Teerath, Trivender withdraw nominations
Central leadership to decide on state BJP party chief
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 20
With a terse message coming from the Central leadership, the two candidates, Teerarth Singh Rawat and Trivender Singh Rawat, today withdrew their nominations, resulting in the cancellation of the election process and setting the stage for the Central BJP leadership to nominate the leader of their choice for the post of the Uttarakhand BJP president in the coming days.

"Both the leaders have withdrawn their nominations on their own, and now the Central leadership will announce the name for the post of the Uttarakhand BJP president," said Kedar Joshi, BJP state election in charge.

In the political see-saw battle, Bhagat Singh Koshiyari is believed to be the choice of the Central leadership, and he had even bought a set of nomination papers with the hope of filing his nominations on January 19. But he was forced to retreat his steps after Teerath Singh Rawat, who had the support of former chief minister BC Khanduri, former Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and other BJP leaders, filed his nomination papers. Later, he brought his supporter Trivender Singh Rawat in the fray.

With none of the candidates willing to withdraw their nominations, the Central observer, Vijay Goyal, was forced to seek advise from New Delhi. Party leaders say the BJP leadership has always elected it's leaders unanimously but in Uttarakhand the Central leader Goyal found himself in a piquant situation as a consensus eluded him. "There has never been a tradition of holding election for the post of the president through voting. It would have left bad blood if the election was held. After all, both the leaders belong to one party," said a senior BJP leader.

A section of the BJP leaders are of the view that Teerath Singh Rawat withdrew his nominations after the Central leadership assured former Chief Minister BC Khanduri and other leaders of not foisting Koshiyari on the party.

"There was large-scale resentment in the BJP after Koshiyari's name was announced. Interestingly, several elected district presidents from the Kumaon region of BJP had extended support to Teerath Singh Rawat. Though Koshiyari hails from Kumaon, he has lost ground," said a senior BJP leader.

The coming together of former Khanduri and Ramesh Pokhriyal, more so of Nishank extending support to the candidature of Rawat, too, is being viewed as an attempt by Nishank to put Koshiyari in his place.

"At this moment it is difficult to say if Nishnak more than Khanduri was keen to keep Koshiyari out. But the assertiveness of Khanduri was indeed a factor in forcing the Central leadership to abort their plan of foisting Koshiyari, said a senior party leader.

Despite loss, I am attached to Tehri: Saket Bahuguna
Hails elevation of Rahul Gandhi
Ajay Ramola

Mussoorie, January 20
Saket Bahuguna, Congress candidate from the Tehri constituency in the recently-concluded byelection, which he lost, speaking to media persons on the sidelines of a function in Mussoorie today, said that he was attached to Tehri constituency at an emotional level, irrespective of the electoral outcome.

Saket Bahuguna, attributing his father Vijay Bahuguna's success to the people of Tehri, said that it was due to them his father had reached new heights in politics.

Therefore, for him development of Tehri constituency was the way to repay them. The government was already considering a master plan for the development of their lake, which will help in empowering people.

Saket Bahuguna, excited about the recent announcement of new winery policy, said that the players had been identified who will come up with a plant at Chamba in district Tehri. Another plant will be at Uttarkashi where the wine will be made out of the fruit waste, thus resulting in generating employment at the grass-root level.

Speaking on Gairsain, Saket Bahuguna said that the Opposition was raking up the alleged issue of misuse of funds without understanding the wider vision.

"The government has catered to the emotional demand of the people by announcing the construction of the Vidhan Sabha building at Gairsain, and as the result of the announcement, new roads will be developed along with generation of employment. Moreover, the building would be used as the guest house run by the Gahrwal Mandal Vikas Nigam, thus providing much-needed infrastructure for tourism," added Saket Bahuguna.

Saket said that for him politics was not a profession as it ran in his blood, and when his candidature was decided from Tehri, he took the opportunity to fulfil the promises made by his father to the people in the past 10 years as MP from the area.

Saket Bahuguna further said that he had learnt a lot from his defeat in the recently concluded Tehri Lok Sabha bylection and as there was very little time to connect with people, he had undertaken several trips in the area since then, and found himself much more involved in development of Tehri at the micro level .

Elaborating on the task that had been pursued by him till now, Saket said that a roadmap had been constituted to develop disaster-prone district of Uttarkashi, and it had been decided that the construction of roads leading to Uttarkashi on Char Dham route would be completed by May 31 with the help of the executive agencies, such as Border Road Organisation and PWD.

