Centre to safeguard SC quota in promotions
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, July 26
Raju Parmar, a member of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, today said the Central government was contemplating to introduce an amendment to law to safeguard reservation in promotions for the Scheduled Castes (SC) and the Scheduled Tribes (ST). The Supreme Court had recently quashed quota in promotions.

While interacting with mediapersons, Parmar said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had conveyed the government view to a delegation of the national forum of MPs belonging to the SC category that met him in Delhi seeking the government intervention in the matter. “We were assured by the Prime Minister of prompt action in the matter. The Central government has also brought a similar amendment in wake of the Indira Sawhney case ruling,” said Parmar, who was in Dehradun to review the schemes underway for the welfare of the members of the SC community.

Parmar also suggested that a separate Finance Development Corporation be set up for the members of the SC and ST communities. “A separate Finance Development Corporation will be able to cater exclusively to the needs of the SC and ST communities,” he said.

In Uttarakhand the Finance Development Corporation is for the SC, ST and members of the minority communities.

Besides, Parmar asked the officials of the corporation to enhance subsidy under the self-employment schemes for the SC and ST communities.

“As of now, the members of the SC and ST communities can avail of a loan of Rs 10,000, which is insufficient. The subsidy should be raised to Rs 25,000,” he said.

He also called for filling of vacant posts in the corporation so that it could function properly.

At a meeting with officials of insurance companies and banks, Parmar urged them to give necessary concessions to the members of the SC community so that they could start small businesses.

He also urged them to ensure 100 per cent spending under the Central schemes for the SC and ST communities. “In the last few years, the government has failed to spend the central allocation and the funds have lapsed,” he said.

 Mapping of villages completed: Chief Secy
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, July 26
Chief Secretary Alok Kumar Jain said 100 per cent mapping of villages had been completed for financial inclusion and clusters constituted for deputation of business correspondence (BC) in the state.

Chief Secretary Alok Kumar Jain meets senior officials of the State Bank of India in Dehradun on Thursday.

He said the extension of banking service would result in employment generation and enhance self-employment opportunities.

Jain, during his meeting with Deputy Managing Director of the State Bank of India B Sriram at Secretariat here today, said the extension of banking service would also increase credit-debit ratio in the state. He said the state would be a role model in financial inclusion and after the BCs were deputed, the national BCs would maintain coordination with them and carryout banking activities.

“Beside fixed honorarium, BCs will be paid incentives also,” he said while adding that the villager would not have to go to banks but banks would come to them through BCs.

The Chief Secretary said there were 9,000 government ration shops and 15,000 revenue villages in the state. He revealed that the decision had been taken to computerise all ration shops and ration cards would be prepared in the form of smart cards.

“Banks can directly open the accounts of ration cardholders with coordination of the Food Department,” he said. Jain said efforts were on to provide connectivity in rural areas with the help.

Also present on the occasion were GM SBI Sunil Srivastava, DGM Diwakar Bhatt and Advisor, Banking, Vinod Pandey.

 Satpal for review of SC order on tourism
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, July 26
In the backdrop of the Supreme Court's order to ban tourism in the core areas of tiger reserves, Uttarakhand Garhwal MP Satpal Maharaj today said the people's point of view must also be put before the court.

In a statement issued today, Satpal Maharaj said Uttarakhand earned major revenue through tourism in Corbett and the livelihood of a large number of the people was directly dependent on it. He said a large number of people came to Corbett for a view of the region's wildlife.

Satpal Maharaj said he along with Ramnagar MLA Amrita Rawat would be meeting Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna and appeal to him to put people's view before the court.

 4 ABVP, 2 NSUI activists arrested
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, July 26
Four members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), Ashish Bahuguna, Anil, Amit Kumar and Mohit Sharma, were arrested by the city police today. They were booked under Section 307 (Attempt to murder). The members were arrested on the complaint made by members of the

Two NSUI members, Abhishek and Rashid, too, were arrested for assaulting ABVP members on July 16.

President of ABVP Ashish Rawat said the police was arresting ABVP members one after the other, but it was not arresting the accused members of the NSUI, who stabbed one of their members and injured another seriously when they were released on bail on July 18.

He said the state government had built up pressure on the police. He said if the convicts were not arrested soon, then they would come on roads and launch an agitation.

 R-Day preparations in Doon

Dehradun, July 26
District Magistrate Ravinath Raman briefed officials and social workers about the preparations to be made for the celebration of the 65th anniversary of Independence Day on August 15.

He said adequate security arrangements would be made for the event. He said the children of various schools would hold prabhat pheris at 7 in the morning, which would culminate at Gandhi Park. Besides this, a cross-country race would also be organised from Astely Hall to Dilaram Bazar, which would be escorted by an ambulance. The winners would be awarded by the Sports Minister.

