Shimla, May 14
The Congress-led UPA regime will soon come out with a national manufacturing policy aimed at making India a manufacturing hub, which in turn will increase productivity and create employment opportunities for a young workforce of 100 million during the next 10 years.

Union Commerce and Industries Minister Anand Sharma said here today that the policy had been given final shape after holding a series of inter-departmental consultations.

Sharma said the National Skill Development Corporation was already in the process of formulating various modules of training for the youth who need to be made employable by equipping them with varied skills. “We are keen to incorporate green technology and latest innovation so that the issue of climate change is also addressed adequately,” he said throwing light on the various policy initiatives.

The minister said as per the existing capacity four million youth could be imparted skill training and the endeavour was to enhance this to 15 million by forging institutional linkages both in the public and private sector. He added that Sectoral Innovation Councils would be set up to drive innovative strategies in key sectors as this had been declared the “decade of innovation.”

Sharma said the results of the Assembly polls had exposed the BJP and the CPM, which had carried on an orchestrated campaign to damage the Congress. “The BJP which is rudderless and directionless stands exposed and rejected by the voter as the party has not even been able to open its account in any other state except Assam,” he remarked.

Tissa (Chamba), May 14
Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal today laid the foundation stone of the 36-MW Chanju stage-I hydroelectric project at Chanju in Churah subdivision of the district.

The project will be constructed by the IA Energy and Goel Group of Industries at a cost of Rs 295 crore.

Dhumal said the state government would sign an agreement with the World Bank soon for the generation of eco-friendly power in the state so that the state could get carbon credit benefits.

The Chief Minister said the state had over 23,000 MW identified hydel power potential for which sustained efforts were underway to harness the river waters.

He lauded the announcement of the AI Energy for sponsoring local students for professional degrees and diploma courses and also construction of a bridge in the Chanju area.

Managing Director of the IA Energy Suresh Goel presented a cheque of Rs 1.1 crore to the Chief Minister through the Local Area Development Authority which would be utilised for the execution of various developmental schemes in the area.

The CM also dedicated a 36.5-metre-long bridge over the Chanju nullah constructed at a cost of Rs 87.24 lakh, benefiting people of Chanju and Dehar panchayat of the Churah valley in the district.

Others who were present on the occasion included Vidhan Sabha Speaker Tulsi Ram, Public Works Minister Gulab Singh Thakur and former minister Mohan Lal.

Shimla, May 14
Small patches of forests on private land will not attract the provisions of the Forest Conservation Act with the Supreme Court accepting the definition of private forests, providing much relief to the villagers who cannot fell even a single tree for their own bona fide use at present.

Under the definition approved by the court on Thursday, only compact wooded blocks on private land spread over 5 hectares or more, not recorded as forest in the revenue record, will be deemed as forests. Consequently, wooded areas up to 5 hectares will not attract the provisions of the Forest Conservation Act and farmers will be able to fell trees in accordance with the provisions of the Land Preservation Act.

The woodiness for the purpose of “compact wooded block” has also been defined for different agro-climatic zones on the basis of forest density. In the temperate zone, which mostly supports confers like deodar, kail, fir and spruce, various types of oaks, rhododendron and some broad-leaved species having 400 trees of Class-III and above, per hectare of natural origin will constitute a forest. In case of sub-tropical zone, the conifer species of pine and other species have been divided into categories. The density for pine forests will be 400 trees of Class-II and above per hectare, same as that for the temperate zone. However, for khair and other broad-leaved species a density of 800 trees per hectare of less than Class-III or for a mixed crop (mature and young) the trees being worked out by taking one mature tree equivalent to two young trees and vice versa will constitute a forest.

The private wooded areas of more than 5 hectares covered under the definition will be covered under the Forest Conservation Act and these areas will be managed in accordance with the forest working plans like the government forests.

It has come as a great relief to villagers who will now be able to fell trees on their private land to meet their requirement of fuel wood and fodder. The issue cropped up after the HC ruled that no felling could take place until the SC accepted the definition of private forest.

Shimla, May 14
The new state executive of the Congress will have just 31 members, including 12 office-bearers, making it the smallest-ever body.

A final picture will emerge after the May 15 meeting convened by national general secretary and new in charge of party affairs in the state Birender Singh to prepare the road for the Mission 2012 to bring the party back to power in the hill state.

However, he will also hold consultations with senior party leaders regarding the constitution of the state executive which has been hanging fire for the past seven months. In fact, he has already held informal consultations with party leaders on the issue.

PCC chief Kaul Singh, who returned from Delhi after holding a discussion with Central leaders, including national president Sonia Gandhi, indicated that there would not be more than 12 office bearers. There could be six vice-presidents and general secretaries each, or five vice-presidents and seven general secretaries.

The high command may allow some leaders to be accommodated as secretaries, but the view of the AICC is that they should not form part of the state executive to keep the body small. It should have competent energetic leaders who are willing to devote time and energy for the organisation.

In the case of those who have held party offices earlier, the past performance will be taken into consideration. Mere seniority will not matter and, unlike the past, personal loyalty to senior leaders will not help much.

Conveners of the various frontal organisations and cells of the party, district presidents and constituency presidents will also attend the meeting.

It will be the first meeting of the full house of the party after Birender took over as in charge of the party affairs. He had earlier interacted with members of the AICC from the state at Parwanoo two months ago just to get acquainted with matters.