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Bishnoi promises interest-free farm loans
Proposed cabinet expansion keeps MLAs on toes
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Canal named after Bansi Lal
Mumbai Terror
Women stitching their way to empowerment
Mega Lok Adalats
26.40 lakh kids given polio drops
3 booked for SIM fraud
Bhiwani Clash
Land dispute solved
HAU streamlines accounting system
CPI may contest Sirsa LS seat
Medical council cautions docs
Panchayat bypoll peaceful
Postal staff call off strike
Fire in poultry farm
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Bishnoi promises interest-free farm loans
‘Bishnoi is like Lord
Krishna’ Several speakers at Sunday’s rally referred to Bhajan Lal as a former CM, while they projected his son Kuldeep as the future CM. Setting yet another precedent of
psychophancy, Rao Narvir compared Bishnoi to Lord Krishna. “Let me tell those who call the HJC an infant party that our leader Kuldeep Bishnoi is like Lord Krishna who accomplished many a rare feat during his childhood. He also referred to Rewari as the “London of the Ahirwal belt”. Many other speakers called Rewari “the peetal town”. Bishnoi started his speech by paying respect to the Ahirwal belt, which, he said, was the land of the brave and martyrs.
Rewari, December 21 Addressing his first major public meeting after his brother and former Deputy Chief Minister Chander Mohan’s controversial decision of marrying his beloved after adopting Islam, Bishnoi seemed rather unfazed by the matter. He chose not to comment on the unsavoury episode in his speech. Addressing a sizeable gathering, the HJC leader promised to fill all 1.10 lakh government posts lying vacant, besides regularising the services of the nearly 20,000 guest teachers serving in the state and providing HRA and other facilities to the state government employees on the Central pattern on assuming the reins of the state. “Interest-free agricultural loans of up to Rs 3 lakh will be provided to farmers for a period of three years,” he said, adding that the old-age pension would be increased to Rs 700 per month and the eligibility age for the same reduced to 58. “My government will also provide a monthly pension of Rs 600 to one non-working woman of every family,” he added. Striking a chord with the people of south Haryana’s Ahirwal belt, Bishnoi promised to set up a university in the area and ensure the completion of the SYL canal so that they could get adequate water for irrigation. The HJC leader lambasted the Bhupinder Singh Hooda-led Congress regime in the state for the poor condition of roads, power and water supply, deteriorating law and order situation and grim unemployment scenario. He also did not spare INLD commander Om Prakash Chautala and accused him of having indulged in loot, “goondaism” and land grab while in power. Exhibiting a rather desperate desire to acquire the Chief Minister’s post, Bishnoi appealed to the people to give him “just one chance” to rule the state. “If you find me lacking in any respect within a year, you have full authority to dethrone me; but if I live up to your expectations, then don’ let my rule end,” he maintained. Former Haryana Chief Minister and Bishnoi’s father Bhajan Lal sought people’s support for Bishnoi. Rao Narvir Singh, the HJC candidate for the Gurgaon Lok Sabha seat and organiser of today’s event, besides senior HJC leader Dharampal Malik, also addressed the gathering.
