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Norms for honorarium to jobless youths relaxed
Striking staff flay govt for no-work no-pay rule
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Permanent Residentship
Tribune Impact
Denied meeting with Poornanand in jail
BJP leaders meet Kunjwal over house row
No need to visit tehsil office for pension: DM
Road to China border to take 4 more years
Social bodies to start Mahakumbh
yatra from January 17
Social activist donates blood in Delhi rape victim’s memory
PAC platoon to help curb poaching
Additional charge for secretaries
Committee to review ICFRE functioning
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Norms for honorarium to jobless youths relaxed
Dehradun, January 3 “The Uttarakhand Cabinet has approved the relaxation in the eligibility norms for the disbursement of honorarium such as raising the limit of annual income of the family from Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 2.50 lakh, qualification at the time of registration with the unemployment exchange would be taken into consideration instead of the last qualification and removing restriction on the number of unemployed persons of a family persons who could apply for the honorarium. Earlier only one member of a family could apply,” said Chief Secretary Alok Kumar Jain while briefing mediapersons. The government decided to enforce the provision of no work no pay strictly in view of strikes launched by the employees from time to time. “It has been decided to reinforce the principle of no work no pay forcefully as frequent strikes by employees are impacting development works in the state,” he said. “The Cabinet also approved the preparation of draft rules for the Right to Information Act in the state,” said Jain. It is a belated move that has come seven years after the enforcement of the RTI Act in the state. To tide over the shortage of teachers being experienced in medical colleges in the state, the Cabinet decided to raise the retirement age of contractual medical teachers to 70 years. “While the retirement age of government medical teachers will continue to be 65 years, it has been raised for those working on a contract basis,” said Jain. In a turn around, the Cabinet decided to keep in abeyance the Beach Camping Policy that was approved in August, 2012, as it felt a need to undertake a study of the policies in operation in Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and other states that have fast flowing rivers. The Cabinet also announced one-time exemption of Rs 45.90 lakh nazrana in lieu of 546 sq m of lease land in Khatima in Udham Singh Nagar to Shoban Singh, who was handicapped in Jammu and Kashmir during the 1948 war with Pakistan.
Cabinet decisions
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Striking staff flay govt for no-work no-pay rule
Dehradun, January 3 The striking employees said they were aware of the problems being faced by the people due to the strike. “It is the government that has forced us to strike work and it has not been sympathetic towards our demands,” said TS Pundir, president of the Uttaranchal Federation of Ministerial Services Association, Uttarakhand. The association is demanding the implementation of their three-point charter of demands. The demands comprise revision of salaries of ministerial employees on the lines of Uttar Pradesh, restructuring of the ministerial cadre and removal of the typing error in the service rules. Meanwhile, the work at all offices remained paralysed due to the strike today as well. |
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Permanent Residentship
Dehradun January 3 Jugran was of the opinion that the judgment violated the Presidential Order which considered January 26, 1950, as the cut-off date for entitlement of permanent residence. He said, "According to Presidential Order, those who lived in whichever part of the country on January 26, 1950, when the Constitution of the country was framed, would be admitted as the permanent residents of those specific parts/states of the country. The Single Bench ignored this vital information. With this, the Bench also tampered with the jurisdiction of legislature. It also did not hear all the affected parties as well." He was of the opinion that the High Court alluded to the Representation of Peoples Act while passing the judgment in the matter which was altogether a different matter in different context. Merely voting rights did not entitle anyone to become a permanent resident of that state, he said. He said the decision given by the High Court would directly affect the Land Bill whereby the state government had imposed restrictions on those living outside the state over buying land not more than 250 sq feet. |
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Tribune Impact
