Haridwar gears up for poll
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, December 27
In view of the upcoming Assembly elections, the district administration, too, is gearing itself up to make sure the elections are held peacefully.

Emphasis in this initial stage is to ensure that the election code of conduct and the guidelines laid by the Election Commission of India are adhered to and the administrative employees are given full knowledge and briefing about these norms.

Today at CCR Towers a meeting was called on by the district election officer of all the political parties where election norms, rules, violations and do’s don’ts were discussed in length with the representatives.

Political party representatives also put forth their queries and assured the district election officer of their full support in the smooth conduct of the elections as well as openness in their election campaign.

Another meeting was held at the BHEL convention hall wherein election officials briefed the administrative machinery about election process.

District election officer D Senthyl Pendiyan is himself supervising all such meetings, giving specific instructions. From minute points like informing the election office before holding election meetings to having media certification-monitoring committee, all aspects are being covered to make sure election violations come to notice as well as instant action is taken on the violators.

With Haridwar being a sensitive religious city, emphasis is also being given on this aspect so that no religious shrine, place or ashram is used for election campaign purpose in any way. 

Race begins in Pithoragarh to get ticket for 4 seats
BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, December 27
After the announcement of poll dates by the Election Commission, there has been a scramble amongst candidates of both the ruling BJP and the Congress Party to get nominations for the four seats of Pithoragarh district.

For the prestigious Pithoragarh Assembly seat, Cabinet minister and past two-time winner, Uttarakhand Water Resources Minister Prakash Pant, is also facing competition from two strong party contenders. Suresh Joshi, Uttarakhand BJP general secretary, and Rajendra Singh Rawat, Nagar Palika chairman, have also applied for the party ticket from the seat and their names have been sent in the panel by the Uttarakhand state BJP parliamentary board to central leadership.

On the other hand, the Congress Party also has two prominent names in contention for the ticket from the seat. Mayukh Singh Mahar, a sitting Congress legislator from earlier Kanalichhina seat that has been dissolved due to fresh delimitation, is a strong contender for the Congress ticket from the Pithoragarh seat. Ravindra Singh Bisht, Uttarakhand Congress vice-president, and Mathura Dutt Joshi, a party spokesperson, are also in the race for the party nomination. Mayukh Singh Mahar has also applied from the Didihat seat. Col Ram Dutt Joshi (retd) has been named as the candidate of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) from the seat.

From the Gangolihat Assembly reserve segment in the district, the Congress has empanelled former MLA and chairman of ST, ST Commission Narayan Ram, along with state vice-chief of the Congress Scheduled Castes Cell Fakir Ram Gwasikoti. Sushama Kiran, who has joined the party from the CPI(ML), has also been empanelled from the seat.

“Sushma has joined the party and vowed to win over women voters into party fold. She has been empanelled due to her leadership qualities,” said a senior Congress leader in the district. The BJP has empanelled Geeta Thakur, deputy chairperson of the State Women’s Commission and sitting BJP MLA Joga Ram from the seat. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has already announced the name of Fakir Ram Sanguri from the seat.

Bishan Singh Chufal, BJP state chief and former minister, has been empanelled from the prestigious Didihat seat along with district president of the party Kishen Singh Bhandari. The Congress has empanelled the names of Ramesh Kapri, Revti Joshi and Kanalichinna legislator Mayukh Singh Mahar from the seat. The BSP has already announced the name of Jagjiwan Singh Kanyal, a former chairman of the Pithoragarh Nagar Palika Parishad and once a BJP vice-president, who has later joined the BSP.

Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (Panwar group) has been thinking on three names from the seat, including Jodh Singh Bora, Chandra Shekher Kapri and Kashi Singh Airy. “The name of KS Airy, a senior party leader, has also been empanelled from the Dharchula seat, which has been changed from reserve to a general seat in the delimitation,” said a senior UKD leader.

From the Dharchula seat, which has become a general seat, the sitting independent legislator Gagan Singh Rajbar has already announced his candidature and sought a Congress nomination. He had won the last two elections in 2002 and 2007. The Congress has B.D.Joshi, a former block pramukh, Harish Dhami, a zila panchayat member and a youth leader, and Shakuntala Datal in the race for the party nomination. Shakuntala Datal, as Congress candidate in 2007, had lost to Gagan Singh Rajbar. Rajendra Kutiyal is the Bahujan Samaj Party candidate from the seat. Senior UKD (P) leader Kashi Singh Airy is also a probable candidate from the seat.