Nehru Ward of old jail would be kept open for public from 10 in the morning to 5 in the evening. A poetry session would be organised by the Culture Department in the evening. All historical and government buildings would be decorated with lights on the occasion. Saplings provided by the Horticulture Department would be planted on the day. — TNS

 Bahuguna for Tehri development authority
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, July 26
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna has directed PWD officers to increase the number of divisions under the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) from 17 to 30, constitute a Tehri development authority and provide international standard tourism facilities near the Tehri lake.

He also instructed them to ensure the completion of roads on priority which had been constructed more than 50 per cent.

Bahuguna was reviewing the working of the Public Works Department at the Secretariat here today. Directing the officers to add more divisions under the PMGSY, the Chief Minister also instructed them to depute officers and engineers from the PWD, the Irrigation Department and the Rural Engineering Services on deputation to these 13 additional divisions 
for five years.

However, he said their transfer would be effected only after obtaining approval from him.

Expressing dissatisfaction with the progress of works under the PMGSY, Bahuguna said more than 4,000 villages were yet to be connected with the roads. He said Rs 2,760 crore was to be spent in the coming three years on the road infrastructure.

He also suggested the officers to take the help from the Central agencies and directed them to form state and district-level master plan and core network for the PMGSY.

Bahuguna directed the officers to constitute a Tehri development authority in view of the tourism potential of the Tehri lake, prepare a proposal to develop air connectivity at Chinyalisound and connect it with Tehri.

He also asked them to look for the possibility of constructing a ring road in Tehri. When PWD officers pointed towards shortage of funds for repairing of roads, Bahuguna instructed them to include the repairing amount at the time of proposal. He asked them to hold meeting with the officers of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO).

Bahuguna, laying emphasis on the road connectivity between East-West regions of the state, instructed the officers to maintain regional balance. He said the repairing work of roads should begin as soon as monsoon came to an end.

The Chief Minister, reviewing the forest clearance for construction of roads, said 75 per cent of the cases were pending at the state level only. He asked the District Magistrate to hold a monthly review meeting with the District Forest Officer to resolve the issue, submit report to the government for evaluation by the Chief Secretary. He directed them to make arrangement for evaluation by outer agencies to ensure quality of roads.

The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Alok Kumar Jain, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister DK Kotia, Principal Secretary, PWD, S Raju, Secretary, Finance, Radha Raturi, Additional Secretary, PWD, Amit Negi, Additional Secretary to Chief Minister, Dilip Jawalkar, Nidhi Pandey and other senior officers of the PWD department. 

 CM announces 3 flyovers for Doon
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, July 26
Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna today announced the construction of flyovers at three places in Dehradun. He also expressed dissatisfaction with the slow pace of development works and directed officials of the Public Works Department (PWD) to speed up work on 901 roads in the state.

The Chief Minister said at the first review meeting of the department that his government was giving priority to the construction of roads. “We have accorded importance to the improvement of infrastructure in the state, but this can only be possible if pending works on roads are completed,” he said.

Of the 901 roads that are still under construction, 88 roads are being built under the Central government schemes.

In the 2012-2013 budget, Rs 1,170 crore was made available for the construction of roads and bridges.

The Chief Minister also directed the officials to prepare detailed project reports in time. Chief Secretary Alok Jain had asked the departments to prepare reports on 12 points on the basis of which the departments would be evaluated. These points include flagship programmes, use of information technology and e-governance and third party inspection. 

 Delegation from Missouri varsity visits IIP
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, July 26
A delegation from the University of Missouri, Columbia, USA, visited the Indian Institute of Petroleum (IIP), Dehradun, today. The team is headed by Prof Robert Duncan and has Prof Annette Sobel, Dr Kattesh V Katti and Dr Shibu Jose as its members.

Director, IIP, Dr MO Garg, gave a warm welcome to the guests and talked about current research areas in the IIP along with technologies developed at the institute in particular. He also laid emphasises on the importance of such collaborations.

Head, biofuels division, IIP, Dr DK Adhikari, highlighted the biofuel programme at the IIP and explored the future research collaborations in this area.

The two sides exchanged views on the prevailing complex energy security situation and underlined the need to actively pursue research in advanced biofuels via bilateral cooperation.

 MLA blames BJP for removing chapter on Sridev Suman
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, July 26
Expressing concern over the removal of a chapter on the Tehri uprising- Martyr Sridev Suman, from the state text books, Congress MLA from Narendra Nagar (Tehri) Subodh Uniyal has assured to probe into the matter and initiate action against those responsible for the act.