The roads dug up by ADB would also be completed within the same time-frame starting from February 15 this year. It had also been decided that ADB will provide finances to PWD for the completion of the work. The MDDA will be assigned the work of constructing linking roads to various colonies in Dehradun. Six packages worth Rs 50 lakh had been identified for the purpose, added Saket Bahuguna. Saket opined that subject to the candidature in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, he would seek votes on what he had been able to do for constituency in one year.

Speaking on development of Mussoorie, he said that the town was facing acute parking crisis, and he had initiated a proposal to bring in private partners on revenue-sharing basis to develop patches of land for parkng.

The Purkul-Mussoorie ropeway project once completed would also ease the parking problem to a certain extent, added Bahuguna.

Saket, worried at the power crisis in the state, blamed the previous BJP government for the delay in the sanctioning of the projects due to irregularities, and said that the present Congress government had been able to get clearance for Lakhwar Byasi project, and the tendering process for it will begun in the month of March.

He also said that the gas-based power plants at Kashipur were ready but not functioning due to the unavailability of gas. So he had proposed to the government to import gas on the criteria that the power will not be outsourced by these plants, but utilised by the state government, thus augmenting the power supply manifold.

Saket Bahuguna, elated at the elevation of Rahul Gandhi to the post of the vice-president, said that the youth had asserted it's role in the party with this development.

The youth will find it convenient connecting with Rahul Gandhi with ease as it will bring fresh air in the system and enthuse the party cadres, especially youth.

The elevation of Rahul Gandhi will provide a psychological boost much more than the electoral one, said Saket Bahuguna.

Industrial Exposition 2013
Financing options for MSMEs discussed
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, January 20
A special feature of the ongoing Industrial Expo 2013 at Haridwar, being organised by CII jointly with SIIDCUL, is the financing options available for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSMEs).

SBI and SIDBI are eyeing participating visitors and exhibitors so that they can be apprised about various financing schemes and options, tailor-made for the benefit of MSMEs.

Speaking at the session on ‘Financing Options for MSMEs’ by State Bank of India (SBI), RC Panwar, DGM & Business Head-SME, SBI, said over the years, credit to MSMEs as percentage of Net Banking Credit had increased from 9.5% in 2005 to 14.8% in 2011 and the need was to further enhance their share.

He added that MSME sector employed nearly 73 million people across 31 million enterprises and contributed nearly 9% to India’s GDP. Over the last decade, several MSMEs had emerged in the new manufacturing sectors and new geographical locations and the sector had the potential to create inclusive growth for India.

Panwar also talked about various innovative schemes of SBI for the benefit of the MSME sector. He enumerated the various initiatives of the Government of India for the development of the MSMEs.

In another session organised by SIDBI, Durgesh Pandey, DGM, SIDBI, said the sector suffered many shortcomings, the foremost being finance.

While adequate availability of finance remained a challenge, the terms for accessing credit posed an even bigger challenge. In addition, policy, legal or regulatory framework, institutional weaknesses and lack of reliable credit information on SMEs were the other handicaps, he added.

A platform for vendor, corporate interaction
Tribune news Service

Haridwar, January 20
A buyer-seller meet was held at the ongoing Industrial Expo 2013 being held at Haridwar today. The meet provided a platform for interaction of vendors and suppliers with corporates.

Speaking at the Buyer-Seller Meet, Sudesh Sud, plant head, Delphi, TVS, said the products made by the MSME player from Uttarakhand were cost effective and competitive. The prime objective of interacting with the vendors was to have higher level of localisation, he added.

Sud said the company was looking for vendors, who could supply machine components, press components, plastic parts, rubber parts and aluminum casting.

Delphi -TVS manufactures Fuel Injection Technology at its Rudrapur plant and has so far invested Rs 50 crore in its plant. He said the company had identified some exhibitors, as its potential vendors.

Mahindra & Mahindra, which has a unit at Haridwar manufacturing Bolero, Geo, Alpha and Champion vehicles, also participated in the buyer-seller meets.

S Triphati, DGM & quality head, Haridwar Plant, Mahindra & Mahindra, said the buyer-seller meet was a good platform to interact with suppliers. About 37 vendors from Uttarakhand supply equipment to its Haridwar plant, which is about 30 per cent of the procurement done by the company. He was hopeful to get new vendors amongst the exhibitors at Industrial Expo 2013.