Police forms flying squad, surveillance teams

In view of the coming Assembly elections, the local police has formed a static surveillance team and flying squads to check any untoward incident during the poll in the district. “The four flying squads, which have been activated from Sunday, will check the activities of distribution of money, gifts or liquor during the elections in all four seats of the district,” said NA Bharane, Superintendent of Police (SP), Pithoragarh.

According to Bharane, the flying squads will have the right not only to check corrupt practices during the election but also to take action on the spot. “The teams will be fully empowered for that,” said the SP.

The static surveillance teams will take care of inter-district borders and will be responsible for checking the entry of unwanted elements, who could possibly disturb the poll process, in the district. “The static surveillance teams will be deputed at Ghat, Panar, Seraghat, Pipli, Nachni and Chaukari, covering not only the border areas adjoining Almora, Champawat and Bageshwar districts but also international border with Nepal at Pipali,” he said.

“We have to chalk out a programme to check infiltration of such elements on Nepal and Tibet borders. This will be done after due consultation with the ITBP, the SSB and paramilitary forces, which guard Indo-Tibet and Indo-Nepal borders,” said the SP. 

BJP opens poll office

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) opened its election office at a hotel here today. The office was inaugurated by state Water Resources Minister Prakash Pant and party state general secretary Suresh Joshi, considered to be arch rivals.

The inauguration was accompanied by the recital of Akhand Ramayana and the chanting of Vedic mantras.

On the other hand, the Congress has two separate offices in the town owned by supporters of two aspirants for party ticket from the Pithoragarh seat, Mayukh Singh Mahar, Congress legislator from Kanalichhina, and Ravindra Bisht Maldar.

“As both candidates want to get party ticket, there is an intense rivalry between the two groups and both groups are not letting members of other group entering their respective offices,” said a Congress leader.

Congress leaders in the districts are still divided into two groups, one led by Union Minister of State for Agriculture, Food Processing and Parliamentary Affairs Harish Rawat and the other by Uttarakhand Congress chief Yashpal Arya .Both groups have their separate offices and run party programmes separately in the district.

“By showing a united face of the party, the BJP has started on a positive note,” said a senior party leader.

Bhimtal seat: Problem of plenty
The constituency is expected to witness a stiff multi-cornered battle with the political stakes being high
Rajeev Khanna
Tribune News Service

Nainital, December 27
If there is one seat that has turned out to offer the problem of plenty to the two main political parties, it is the newly created Assembly constituency of Bhimtal. Besides the constituency is expected to witness a stiff multi-cornered battle with the political stakes being high.

The two main political parties, the BJP and the Congress, have just too many contenders for getting the party ticket. Ironically, all of these aspirants of the party ticket have been working hard over the past two years in the area establishing contact with the people and projecting themselves as the official candidates of the respective parties.

The situation is worse in case of the Congress as several seasoned hands are vying for the ticket from this seat. To begin with is Ram Singh Kaira whose name has figured in almost all the major agitations against the government that have taken place over the past two years not only in this constituency but also in Haldwani and Nainital. The second main aspirant is Jaya Bisht who is making a claim as a woman contestant and is known to have had the support of both the top-level rivals in the party in the past, Narayan Dutt Tiwari and Harish Rawat. Then there is Harish Bisht who has the backing of the Nainital Lok Sabha member KC Singh Baba and who had in the past contested unsuccessfully with the support of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Sher Singh Naulia and Pushkar Mehra too have a stronghold in the local-level politics.

Sources within the party say that the dilemma is that once a candidate is announced there are high chances of others contesting as rebels or working against the official candidate.

In case of the BJP, although there are multiple claimants, the choice is learnt to have narrowed down to two persons. One is the Cabinet minister Gobind Singh Bisht and the other is senior leader Dan Singh Bhandari. Bisht’s constituency of Dhari is no longer in existence and the party has been mulling whether to make him contest from Lal Kuan or Bhimtal, the two constituencies where the areas of his previous constituency have been merged.

