Narnaul, August 16
Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda announced an increase in the monthly pension of freedom fighters and their widows from Rs 6,000 to Rs 11,000 per month.

Addressing the people after unfurling the national flag at the Independence Day function here, the CM said he took great pride in the fact that every 10th soldier in the Army was from Haryana.

Hooda said the state government was providing a number of facilities to the families of martyrs, freedom fighters, serving soldiers and ex-servicemen.

Scholarships being given to their wards had been increased as also the amount being given for gallantry awards. Defence colonies were being developed in major cities. A second sainik school had been opened in Rewari and a defence uiversity was coming up at Gurgaon.

Working in tandem with central government plans, his government had formulated some revolutionary development schemes.

The government had provided a number of concessions to every section of society, including farmers, women, traders and members of SCs/OBCs.

He said the flood-affected people would be given adequate compensation. An assistance of Rs 1,346 crore had been sought from the central government. Four new power plants had been set up to make the state self- sufficient in power.

The state had also made tremendous progress in the field of industry. An investment of more than Rs 1 lakh crore was in the pipeline. Special stress was being laid on strengthening infrastructure. Also, more roads had been constructed and several improved. Nineteen rail over- bridges had been built. A railway overbridge at a cost of Rs 24 crore had been constructed in Mahendragarh. The construction of the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal expressway would be completed by December this year. The Metro would be further extended up to Faridabad and Ballabgarh.

Haryana was emerging as a hub of education. Rajiv Gandhi Education City was being developed at Kundli in S Mewat, Sonepat and Faridabad. Other projects in the pipeline were Kalpana Chawla Medical College at Karnal and technical institutions at Kundli, Murthal and Manesar. Unfurling of Tricolour, the CM took the salute from contingents of the Haryana Police, Home Guards and NCC cadets. Schoolchildren presented a cultural programme.

Hooda announced Rs 2.51 lakh for the schoolchildren who took part in the I-Day function. He honoured freedom fighters and their family members with shawls as also 12 persons experts in different fields. He gave away tricycles and wheel-chairs to the physically challenged. Earlier, the Chief Minister visited the War Memorial at Sainik Rest House and paid tributes to the martyrs.

Faridabad, August 16
The Governor of Haryana, Jagannath Pahadia, commiserated with the people of Haryana affected by the recent floods and hoped that the Centre would give the state the required financial assistance for rehabilitation and relief measures.

Pahadia, who hoisted the national flag and took the salute at Independence Day celebrations, expressed satisfaction over the progress made by the state.The government had taken measures for equitable growth of all parts of the states and society, he said. Making a special mention of farmers of Haryana, the Governor said they not only self-sustaining, but also contributed immensely to the national stock of foodgrain. He praised the government for expanding the Metro rail service, signalling its extension up to Faridabad, and for according university status to YMCA here.

The social and economic benefits given by the government to the needy were showing results. Public spirit and positive intervention by the government had helped the state economy grow by 8 per cent, much higher than the national figure.

He called for a public campaign against female foeticide.

Chandigarh, August 16
It is back to classrooms for 68,000 newly elected members of Panchayati Raj institutions with the Panchayat and Development Department rolling out a training programme, beginning tomorrow from Nilokheri.

For the first time, non-government organisations are being roped in to train the members of zila parishads, the gram panchayats and the panchayat samitis on the nuances of “running the show” in Haryana’s hinterland.

While the idea is to impart education on the Panchayati Raj Act to first-time members, the department has identified key issues it wants its members to be well-versed in. These range from the role of the members to the “total sanitation” campaign, a thrust area of the government.

Says Fiancancial Commissioner and principal secretary, P Raghevendra Rao: “We want the new members to be clear about their role and train them to be able to discharge their duties effectively. During the two-day programme to held at the block level, the members will be trained in calling meetings, drafting resolutions and follow-up action as also the holding of gram sabha meetings. We want them to be armed with information of what they are expected to do and how they are required to do it.”

Besides, the department wants the members to be apprised about the Punjab Common Lands Act and how they best to utilise shamlat land in their villages to earn revenue. “Further, though we have done reasonably well in the total sanitation campaign and 80 per cent homes have toilets, we want to use these PRIs to educate the people on the fallout of open defecation,” Rao explains.