Mussoorie, January 3 Speaking to mediapersons at a meeting with various government officials at his residence here today, Joshi said he had send the proposal of constructing the storage capacity at Kandi Ghat along with the water pumping unit to the government. He also informed the media that he had met the Drinking Water and Irrigation Minister in this regard and apprised him of the chronic water problem being faced by the town folk. He said the proposed drinking water project from the Yamuna estimated at around Rs 182 lakh had increased manifold and was not financially feasible. Therefore, as an alternate arrangement, the Kandighat project should be considered on priority. Joshi also took stock of development projects in presence of officials of different departments. Concerned at the housing problem in the town, he directed the officials to look into all avenues for creating new housing scheme. MC president OP Uniyal suggested that he was ready to give council land provided the Mussoorie-Dehradun Development Authority was prepared to take up the housing project. A joint inspection was also held in which several areas owned by the council such as Barah Kainchi in Kulri Bazaar, Bakery Hill etc, were looked into for the construction of housing project for lower and middle-income group. Joshi also informed the media that he had sanctioned the development of two trekking routes, one from Happy Valley to Kempty and the other from Clod end resort to the Bhadraj temple amounting to Rs 3 crore. He also said the proposal of upgrading the government school at Buraskhanda had also been sanctioned. He also assured that upgrading of the Allopathic Hospital at Sarona would also be done soon. He said the survey for the dilapidated buildings around 600 in numbers had been completed and the permission for their reconstruction would be given soon by the MDDA. He also directed the PWD and Peyjal Nigam officials to speed up development projects in Mussoorie. |
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238 join state police
Haridwar, January 3 IG, Vigilance, Ram Singh Meena, who was the chief guest of the function, administered the oath to all the recruits, who were seen brimming with confidence and enthusiasm. Meena said efforts were on to make the Uttarakhand police one of the best police forces in the country. He added that soon the police would be equipped with latest gadgets to make it an effective force. The IG said as the state is home to many shrines and tourist places special emphasis was being given to making the police more people friendly. It was also being trained for handling fairs like Mahakumbh and Kanwar mela. SSP, Haridwar, Arun Mohan Joshi said the police had made a mark during the 12 years of the creation of the state. Parents, relatives and friends of the newly inducted police personnel were also present at the function. |
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Denied meeting with Poornanand in jail
Haridwar, January 3 While talking to the TNS, chief of the Matra Sadan ashram at Jagjeeptur Swami Shivanand said Haridwar District Magistrate Sachin Kurwe and Medical Superintendent of jail SN Thedani were not allowing any ashram saints to meet the agitating saint Poornanand Saraswati, who is in judicial custody at the Roshanabad prison. Shivanand said despite orders from the court, the administration was not allowing them to meet the saint. Brahamchari Dayanand was forced to leave the prison’s waiting room without being allowed to meet Poornanand Saraswati. “We are going to the ACJM court to file the suit against these two officials. If required, we will also move the apex court to bring to notice the contempt being done by the officials concerned in this matter,” said Shivanand. The saint also alleged mental and physical torture by jail police personnel on Poornanand Saraswati. “Poornanand is a saint who is being treated like hardcore criminals. He is not being allowed to even have religious books for reading while he is being given wounds in the name of medical injections,” said Brahamchari Dayanand, who was send back when he reached the prison to meet the agitating saint. Matra Sadan also cornered Union Minister for Water Resources Harish Rawat for not being sensitive towards cause of the Ganga. Allegations were made on Rawat, who is an MLA from Haridwar, for having illegal liaisons with a section of quarrying mafia. “He visits his constituency on regular basis but does not have time for talks with the Matra Sadan agitators, who are agitating for the cause of the Ganga. What kind of Water Resource management he will do when he does not even have time to meet the agitators who are trying to save the Gange from the ill effects of quarrying, pollution and urbanization?” said Swami Shivanand.
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BJP leaders meet Kunjwal over house row
Dehradun, January 3 The delegation comprising leader of the Opposition Ajay Bhatt, senior BJP leader Prakash Pant, BJP spokesperson Mukesh Mahindra and organising secretary Dr Dhan Singh Rawat met Kunjwal and urged him to resolve the issue so that the R-2 house now occupied by Cabinet Minister Harak Singh Rawat be allotted to Ajay Bhatt. “The R-2 house continues to be occupied by Harak Singh Rawat, who had first shifted to the house as the leader of the Opposition. The house is the property of the Assembly and a total of Rs 14 lakh have already been spent on the maintenance of the house, said Prakash Pant. Govind Singh Kunjwal assured the delegation that the matter would be resolved to the satisfaction of both parties.