It is learnt that there is stiff opposition within the rank of the party of his being fielded from Lal Kuan and he himself has expressed the desire to contest from Bhimtal. Despite his shortcomings in terms of performance as a minister, his strong point has been his frequent visits and presence in his constituency over the past five years.

But Bhandari is also a heavyweight to whom the party would have given due weightage. His demonstrations from a non political platform in the recent past convey clearly that he has immense support at the grass-roots level while cutting across various sections of society.

Bhimtal is a seat that comprises only of remote hilly areas where development will be the key issue. It comprises of Ramgarh, Okhalkanda, Dhari and Bhimtal tehsils. The campaign and contest here would be worth watching. Local residents expect that money and muscle power of the builders who have descended upon this area in large numbers would be on display here.

Mohan Pal, who is the candidate of the BSP is also a strong contender on this seat and his victory would go a long way in helping his party find a foothold in the hilly terrain of the state.

The Samajwadi Party (SP), too, has fielded Virendra Ganai from this seat with the similar motive of finding a foothold in the hills of the state. 

Candidates, supporters make a beeline for BJP office
Neena Sharma
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, December 27
With more than three aspirants vying for the BJP ticket in all the 70 Assembly constituencies and several top leaders from the central team in Dehradun, the BJP office today was besieged with probable candidates accompanied by a large number of supporters displaying their strength in front of the party bigwigs.

General Secretary and Uttarakhand in-charge Thawar Chand Gehlot today had a tough time placating Malchand, an aspirant for the Purola Assembly seat. He came with a large number of supporters from Purola (Uttarkashi) and even threatened to stand up as an Independent if he was denied the ticket.

Malchand was brought back to the BJP fold by former Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and he had even promised to field him from Purola but now the party seems to be in favour of fielding sitting MLA Rajkumar from Sahaspur, who has been lobbying hard for the Purola Assembly seat, after his seat was made general.

No sooner had Malchand left, in walked sitting MLA from Sahaspur, who, too, met Gehlot and had a word with him.

If Malchand along with his supporters seemed in a rebellious mood, senior leader Mohan Singh Gaunwasi, too, met the senior leaders and affirmed his claim on the Srinagar Assembly seat. “ I am positive the party would okay my name. I did not stand in the last elections in the interest of the party but this time around I will try my luck once again,” he stressed.

Similarly, Jyoti Prasad Gairola and Lakhi Ram Joshi, both aspirants for the Tehri Assembly seat, too, held several rounds of talks with the BJP leadership. Both avoided each other and separately met BJP state chief BS Chufal and other top leaders.

Similarly, Ganesh Joshi, who is actively lobbying for the Mussoorie Assembly seat, has himself been in and out of the office since morning.

“We will send the panel with three names after the state-level meeting on December 30 in Dehradun. The final decision rests with the Central Parliamentary Board that would meet in Delhi,” said Chufal today.

There were also deliberations on fielding a strong candidate from the Gangotri Assembly seat and a senior party official was at pains to ask the supporters of Surat Ram Nautiyal, vice-chairman of the Char Dham Vikas Parishad, whether he could win. “Call it superstition but in the past, whichever party candidate won the seat, was sure to rule the state. The record has been maintained since 1962,” said a BJP leader. 

Ticket aspirants in Delhi
Rajeev Khanna
Tribune News Service

Nainital, December 27
With the announcement of the poll schedule for the state on Saturday, ticket aspirants, particularly from the two main parties, the BJP and the Congress, have been camping in the national capital while leaving their close associates to maintain a link with the electorate all this while.

While the state has been buzzing with election-related talk over the past three days, those who will be at the core of the battle have gone missing. Sources say that the heavyweights of both the parties are now in Delhi to ensure that they get the ticket.

According to information, some of the leaders are in the national capital with a large number of supporters and are trying to garner support from every corner while trying to convey the screening committees that they are the only right choice for the party in their respective constituencies.

The five Congress Lok Sabha members along with party heavyweights like former Cabinet minister Indira Hridayesh and state president Yash Pal Arya just made a beeline for the All-India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters after the rally addressed by party general secretary Rahul Gandhi concluded in Dehradun on December 23.