Addressing a programme organised by the Nav Prajamandal, an organisation dedicated to Sridev Suman at the Tehri Hydro Development Corporation (THDC) colony here today, Uniyal blamed the earlier BJP government for removal of the chapter on Suman from textbooks. “The BJP must have done that for political reasons,” he said.

Uniyal gave an assurance that he would hold talks with the Chief Minister regarding the installation of the statue of Sridev Suman at the THDC colony, Dehradun. He reiterated his commitment to work for providing social and cultural identity to the Tehri residents. Freedom fighter and MP Paripurnand Painuily said the economic independence needed to be realised.

Uttarakhand Janmanch general secretary Rajan Todaria alleged that the BJP, as a part of a conspiracy, has always tried to belittle the sacrifice of Sridev Suman. He asserted that the BJP renamed the Badshahi Thol campus of HNB Garhwal University in memory of Deen Dayal Updhyaya, who kept little connection with Uttarakhand. He said the campus could have been named after Sridev Suman. 

 3 die due to heavy rain in Pithoragarh, Bageshwar 
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, July 26
Three persons, including an SSB jawan who was on patrolling duty at the Indo-Nepal border, died and 4 others injured in Pithoragarh and Bageshwar districts last night in rain-related incidents as heavy showers lashed the border areas of both the districts, causing concern amongst of the district administrations. “The heavy rains in the Sharda basin raised the water level of the river in the Banabasa barrage in Champawat district,” said a district administration officer at Champawat.

According to information, SSB jawan Arjun Oli was found dead in a ditch where he was buried under heavy debris at Malpa, 56 km from Dharchula, last night. The SSB team was on patrolling duty at the border when the landslide came suddenly on them, said the district disaster management officer in the district. "The rest of the jawans injured badly were admitted to district hospital, Pithoragarh,” said the source.

According to information received from Bageshwar district, Harish Chandra (35), who had reached the river Saryu with a body for cremation last night, was swept away by the strong flow of the rain-swollen river when he was trying to cross the river. The body of Harish Chandra was later recovered with the help of fire brigade personnel.

The information from Bageshwar district said that a 12-year-old youth, Umesh Singh, was swept away by a rivulet at Liti village of Kapkot subdivision of the district. “The body of the youth was later recovered from a nullah,” said Ghanshyam Joshi, a villager of Liti village of Bageshwar district.

 Freedom fighters Dev Suman, Capt Laxmi Sehgal remembered
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, July 26
Floral tributes were paid to freedom fighter Shri Dev Suman and Captain Laxmi Sehgal by activists of the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (Progressive) at their camp office. UKD-P activists said both freedom fighters encouraged hilly people and women to openly come out against the Britishers.

Youth Wing chief Lalit Mamgain said Shri Dev Suman was born at Jalgaon village in Tehri Garhwal on May 25, 1916, who joined the independence movement at an early age, getting inspired from Mahatma Gandhi.

Mamgain said Shri Dev Suman formed the Gad Desh Sewa paving way for the independence movement in Garhwal.

While Uday Ram Semwal, central general secretary of labour cell, said Shri Dev Suman fought against Tehri rulers that paved way for a democratic Tehri.

Semwal added that for 85 days, Shri Dev Suman went on for fast at Chamba prison till his death on July 25,1944.

Azad Hind Fauj women wing Captain Laxmi Swaminathan Sehgal was also paid tributes with activists offering flowers on her portrait.

Laxmi Sehgal’s contribution as warrior against British forces, working as a social activist with war refugees and for affected people of the Bhopal gas tragedy was highlighted.

A silent prayer was also held on the occasion in remembrance of the freedom fighters.

 Statewide agitation today
Tribune News Service

Dehradun. July 26
Favouring implementation of the High Court ruling quashing quota in promotions, a statewide agitation would be held tomorrow under the aegis of Uttarakhand Adhikari Karmachari Shikshak Sangharsh Morcha.

The government employees supporting the High Court ruling will go on casual leave tomorrow and participate in the statewide rally. “We will be starting our rally from Gandhi Park in the morning and then move on to the secretariat, where a memorandum would be submitted to the Chief Minister,” said Subash Ghildiyal, spokesperson of the morcha.

Similar rallies would be held at the district level in support of the High Court ruling. 

 BSP workers burn effigy of SP
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, July 26
The district unit of the BSP burnt the effigy of the Samajwadi Party (SP) at Tehsil Chowk in the city today to protest against damaging the statue of Mayawati in Ambedkar Park, Lucknow.

Former state president Surajmal said, “SP leaders had tried to kill Mayawati in a guest house in Uttar Pradesh on June 2, 1995. They could not become successful in that, hence they took out revenge on Mayawati’s statue and also showed their intentions about her.”

He said goons of the SP were terrorising BSP leaders and activists in UP.