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Proposed cabinet expansion keeps MLAs on toes
Chandigarh, December 21 The assurance to soon fill up the two vacancies existing in the Cabinet has come from none other than the Chief Minister himself. This time, he has gone a step ahead to add that one of the two “chosen” incumbents in the Cabinet would be a Brahmin. While MLAs vie for the top slot, it is still unclear when the proposed expansion of the Cabinet is set to take place. While one vacancy in the Cabinet is there since the Congress government came to power in the state in 2005, the creation of another vacancy came as a “pleasant” surprise for the aspirants. The unexpected departure of former Deputy Chief Minister Chander Mohan from the Cabinet on grounds of “absence from work” revived their sagging hopes and lent an air of urgency to the expansion. Sources in the Congress said some names were thrown up following Chander Mohan’s exit and the Chief Minister’s statement, but the move did not fructify. While Bhajan Lal’s nephew, Dura Ram, was being seen as an alternative to Chander Mohan, former ministers in the Hooda cabinet, Venod Sharma and Phool Chand Mullana, along with a couple of parliamentary secretaries and other MLAs were learnt to be in the reckoning. However, the winter session of Parliament and the pre-occupation of the Congress high command is learnt to have stood in the way. While sources in the AICC said there was no immediate move for a Cabinet expansion, the hopefuls are still keeping their fingers crossed. They are in a bigger rush to net whatever gains can come their way since an announcement of the parliamentary elections could stall their fortunes once again. Also, there’s a lesson for the probables, to be learnt from the developments not so long ago. In April this year, after the budget session, there were indications of a possible cabinet reshuffle and expansion and the Chief Minister, too, reiterated his desire for the same during the byelections. In his every statement and in his interactions with the media at every forum, he emphasised that the one vacancy in the Cabinet would be filled up. However, byelections came and went, names were thrown up and they went down again, weeks changed to months and the proposed expansion did not happen. Nearly, a year later, the carrot of a ministerial berth in the Bhupinder Singh Hooda cabinet, with two vacancies now, continues to dangle before the Congress MLAs. Whether anybody will eventually walk away with the carrot, is anybody’s guess. |
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Canal named after Bansi Lal
Bhiwani, December 21 The Chief Minister was addressing the “Ch Bansi Lal aastha rally” after inaugurating a memorial park dedicated to the late leader in Bhiwani today. Paying tributes to Bansi Lal, Hooda said he was a great son of the state and made Haryana a symbol of progress. However, the Chief Ministers who ruled the state after him “did nothing for the generation of electricity”. He said the state was poised to become the number one state in the country in terms of development. “The state has already achieved the status of the number one state in per capita investment, per capita income among big states, in the productivity of wheat and milk production,” he added. He said the government had implemented a number of welfare schemes for the farmers. Electricity bills of farmers and domestic consumers to the tune of Rs 1,600 crore had been waived. The state government had also constructed the BML Hansi-Butana link canal to carry 2,000 cusecs of water to the southern part of Haryana. Some leaders, including INLD supremo Om Prakash Chautala, had opposed the construction of this canal, saying that it would lead to a civil war, he added. A scheme for waving interest on cooperative loans was also introduced in the state and over three lakh people had been benefited. The Chief Minister expressed sympathy with the families of the two youths who died in alleged police firing in Kharak village near here. Earlier, the Chief Minister unveiled a life-size statue of Bansi Lal in the park. He also laid the foundation stone of Bansi Lal Memorial Government Polytechnic, Bhiwani. Ranvir Mahendra, MLA, the organiser of the rally, sowered priase on Hooda. Addressing the rally, Bansi Lal’s widow Vidhya Devi urged the people to support Mahendra “as it was the will of Bansi Lal”. Chief parliamentary secretary Dharambir Singh said Bansi Lal ensured all-round development of the state. Acting president of the HPCC Kuldeep Sharma and Somvir Singh, Shiv Shankar Bharadwaj and Major Narpender Sangwan, all MLAs, also addressed the rally. Meanwhile, the Chief Minister inaugurated a sona bath and steam room in Haryana Naturopathy Hospital and urged the people to adopt naturopathy. He announced a grant of Rs 5 lakh for the construction of a dinning hall in the hospital. |
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Mumbai Terror