In case of the BJP, it is learnt that the residence of Rajya Sabha member Bhagat Singh Koshiyari has turned into a major camping ground for the ticket aspirants. Apart from other ticket seekers, state unit president Bishen Singh Chauphal and former Lok Sabha member Bacchi Singh Rawat are also camping in the national capital all this while.

Ironically, most of the BJP leadership chose the pretext of celebrating former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s birthday on December 25 to rush to Delhi. The pretext suited them the most as the elections were announced just on the afternoon of December 24.

On the other hand, parties like the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Samajwadi Party (SP) are busy with their poll campaign after having declared their candidates well in advance.

Chinks deepen in regional front
Seema Sharma
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, December 27
The cracks are deepening in the Uttarakhand United Regional Front (UURF) with its constituent parties coming in the open to denounce the main party, Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (P) and the defiant one, the CPI (ML), which has been expelled for announcing its five candidates without consulting the steering committee of the front. With the UKD (P) and the Uttarakhand Raksha Morcha (URM) indulging in recriminations, the matters are sliding from bad to worse. The forum meetings have been relegated to the one-to-one meetings.

The thread which seemed to be holding the forum in thin air is getting weak, as the mere assertion of the founding member parties, the UKD, URM, CPI and the CPM, that they still wanted the front to emerge as an alternative to the main parties, the BJP and the Congress, in the state has turned into a rhetoric only. They can’t even hold themselves together.

After the announcement of dates for the ensuing Assembly elections, these parties have become busy in intensifying their election programmes. The UKD just wrapped up its two-day meeting of its executive committee at Haldwani and the Uttarakhand Parivartan Party (UPP) is holding its convention at Rampur in another couple of days.

Trivender Singh Panwar, UKD (P) president, said he would announce his party’s stand on continuing with the UURF in another two days. Lt-Gen TPS Rawat (retd), president of the URM, too, reiterated the same. No one at the moment wants to take the blame of breaking apart the UURF. Implying to General Rawat of the URM, Panwar said he was shaking hands with the Congress and the BJP. He would make a last effort to salvage this sinking boat of the front, he said, adding that his party had enough mettle to challenge the BJP and the Congress on its own as well.

General Rawat denied any speculation regarding his getting cosy with the Congress and the BJP, saying that he could not afford to ditch his supporters at this crucial juncture by shifting to the Congress or the BJP camp. He castigated the UKD (P) for its overconfidence in asking for 40-plus seats.

Both the CPI (ML) and the UPP, too, have blamed the UKD (P) for not inviting them to the party meeting. President of the UPP PC Tiwari said they were overlooked and not informed about the meetings. The CPI state secretary, Samar Bhandari, said he was still hopeful of the sustenance of the UURF as none of the four founding constituent parties had announced their candidates till date. Vijay Rawat, state secretary, CPM, said the UKD (P) and the URM needed to be conversant with the reality and asked for the seats realistically without undermining the Left parties in the process.

The dismal picture about the survival of the UURF is expected to be clear in the next couple of days.

Dharna in Anna’s support
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, December 27
More than 12 social activists staged a day-long dharna in support of the agitation launched by Anna Hazare for a strong Lokpal Bill at Gandhi Chowk here today.

“We want the draft of the Lokpal Bill prepared by the Team Anna to be accepted in toto in Parliament. We will also participate in the ‘jail bharo’ agitation on a call given by Anna Hazare as everyone in the state is fed up with corruption prevalent in every sphere of life,” said Pushpa Upadhaya, president of the Pithoragarh Civil Society.

Raised slogans, the social activists appealed to the voters not to vote for corrupt leaders in the Assembly poll slated for January 30. 

Election machinery gets activated
Tribune News Service

Nainital, December 27
The election machinery has undertaken the exercise of holding meetings with the representatives of various political parties to explain the model code of conduct.

Particular emphasis is being laid on the issues pertaining to the monitoring of poll expenditure and paid news. In addition to this, emphasis is being laid on maintaining communal amity particularly in communally sensitive areas like Rudrapur and Lal Kuan that have seen attempts to disturb the peace in the recent past.