Gaurav Bhatia, manager, supplier quality, Haridwar Plant, Mahindra & Mahindra, said the milestone of 4 lakh vehicles manufactured from the Haridwar plant would soon be reached.

The 2nd edition of Industrial Expo, being organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) with the State Infrastructure and Industrial Development Corporation of Uttarakh and. SIIDCUL at IIE, SIIDCUL, Haridwar, from 18-21 January, is a B2B Industrial Show with special focus on MSMEs and buyer-seller meets.

Dehradun Diary
As LS elections approach, internal rift plagues major parties

With municipal elections scheduled to be held in April this year in the state and the next Lok Sabha polls of 2014 fast approaching, major political parties in Uttarakhand are facing their own internal dissensions. The ruling Congress party has remained divided since the inception of the state and there is no hope despite the warning by party President Sonia Gandhi from “Chintan Shivir” at Jaipur. After the near exit of veteran N.D.Tewari from Congress politics, Uttarakhand Congress remain divided in two board groups owing allegiance to Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna and Union Minister of Water Resources Harish Rawat.

Both the groups do not miss any chance to pull down each other and working on cross purposes. The Harish Rawat group has been working hard to force change in state party leadership. Yashpal Arya, the president of the state Congress, is a protégé of ND Tewari and a known opponent of Harish Rawat but is presently aligned with Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna. Harish Rawat has been demanding that Yashpal Arya, being a senior minister in the Bahuguna Ministry, is not able to give time to the party organisation.

He has been demanding that before the crucial Lok Sabha elections scheduled in May 2014, the party organisation needs to be strengthened and thus a change of guard necessary in the state leadership. He has been eyeing the party organisation before the Lok Sabha polls to strengthen his own position. Since Yashpal Arya is a Dalit leader, Harish Rawat had forwarded the name of Pardeep Tamta, Almora Congress MP, another Dalit leader, for the post.

On the other hand, Yashpal Arya, who has an impressive record of winning all the five Lok Sabha seats of the state in the Lok Sabha elections of 2009, and the party winning the state Assembly elections in 2012 under his leadership, contends that the Central party leadership has to take a decision about him.

The issue even came up at “Chintan Shivir” at Jaipur where Yashpal Arya reportedly complained about his opponents raking up the issue of change in the party leadership too often.

The state Congress also seems divided on the issue of having Gairsain as the permanent capital of the state. While Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna and Pauri Garhwal MP Satpal Maharaj tried to consolidate their positions politically by deciding to have an Assembly building built at Gairsain, the Harish Rawat group in a bid to embarrass them started demanding that Gairsain be made the permanent capital of the state.

The demand was put forth by Uttarakand Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal and Almora MP Pardeep Tamta, both close supporters of Harish Rawat. The infighting in the ruling Congress is going to get fierce with the approaching municipal, panchayat and then Lok Sabha elections.

The situation is even murkier in the state Bharatiya Janata Party, the main Opposition in the state. The party with a difference known for it's discipline has seen differences coming to the fore in the run-up to the elections of the state party president. The two rival groups headed by former Chief Ministers Bhagat Singh Koshiyari and BC Khanduri are unrelenting in their pursuit to have their own men as state party chief. Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, the wily Thakur leader from Kumaon, was instrumental in the downfall of Khanduri in June 2009 as Chief Minister.

He later joined Khanduri to again oust Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank as Chief Minister. Both Koshiyari and Khanduri together ran the election campaign for the state Assembly polls in January 2012 but the BJP not only lost but even Khanduri could not win his own seat. Now with elections of the new state president due, there are new political alignments in the party.

Both Koshiyari and Khanduri pressed for their own candidates for the coveted post of state party chief. Interestingly, Khanduri and Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, both leaders from Garhwal region, have joined hands to lend their support for Teerath Singh Rawat against Koshiyari's candidate. The baffled Central party leadership has been trying to evolve for a consensus candidate for the post and postponed the elections.

Less said the better about the only regional party, Utarakhand Kranti Dal, which has been thrown on the political fringes in the past 12 years since the inception of the state. The party which had won four seats in the first state Asembly elections held in February 2002 has now been reduced to a single legislator in the 2012 Asembly polls.

