Secretary, Himachal Vidhan Sabha, said the first session of the Vidhan Sabha would be held in this new building from December 26 to 29.

Mr G.K. Jam, Executive Engineer, PWD, in charge of the construction of the building, said the construction work was started in mid-May this year and was completed in seven months. He said the building was spread over 35,000 sq ft plinth area.

Shimla, December 20
The state unit of the National Students Union of India (NSUI) has defended Dr L.R. Verma, Vice-Chancellor of Himachal Pradesh University, in the CPMT question paper leak scam and asserted that he was being unfairly targeted by those who wanted to blackmail him.

Mr Kewal Pathania, president of the union, said some students who were rusticated for indulging in criminal activities were levelling false charges against him to get the action against them withdrawn. Not only that Dr Verma had also terminated the services of some teachers appointed during the BJP regime who did not fulfil the minimum qualifications. Some other teachers and non-employees had been chargesheeted on the basis of irregularities pointed out in the CAG report.

There had been no direct or indirect involvement of any university functionary in the CPMT scam and it clarified its position more than once but still charges targeting the Vice-Chancellor had been flying thick.

He urged the government to ensure uniform timing of schools in the large public interest. The timings during summer should be from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and in winter from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Different timings of different schools caused hardships to parents as well as students.

Referring to the statement of Mr P.K. Dhumal, a former Chief Minister, that the BJP would raise the issue of discrimination against the merged areas during the winter session, Mr Pathania, who hails from Kangra, said the region suffered the most under his regime.

Kangra, December 20
Deputy Speaker Dolma Gyari launched a Tibetan film venture with the first take of "Richard Gere Is My Hero" being filmed at McLeodgang since yesterday.

The notable artistes from the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts (TIPA) have been cast in this film.

Addressing the film's cast and crew at the inaugural ceremony, Mrs Gyari spoke highly of the initiatives of Tibetan youth who were armed with new skills and forging new ventures in furtherance of the Tibetan cause.

The Tibetan Motion Pictures and Arts, established by Tashi Wangchuk and Tsultrim Dorjee in September 2005 at Dehra Dun, produce the low-budget feature film.

The Tibet Motion Pictures and Arts has so far produced a Tibetan feature film, "Phun Anu Thanu", India's national network, Doordashan commissioned film, "Democracy in Exile", and a comedy show, "The Great Tibetan Laughter Show".