The main agencies involved in the exercise are the Haryana Institute of Rural Development, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of panchayati raj and Community Development and the Haryana Institute of Public Administration. Since these institutes cannot be expected to handle the large numbers all by themselves, the department has decided to engage NGOs already working with PRIs.

“The NGOs short-listed for the purpose will handle the training programme in six districts on an experimental basis,” Rao added.

Chandigarh, August 16
The Haryana BJP has demanded that the last date for the summary revision of electoral rolls in the state should be extended to September 15 as almost half of the state was reeling under the floods. Today was the last date for the revision.

A party delegation led by former president Rattan Lal Kataria met Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sumita Mishra here today and pointed out several discrepancies in the revision of the rolls.

The other members of the delegation were treasurer Gian Chand Gupta, Kanwar Sain Singal, president of the Panchkula district unit; and BB Singal, former vice-president of the Panchkula civic body.

The BJP brought to the notice of the CEO that during the past one year neither a voter had been added to the list nor any name deleted from the rolls for Panchkula. What sort of revision was this?

The party leaders said no list of booth-level officers (BLOs) had been given to political parties so far. Despite August 7 and 8 being declared as special days, about 90 per cent of the BLOs were not present on duty on these days. There was a vast difference in the number of voters for the assembly, panchayat and municipal committee elections. The party quoted instances to argue that a large number of voters, even to the extent of 90 voters, had been shown residing in one house.

It demanded that special checking should be done if more than 20 voters were shown staying in one house. The CEO reportedly promised to take suitable action on the BJP demands.

Chandigarh, August 16
The forensic report has confirmed irregularities in checking of answersheets for HCS (executive) and allied services examinations.

Seeking permission for placing on record before the Punjab and Haryana High Court the forensic report on petition filed by former MLA Karan Singh Dalal and two others, the state of Haryana has asserted: “The petitioners are seeking the quashing of selection of HCS (executive branch) and allied services held in 2002 on grounds of manipulation of examiners to get the marks of the candidates increased or decreased.

“In this regard, the status report as well as inspection reports in respect of answersheets have already been placed on record by the state vigilance bureau, pointing out that while evaluating the answersheets, the examiners have used different pens of different inks and the answersheets have been examined by more than one examiner without any authority.

“It has also been pointed out by the state vigilance bureau that the examiners have been cutting/overwriting and, thereby, increased or decreased the marks and the said cuttings were not even attested and the examiners have rechecked the answersheets on their own, which is not permissible under the rules.

“The state vigilance bureau had sent certain answersheets for lab examination to the forensic science laboratory, Haryana, Madhuban, to re-test these findings. Now, the forensic laboratory has submitted its report wherein the findings of the vigilance bureau have been found to be correct…. The report would have material bearing on the merits of the petition".

The matter was brought to the High Court notice initially by former advocate-general Mohan Jain, now Additional Solicitor-General of India at Delhi.

Jain, also instrumental in the preparation of the “charge sheet” against the Chautalas, was appearing as the petitioners’ counsel in a PIL for CBI probe into alleged irregularities jointly filed by former minister Dalal and two candidates.

So far, the probe into the selections carried out in 2001, 2003 and 2004 has placed the examiners in the dock The probe has found “the examiners re-checked the answersheets on their own, whereas there are no rules”.

Seven candidates have also been held at fault for disclosing their identities in the answersheets. As many as 22,135 answersheets were “not in series of registration numbers”, the state has claimed. Already, “notices under Section 160 CrPC have been issued to 13 selected candidates of the HCS and Allied Services 2001 to join them in the investigation with the special investigation team.

Yamunanagar, August 16
The state government is committed towards the development of all areas and uplift of weaker sections and poor farmers in the state.

This was stated by state Revenue Minister Shiv Charan Lal Sharma after unfurling the national flag on the occasion of the 64th Independence Day function held at Tejli Stadium here yesterday.

“As many as 3.3 lakh 100 square yard plots have been given to weaker sections of society and the state government has started a new policy to grant financial aid to poor students,” he added.

Besides, he took a salute at a march past presented by the contingents of the district police and NCC cadets led by DSP Suresh Kumar here.

Students from various schools and colleges presented patriotic and cultural songs and skits here.

In Kurukshetra, Chief Parliamentary Secretary Prahlad Singh Gillakhera unfurled the Tricolour on the premises of Dronacharya Stadium here yesterday. Lt Gen DDS Sandhu, Vice-Chancellor, Kurukshetra University, unfurled the national flag on the premises of Srimad Bhagvadgita Sadan.