The party has been split numerous times in the two decades and presently there are three main factions. The Uttarakhand Kranti Dal ( Panwar) has won a single seat in the 2012 Asembly elections and Preetam Singh Panwar, the lone legislator who won,became a minister of the Congress-ed Mnistry. However, the differences between Preetam Singh Panwar and party pesident Trivendr Singh Panwar reached a level that the minister was shown the door by the party president. This could lead to a further split in the party.

Poll promises

The people of the state are eagerly awaiting the fulfilment of the poll promises by none other than Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna. The Chief Minister on the eve of the Tehri Lok Sabha byelection where his own son was a party candidate in October 2012, had promised that the state government would give three more subsidised LPG cylinders to consumers of the state over and above those provided by the Union Government.

The Union Government had announced that LPG consumers would be provided a total of nine subsidised cylinders in a year. The people of the state expect that Chief Minister Bahuguna would fulfil his promise and give three more subsidised LPG cylinders, making it 12 cylinders per connection per year, giving relief to the consumers . — SMA Kazmi

Seminar discusses teachings of Prophet Muhammed
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 20
BJP Rajya Sabha MP Tarun Vijay today said the vast following of Islam across the globe revealed the greatness of the religion. Addressing a seminar entitled ‘Prophet Muhammed- Message of Humanity’, organised by Seerat-un-Nabi Committee, Dehradun, at Tasmia Academy, Vijay said Islam had always preached brotherhood and simplicity making it one of most followed religions of the world.

He said Prophet Muhammed’s message of humanity was still very valid. He favoured for more and more interaction among people of different faiths and stressed upon using religion to build bridges in the society, Vijay added.

Prof SK Singh, Vice-Chancellor, HNB Garhwal University, said it was a wrong assumption that religion and science were contradictory. He referred to many devout Hindus and Muslims, who became great scientists of their times.

Educationist DS Mann said all religions preached peace and took the common man to the path of truth.

Speaking on the occasion, Father JP Singh said the rising cases of rapes and terror were results of people getting distant from religion.

Earlier, President of Seerat-un-Nabi Committee, Dr S Farooq described Prophet Muhammed as a role model and a fountain head of knowledge and wisdom for the entire humanity. He said Prophet Muhammed abolished slavery, allowed widow and divorcee re-marriage and gave equal share in property to women.

Mufti Saleem Ahmed, Dehradun, read out the last sermon of Prophet Muhammed while Quari Abdul Quadir recited the Quran. RK Bakshi proposed the vote of thanks and Maulana RA Haqani coordinated the proceedings of the programme.

‘Delimitation must be done on area basis’

Dehradun, January 20
Uttarakhand Raksha Morcha president and former Uttarakhand Minister TPS Rawat has sought that any future delimitation should be done on the basis of area and not population, as being done in the case of the North-East and Jammu and Kashmir.

In a memorandum addressed to President Pranab Mukherjee, Lt Gen TPS Rawat (Retd) said the delimitation on the basis of population was reducing the number of Assembly seats in the hill districts of the state. He reminded that 2004-05 delimitation in Uttarakhand resulted in reduction of 6 Assembly seats from the hills, which got transferred to the plain areas of the state in the 70-member House as that delimitation was done purely on the basis of population. He said this was quite contrary to other hill states of the North-East and Jammu and Kashmir, where area is taken into consideration in the delimitation exercise.

Rawat pointed out that large-scale migration was taking place from the hills to the plain areas of the state. He said if the population continued to be the criterion for delimitation in Uttarakhand, then in the next delimitation in 2032, the hill districts will be left with only 17 seats out of total of 70 Assembly seats. — TNS

10 poor persons to get free treatment at hospital daily
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 20
Pandit Deen Dayal Updhayaya Hospital, Dehradun, will be providing free services to five heart patients and five patients on dialysis in a day. A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the managing committee of Pandit Deen Dayal Updhayaya Hospital presided by Dehradun District Magistrate BVRC Purshottam today.

District Magistrate Purshottam directed Chief Medical Superintendent Dr RS Aswal to ensure that free services were provided to a minimum of five heart patients and five patients needing dialysis in a day at the hospital.

District Magistrate Purshottam said the state government was committed to providing free health services to the BPL families. He also asked the hospital authorities to hold health camps for heart patients in the rural areas.

Dr MS Rawat, Neenu Sehgal and Arvind Prasad attended the meeting.