Karnal, December 21 Chautala, who was in Dupadi village in Assandh to mourn the death of party worker Dhana Singh, told mediapersons that “India should have taught Pakistan a lesson by attacking the hostile country, but it acted like a coward and failed to act in spite of such a grave provocation”. He said it was now well established that Pakistan was the “epicentre” of terrorism in the region and posed a threat to all civil societies, but the UPA government was not prepared to take any deterrent action even after flat refusal by Pakistan to hand over “wanted terrorists”. In spite of repeated terrorist attacks, including the brazen attack on Parliament, Akshardham, bomb blasts and the latest 26/11 attack, the UPA government was not able to gather courage and end the menace of cross-border terrorism once and for all, he asserted. The attack on Mumbai was not an attack on the commercial capital of India but an attack on the country and the reply of the country should also have been commensurate with the gravity of the crime, he added. Referring to the killing of innocent youths by the police in Bhiwani, Chautala said the police was killing people in “fake encounters” and warned that the INLD would not take such acts “lying down”. |
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Women stitching their way to empowerment
Fatehabad, December 21 The group, which is into stitching and embroidery, stitches garments for children and women at their homes and sells these to people in the neighbourhood. However, in the absence of proper marketing of their products, the members have not been able to sell their products to a wider range of customers. Secretary of the self-help group, namely Shriram Group, Rekha, exhibited the group’s products at a convention of women representatives of the panchayti raj institutions and local bodies organised here on December 16 for empowerment of women. Another self-help group of women from Shekhupur Daroli village, which has been manufacturing wormicompost, had also exhibited its product during the convention. Similarly, Sharda, a supervisor of the integrated child development scheme (ICDS), displayed the products made by the Mahila Mandal and Bighar. Shaheed Udham Singh Group, a self-help group of women from Ahlisadar village, displayed school bags and carry bags prepared by their women members. An interaction with members of these self-help groups revealed that women have the potential to manufacture good consumer products after getting financial assistance under the schemes of the district rural development agency and the ICDS, but all their efforts go in vain in the absence of organised marketing. “After a lot of hard labour, we hardly earn a profit of Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000 per month for the whole group comprising 10 or more members,” said Rekha. Addressing women representatives of the panchayati raj institutions and local bodies, deputy commissioner J.S. Ahlawat, who presided over the proceedings, said women had been playing a great role in the development of society. Veena Sehgal, a faculty member from the community development training centre, Nilokheri, under whose aegis the programme was organised, said 12 lakh women had been elected to panchayati raj institutions in the country out of which 25,000 were in Haryana. |
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Mega Lok Adalats
Yamunanagar, December 21 As many as 14,000 cases, including matrimonial disputes, were solved amicably in the lok adalat held here today. A compensation of Rs 2 crore was awarded to family members of accident victims. Besides, cases under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act were also settled mutually. Chief Judicial Magistrate-cum-secretary, District Legal Services Authority, Poonam Suneja said the lok adalat proved as a platform for litigants for speedy disposal of cases amicably. Packed lunch packets were also distributed among
litigants. SONEPAT: The mega lok adalat, Samadhan-2008, that was organised here on Sunday proved a blessing in disguise for Rulia Ram and his family, who have been undergoing life imprisonment in a murder case, when a loan case of Rs 2.97 lakh was settled with a compromise of Rs 30,000 in the court of District and Sessions Judge Virender
Singh. Rulia Ram of Jamalpura here and his family had stood guarantor by mortgaging their house in a case of loan advancement of Rs 15,000 to Sabbir Mohammad before 1990 by Punjab National Bank. Mohammad died before paying the loan and the bank authorities filed a case in 1991 for recovery of the loan with interest from Rulia Ram. However, the case could not be decided as Rulia Ram, his wife and other family members were sentenced to life imprisonment in a murder case. The loan amount with interest had increased to Rs 2.97
lakh. The case was settled here today in the mega lok adalat. President of the District Bar Association Anoop Singh Dahiya came to the aid of the family and paid Rs 30,000 to Punjab National Bank, as the family did not have the money to pay. Similarly, a young couple hailing from Jind district was united with the efforts of the members of the mega lok adalat after a separation of a couple of years. Claiming that 14,000 cases were settled in this two-day mega lok adalat against a target of 10,000 cases, the DSJ said the courts had succeeded in creating a good will among people and inspired them to settle their disputes with mutual