Meanwhile, the Independence Day was celebrated with much zeal in Panipat by organising functions at various places. The district-level function was held at Shivaji Stadium where parliamentary secretary Sultan Singh unfurled the national flag and took salute from a parade.

He exhorted the youth to follow the footsteps of those who had made great sacrifices for the freedom of the nation. Students of various educational institutions presented a colourful programme on the occasion.

CPS Dharmveer Singh unfurled the Tricolour on the premises of Government Polytechnic Institute in Jhajjar.

Rohtak, August 16
The khaps have warned, in a conclusion that reached at a meeting of their representatives who met here today to discuss the agenda of the proposed memorandum to be submitted to the GOM, that any immature and wrong decision could worsen things and the government would be blamed for it.

The meeting constituted a committee of 21 representatives of all leading khap panchayats of the state and NCR. The meeting took strong exception to the statement of the Home Minister that they would not talk to the khaps while formulating a law against honour killings. The meeting presided over by Hardeep Ahlawat, pradhan of Rohtak 84 khap, however, decided to hand over their memorandum to the Group of Ministers (GoM) in Delhi in near future.

The khaps have asked the GoM to consider their demand of bringing an amendment to the Hindu Marriage Act before going ahead with any law concerning honour killings. Blaming the government of messing up with the matter so far, the khap panchayats have demanded a patient hearing to their stand.

The spokesperson of the committee, Rampal Dahiya, said they had written to the GOM on July 26 seeking time to hand over the memorandum but in vain. “It’s unfortunate if the GOM does not want to hear their views that indicates non-cooperative behaviour of the authorities concerned. Still, we will ensure that the stand of the khaps is made public,” he said.

The spokesperson reminded the government of khap panchayat held in Peepli (Haryana) in 1975 and at Kanjhawala in Delhi in 1977. “We are not trying to confront the government by citing these incidents but it should not commit the mistake of taking us casually,” he said.

The committee members, however, blamed social organisations and Left parties that had set the stage of confrontation between the government and khaps by using media. They said it seemed that the decision of the government to not to listen to the khaps was also influenced by them.

“We will not hesitate in launching an agitation if anyone tries to play with the sentiments of the khap members,” they added.

Jhajjar, August 16
Expressing displeasure over the local court verdict in the Dulina Dalit killing case in which seven accused were sentenced to life imprisonment recently, a number of women belonging to Babepur, Subana and Kasni villages staged a demonstration here today demanding relief for the convicts.

The demonstration culminated at the Delhi gate after passing through Ambedkar Chowk, bus stand, main market and Chaupta Bazar.

They said the police had booked over 20 persons in this regard, but the court pronounced sentence to only seven accused.

The court of Jhajjar Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ) on August 9 had awarded life imprisonment to seven accused after holding them guilty of killing five Dalits in Dulina village.

The police had booked 28 persons on the charge of lynching five men belonging to the Scheduled Castes (SC) in Dulina village here on October 15, 2002.

The men, who hailed from Mewat region, were lynched to death by an infuriated crowd when they were found taking cows in a vehicle.

Panipat, August 16
The district police and the custom officials have nabbed a woman from the premises of a local courier service company on suspicion that she had tried to send packets containing narcotics to South Africa through different courier firms.

The woman, who has been identified as Noori Deep, was presently staying in Gurgaon and had specially come down to Panipat to send the courier.

Police sources said the woman was rounded up for questioning, during which she stated that she was a resident of Bangomal, a small village in Bhubaneswar.

However, the documents seized from her, which included a driving licence, revealed that she belonged to Assam. In Gurgaon she was working as a maid at a house in Sector 15 and had two children. Her husband had expired long time back, sources said.

Sources said the woman had tried to send packets containing narcotics through different courier companies located in Moradabad and Noida. The packets had landed in the hands of the custom officials, who had procured details of the woman and send it to various courier companies in the region.

The employees of a local courier company had also received the details of the woman. When Noori arrived at the courier firm with a bag carrying laces and other stuff used for stitching suits, one of the employees recognised her and informed the officials concerned.

A team of the local police reached the spot and detained her. Later, a team of custom officials also reached there and interrogated the woman for hours.

Meanwhile, the police and the custom officials are tightlipped over the issue and refused to divulge any details about the arrest of the woman.