Various District Election Officers (DEOs) in their meetings with the representatives of the different political parties have underlined that offering of cash, liquor and any other item for the satisfaction of a voter during the electoral process falls in the category of bribe and is a punishable offence. They have conveyed that special police flying squads would be constituted to check this practice. The political parties have also been told to keep details of the source of the cash being carried during the campaign and its end use.

At the same time the representatives of various parties and individuals interested in contesting the poll have been told that they would not use the premises of any religious place for election purposes.

The administration has made it clear that the violation of the model code of conduct would not be tolerated. The political parties have been asked to desist from acts that may lead to tension between various social groups and communities. During the campaign, the contestants can only criticise the programmes and policies of their rivals and would not make any personal attacks while keeping a watch on the language being used by them. In addition to this, the contestants will not try to threaten the voters either in a veiled or in an open manner to vote in their favour.

The political parties have been asked to submit the plan of their proposed public programmes like political rallies and processions well in advance so that the Police can make arrangements for managing the traffic and maintain law and order in the respective areas.

The DEOs have designated the nodal officers for carrying out various election related tasks over the next few weeks till the polling is carried out in the state. 

BJP to play up corruption issue
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, December 27
BJP general secretary and state in charge of the party affairs Thawar Chand Gehlot said today that the issue of corruption at the Centre and development activities initiated by the BJP government in the state would be exploited by the party in the Assembly elections.

At a media briefing today, Gehlot claimed that a strong wind was blowing in favour of the BJP in Uttarakhand and the party would storm back to power in the state by raising the issue of corruption at the Centre and development activities initiated by the BJP government in the state.

He further said the final list of the candidates for the Assembly elections would be released in the first week of January.

“The BJP government has managed to spread the network of roads in the state. We were praised for the successful conduct of the Mahakumbh Mela and the government has done everything to strengthen the cultural roots of the state,” claimed Gehlot.

He also lashed out at the Congress for raking up the issue of poor money spending on national programmes. 

People’s Forum starts dharna
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, December 27
Members of People’s Forum today started a three-day dharna in protest against the delay in the passing of the Lokpal Bill in Parliament.

Its member Jagmohan Mehndiratta said the Central Government and other political parties were ditching the public by delaying the passing of a strong Lokpal Bill in Parliament. He said the state government had taken no action against the scams exposed in the CAG report and the public, too, had not forgotten the Kumbh Mela, Sturdia, SAF Winter Games, Relief Work and hydroelectric project distribution scams.

He has urged the political parties not to field tainted politicians in the elections. This way they could show their allegiance to the people’s movement against corruption, he said.

The others who were present included Mohan Negi, Anil Bisht, Rakesh Pant and Samar Bhandari. The members also began a chain fast today. Jagdish Malhotra, Harish Narang and Madhu joined the others in today’s fast. People also came forward to fill out their registration forms to participate in the ‘jail bharo’ movement to be held on December 30 and 31 on a call given by Anna Hazare.

Mehndiratta said 600 people in Dehradun and 2,000 from all over the state had given them their consent to join in the movement and the number was expected to rise in the next two days. 

SSP holds meeting
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, December 27
At a meeting held by Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Dehradun, GN Gowami, with all Station House Officers and other police officials in his office today, he directed them to begin all the necessary preparations in the wake of he forthcoming Assembly polls. He said the entire district had 10 Assembly constituencies and one to two constituencies fell in each police station. He asked the officers to visit the constituency areas and voting booths. The list regarding voting centers/booths would be issued to the SHOs later on, he said.

Goswami directed the officials to take some concrete action so that the election could be held in a peaceful atmosphere. “The various police stations should exchange information regarding elections, identify complainants and culprits, check the activity of history-sheeters, ensure arrest of those who are wanted in prolonged cases of physical violence, etc,” the SSP pointed. 

RSS to the fore
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, December 27
With it’s sights set on the forthcoming Assembly elections, the BJP has begun full-scale preparations for winning over the electorate with the help of a strong band of RSS election in charge in 35 Assembly seats.

For the last 10 months these workers were entrusted with the responsibility of creating a wave for the BJP and warning the party about the loopholes, so that remedial steps would be taken.