consent. GURGAON: As many as 27,372 cases were settled in the mega lok
adalat, “Samadhan-2008”, till Saturday evening in the areas falling under the Gurgaon Sessions Division. Stating this here on Sunday, the Chief Judicial Magistrate-cum-secretary, District Legal Services Authority,
D.N. Bhardwaj, said of these, 11,387 cases were solved by the judicial officers, while 12,020 cases were settled by executive and revenue officers of the district. Since Nuh and Firozpur Jhirka also come under the Gurgaon Sessions Division, 1,483 cases were settled in Nuh and 2,482 cases in Ferozpur Jhirka by judicial and executive
officers. KURUKSHETRA: As many as 2,565 pending cases were settled with mutual consent on the second day of the two-day mega lok adalat - “Samadhaan-2008” - at judicial complex here on Sunday. It was presided over by District and Sessions Judge
R.C. Bansal. Additional District and Sessions Judge Shekhar Dhawan sentenced Vimal Kumar, alias
Kala, a resident of Mirzapur village, to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for allegedly kidnapping eight-year-old girl on August
4. BHIWANI: As many as 10,756 cases were settled during the two-day mega lok
adalat, “Samadhan-2008” held at local judicial complex on Saturday and Sunday under the headship of District Judge
R.K. Bishnoi. At least 13,197 cases were put up before the 14-bench set-up for the mega lok
adalat. Chief Judicial Magistrate and secretary, DLSA, Basheshar Singh said as many as 135 cases were settled under the Motor Accidental Claims Act and a sum of Rs 93,43,200 was given to the affected parties as compensation during the past two
days. KAITHAL: As many as 8,093 out of 17,435 cases were settled at the two-day mega lok adalat held at judicial complex here. District and Sessions Judge
R.S. Baswana presided over the proceedings on the second day. Justice
L.N. Mittal of the Punjab and Haryana High Court had inaugurated the mega lok adalat on Saturday. |
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26.40 lakh kids given polio drops
Chandigarh, December 21 Stating this here today, health minister Kartar Devi said about 66 per cent of the 40 lakh targeted children were administered polio drops on the first day of the campaign in the state. The children in transit were covered through specially set up booths at various bus stands and railway stations. Mobile teams were also pressed into service for the purpose and floating population like those residing at brick-kilns, industrial colonies and periphery of urban areas were also covered, she added. She said those children who could not reach the pulse polio booths because of any reason today would be administered polio drops tomorrow and day after tomorrow by the teams constituted to visit each household.
— UNI |
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3 booked for SIM fraud
Sirsa, December 21 The subscriber identity module (SIM) helps the police in reaching to the perpetrators of crimes by knowing the location of suspects at the time of crimes and afterwards. It is for this reason that the police has been coming with heavy hands against mobile dealers issuing SIM cards against fake identity proofs. The local police today booked three persons in two different cases on charges of cheating and forgery for getting SIM cards issued from Idea and the BSNL on the basis of fake identity. In the first case, Manoj Popli and Gulshan Sukhija, both partners of a mobile shop, GM Communication, have been booked by the local police under sections 420, 467, 468 and 471 of the IPC. Sanjay Kumar, proprietor of the firm Haryana Photostat, who is the local dealer of Idea, had complained to the police that the accused got two SIM connections activated on the basis of fake documents. In another case, Saurabh Arora, proprietor of a firm, Om Communication and agent of the BSNL, complained to the police that Rajinder Kumar, a local chemist, had got a SIM card recharged from the BSNL on fake documents. “The police has registered cases and will investigate the matter. The police will verify the papers before arresting the accused,” said Ajay Sharma, SHO, city police station,
Sirsa. |
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Bhiwani Clash
Bhiwani, December 21 Two more youths, Shiv Kumar and Gajender Singh, who had gone missing from Chhuchhakwas village in Jhajjar district on December 14 and later found dead under mysterious circumstances in a canal at Kharak village were also cremated. The civil and police administration had a sigh of relief and the Bhiwani-Rohtak road and rail route was also opened. In the mahapanchayat, which was held in Kharak village this morning, it was unanimously decided that all four bodies would be cremated today. Meanwhile, the police force returned to their destinations and barricades put up on the road were lifted. |
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Land dispute solved
Sonepat, December 21 The officials concerned heard the case in detail and decided to give the disputed land to the farmers of Baroli village, which had gone towards UP side due to the changing of the course of the Yamuna river. The disputed land had led to a series of clashes between the farmers of Haryana and UP during the past few decades.