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No need to visit tehsil office for pension: DM
Dehradun January 3 Purushottam directed all Sub-Divisional Magistrates and Block Development Officers to follow his instructions in this regard. He told them that, according to his instructions, they should take the contact number of the beneficiaries so that the information related to the release of pension could be provided to them on their phones. He would review pension related cases every day. District Social Welfare Officer Ram Avtar Singh informed the DM that 41,266 beneficiaries were availing of old-age pension, 12,697 widow pension and 8,029 handicap pension. — TNS
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Road to China border to take 4 more years
Pithoragarh, January 3 “The construction work on this strategically vital road started in 2008 and was slated to be over in 2012. However, it could only be constructed up to 25 km at the higher portion of alignment till date. The remaining 50 km to be constructed at the lower portion of hills could only be completed up to 2 km due to difficulties in cutting hard rocks on the stretch,” said P. Mohanti, an engineer involved in the construction of the road. Mohanti said, “More than 100 labourers, besides machines for road cutting were being used in the construction work. Fuel for these machines is being supplied regularly through Army helicopters as the work is going on at full speed. “We can carry out construction of roads only in a few months as snowfall and rain hinder the work in this border area,” he added. “Once this road is completed, not only people from border areas will have a regular link with their villages, but also the Mansarowar pilgrims will be benefited as the eight-day time required for the yatra will be reduced to two days,” he said. |
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Eco-Task Force chief meets Bahuguna
Dehradun, January 3 Col. Rana said 500 ex-servicemen had been employed in the Eco-Task Force in the state. Chief Minister Bahuguna said he would hold a meeting with the officials of the Sainik Welfare Department and look into the matter. Commandant of the Shastra Seema Bal (SSB) Anand Singh and IG Shayam singh Shekawat also called upon the Chief Minister Bahuguna today. SSB officials urged the Chief Minister to allocate land for a centre at Sitarganj. Chief Minister assured them action in this regard. |
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Social bodies to start Mahakumbh
yatra from January 17
Dehradun, January 3 Addressing a press conference here today, Hemant Dhyani of the Ganga Ahvaan, one of the participating organisations, said the volunteers, prominently from Bhuma Niketan, Matra Sadan, Mandakni Bachao Dal, Ma Dhari Devi Sangharsh Samiti and Prakriti Paryavaran Sansthan, will be taking part in the yatra, which was aimed at senistising society about the rising pollution and destruction of the Ganga, which is considered as a holy river in the country. Dhyani also held that while pollution was destroying the Ganga, even the hydropower projects were proving detrimental to the course of the Ganga in the Garhwal hills. He said destruction of the Ganga in the name of development would no more be tolerated. Swami Achyutanand from the Bhuma Niketan, who is also the chief patron of the yatra, said development at the cost of destruction of the Ganga was unacceptable. He said they would be sensitising the pilgrims arriving at Mahakumbh, Allahabad, about the growing pollution and the destruction of the river, which symbolises traditions, value and ethos of the country. He also appealed to the people to participate in the yatra. |
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Social activist donates blood in Delhi rape victim’s memory
Haridwar, January 3 In Haridwar, a social activist donated blood in remembrance of the deceased girl. Shamsher Bahadur, who regularly donates blood, urged people to follow suit as mere lighting of candles and deep daan won't do much. While donating blood, Shamsher Bahadur said he was quite perturbed by the rape incident and when he sees his 12-year daughter, he felt the threat. “For almost a fortnight, we (public) have been on roads but no stern action has been taken from the government side. The government is seeking time but I think we can contribute more constructively for Damini. So the idea of starting blood donation in memory of the victim seemed more constructive,” said Shamsher. Shamsher Bahadur has also made a football team of young school players who are devoid of good coaching and other facilities owing to their poor background. Named as Haridwar Challengers, Shamsher arranges for playing equipment and first-aid box for the young players. Blood bank in charge MM Khan appreciated the initiative of Shamsher, adding that if every second protester on the street donated blood, then it would help in saving the life of many a people. Khan gave a special certificate to Shamsher, who motivated many people to donate blood. |
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PAC platoon to help curb poaching
Pithoragarh, January 3 According to administration sources, as the responsibility lies with the Forest Department to curb the poaching of these rare Himalayan animals, the administration has extended a helping hand as the Forest Department remained unsuccessful in curbing the poaching. The PAC platoon will work in cooperation with revenue workers of the area and take combing operations at the corridor from where the Himalayan animals like snow leopards, musk deer, munal pheasants and black beer come down to take shelter at lower valleys,” said Daya Krishna, station officer of the Munsiyari police, who has been made in-charge of the newly deputed PAC platoon.
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Additional charge for secretaries
Dehradun, January 3 Additional Secretary, Medical Health and Family Welfare, Director, NRHM, Piyush Singh has been given additional charge of Planning. Additional Secretary, Information Technology, Food and Supply, and Director, ITDA, Ravinath Raman has been given additional charge of Medical Education. Leave has also been sanctioned to the Secretary and Commissioner, Reconstruction, Milk Development, Programme Implementation, Director School Education, Project Director, National Middle School Education, Panchayati Raj, RK Sudhanshu from January 2, to January 20. In his absence, his departments will be looked after by Additional Secretary PS Jangpangi in addition to his own.
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Committee to review ICFRE functioning
Dehradun, January 3 Dr PL Gautam, ex-chairperson, Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Right Authority, New Delhi, has been nominated as the chairman of the committee. The former Madhya Pradesh Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Dr Ram Prasad, and the former Haryana Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Dr JK Rawat have been nominated as members of the committee. The committee will be facilitated by the secretary, ICFRE. The committee aims at reviewing the functioning of the ICFRE with reference to processes and systems for achievement of the mandate and assess its strengths and weaknesses and suggest measures to strengthen and revamp it. Director General, ICFRE, Dr VK Bahuguna, has been demanding for a committee ever since he took charge in the
ICFRE.
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Dehradun, January 3
The striking ministerial employees today criticised the government for adopting highhanded tactics by reiterating its commitment to enforce the no work no pay rule.