“After working day and night for the party, these workers would work in Assembly seats already with the BJP and would be working shoulder to shoulder with the sitting MLAs in these constituencies. Today they were felicitated by the party for working in the villages for the last 10 months,” said Saudan Singh, national general secretary.

In fact it is this band of dedicated RSS workers who are credited with making the voters familiar with the policies of the BJP and was the link between the party and voters.

Cong woos ex-servicemen
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, December 27
Former state minister and Congress leader Hira Singh Bisht has assured to work for the welfare of ex-servicemen if the Congress is voted to power in Uttarakhand in the state Assembly elections.

Addressing a convention of the Uttarakhand Poorva Sainik Evam Ardh Sainik Sangathan here, Bisht said the Congress was committed to the welfare of ex-servicemen in the state. He accused the state government of having failed to redress the problems of ex-servicemen.

The president of the sangathan, Col Ganga Singh Rawat (retd), alleged that Uttarakhand Poorva Sainik Nigam Limited was resorting to back door entry of civilians.

ICFRE bags prestigious Rs 14-cr consultancy from Karnataka
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, December 27
The Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), Dehradun, has bagged the Rs 14-crore consultancy from Karnataka with the state requesting the ICFRE to prepare the reclamation and rehabilitation plans of mine-affected three districts of Bellary, Chitradurga and Tumkur.

This comes as a follow-up of the Supreme Court ordering the state of Karnataka to submit a reclamation and rehabilitation plan for the areas affected by mining activities in Bellary, Chitradurga and Tumkur districts, keeping in view the expertise developed by the ICFRE in environment impact assessment studies.

According to Director General, ICFRE, V.K. Bahuguna, the new consultancy will open new vistas in the use of science and research in checking environmental degradation in the country and also for suggesting effective rehabilitation measures so that ecosystem services are restored in society.

“This is for the first time that the ICFRE has obtained such a big consultancy and it is a reflection on its growing importance being recognised by the state government,” he observed. 

Singer Negi to aid morcha’s campaign
Sandeep Rawat
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, December 27
The Uttarakhand Raksha Morcha (URM) will started its election campaign in Haridwar from tomorrow by holding public meetings.

Legendary folk singer Narendra Singh Negi will be sharing the dais with the core team members of the morcha, including Lt-Gen Tej Pal Singh Rawat (retd), former revenue commissioner Surendra Singh Pangti, forme election commissioner BC Chandola, former revenue commissioner YS Rawat, eminent scientist DP Juyal and Brigadier SS Patwal (retd).

According to the schedule, the meetings will take place at Bahadrabad and the New Sabzi Mandi intersection.

The URM has decided to field its candidates in six Assembly seats in the district.

While talking to The Tribune, morcha secretary Mohan Singh Rawat, who has been made the coordinator of the election campaign, said the party would register its presence in Haridwar with a bang.

The party has finalised the names of its candidates, who will be officially presented before the public at the election meeting tomorrow.

Notably, the last meeting, which was held at Bahadrabad on November 20, was a huge success while a major procession that was taken out in Haridwar in support of Anna Hazare’s Jan Lokpal agitation on August 27 from Jwalapur to Haridwar city, was one of the biggest processions in the district in recent times.

Present Chief Minister BC Khanduri, who then was on the verge of exiting the BJP, also took part in the procession. A fortnight later he was made the Chief Minister by the party high command.

Though the morcha leaders refrained from speaking about the impact of Khanduri now being at the helm of affairs in BJP, on public support, they accepted that had he kept his word they would surely have changed the destiny of this state.

57 doctors promoted
Tribune New Service

Dehradun, December 27
The Uttarakhand Government has issued an order promoting a total of 57 doctors in different positions in the state.

The promotions include at the level of joint doctors, senior medical officers and additional directors.

Dr Usha Bhatt, Dr Sushma Gupta, Dr Anil Chander Shah, Dr SD Uniyal and Dr Prem Lal have now been made additional directors.

These doctors would be entitled to a grade pay of Rs 200. Dr Tripti Bahuguna (Specialist) has been made joint director.

These doctors were earlier absorbed in the Uttarakhand cadre. A decision was taken in the December Cabinet meeting. Out of these 21 doctors are those who are had opted for the hill cadre in 1995.