— PTI |
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HAU streamlines accounting system
Hisar, December 21 In the new system, the details of scheme-wise expenditure figures will be available to the accounting staff of different departments of the university on the computer. Registrar R.S. Dalal today said the university had implemented web-based reconciliation of expenditure figures and the figures of expenditure for November had been put on the website of the university. Dalal said with this initiative, accounting staff of different departments of the university need not move here and there to get the reconciliation of expenditure done.
— UNI |
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CPI may contest Sirsa LS seat
Sirsa, December 21 Talking to mediapersons today after a meeting of the district council of the CPI, Raghubir Singh, state secretary of the party, said the party would contest the forthcoming parliamentary elections in alliance with the CPM. The CPI leader maintained that the people of Haryana had rejected the alliance between the INLD and the BJP, and the Left parties would provide an alternative to these parties. He alleged that the Congress had been adopting anti-poor policies and the prices of petroleum products had not been decreased in proportion of the sharp reduction in their prices at the international level. He alleged pink and yellow ration cards of many members of their Khet Mazdoor Union had been cancelled by the state government after the recent survey causing a lot of resentment among them. |
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Medical council cautions docs
Chandigarh, December 21 Stating this here recently, a spokesman for the council said it was mandatory for all medical practitioners registered with the council to comply with these regulations. Giving brief details of the regulations, he said these contained a code of medical ethics, duties of physicians to their patients, duties of physicians in consultation, responsibilities of physicians to each other, duties of physicians to the public and to the paramedical profession, unethical acts, misconduct and punishment and disciplinary action. He warned the medical practitioners that any misconduct, if reported, on their part for any violation of these regulations would be viewed seriously by the council and entail strict disciplinary action and invite punishment as per Regulations 8.1 to 8.6. He advised them that they should download these regulations from the official website - www.mciindia.org <http://www.mciindia.org/> of the MCI for their record and strict compliance in their own professional interest. |
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Panchayat bypoll peaceful
Chandigarh, December 21 The byelections were held to fill up those casual vacancies of panches, sarpanches and members of panchayat samitis, which occurred due to death, resignation, removal or otherwise. He said 220 out of 237 seats of panches, six out of 30 seats of sarpanches and four out of nine seats of members of panchayat samitis were filled unopposed. The election on remaining 17 seats of panches, 24 seats of sarpanches and five seats of panchayat samitis elections were held today. He said the counting of votes for election of panches and sarpanches would take place immediately after the poll and for member of panchayat samitis would take place tomorrow.
— UNI |
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Postal staff call off strike
Sonepat, December 21 Ranbir Singh, president of the All-India Postal Extra Deparatment Employees Union, Sonepat Division, told mediapersons here today that the striking postal employees would now get all benefits under the Sixth Pay Commission’s recommendations, salary on a par with regular postal employees and 3 per cent bonus. “The payment of dearness allowance would be made on the pattern of regular postal employees,” he claimed. He asked the striking employees to turn up for duty in their respective branches and distribute the mail in the villages on a priority basis. The strike was called off by the employees last evening. A large number of mail bags containing thousands of letters and other articles had accumulated at the city head post office as the indefinite strike called by the district postal employees continued for four days. At least 125 branch post offices had been locked since December 17.
— PTI |
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Fire in poultry farm
Sirsa, December 21 Swaroop said he had set up the poultry farm recently and had purchased 7,000 birds from Hisar for the purpose. All birds were burnt in the fire. Locals tried to extinguish the fire, but
in vain. Later, a fire tender reached and extinguished the fire. |
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