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Cabinet nod to new lease rules draft
5 infrastructure companies show interest in satellite townships under FDI
Power firm to face action for delay in execution of project
Centre sanctions vehicle testing unit
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Probe irregularities in appointments, Vigilance tells varsity
Missing French trekkers’ kin announce reward
Yol villages rue delay in exclusion from Cantt Board
Helicopter service for Manimahesh launched
No direction yet to contest poll from Hamirpur: Sukhu
ISU wins 4 seats in Nauni varsity polls
Centre allots Rs 72.27 cr for agriculture
Withdraw VAT on canteen facility for ex-servicemen: Dhumal
Open hydro-engg college at Bilaspur: Anurag
Woman succumbs to burn injuries
Rs 78.42-crore investment proposals cleared
Three killed in road accidents
Girl dies of snakebite
1 dies in truck accident
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Cabinet nod to new lease rules draft
Shimla, September 4 The clause that allowed the lessee to sub-lease the land has been deleted and instead a provision permitting the lessee to get into an agreement to manage, operate and maintain the leased property has been made. The lease will not be necessarily granted for 99 years and the government will be competent to decide the period of lease. As per the draft Himachal Pradesh Lease Rules, the government land will be provided on lease basis only in case no alternate private land is available. There will be condition on the lessee to utilise the land within a period of three years countable from the date of registration of lease deed. Each department will have to fix their norms to ascertain the eligibility of lessee to undertake the proposed activity, the necessity of activity and the extent of area required for the purpose. Before granting land on lease basis, no objections of estate right holders will be obtained. The maximum area required for a specific purpose will be certified by the department concerned under which the activity for which lease of the government land is sought falls. The maximum area will be subject to provisions of the State Ceiling on Land Holdings Act, 1972. The lease amount per annum will be charged at the rate of 10 per cent of the current circle rates notified by the collector of the district. However, in the case of hydroelectric projects which are exclusively reserved for bona fide Himachalis, it will be charged at the rate of 5 per cent. The lease amount will be increased by 5 per cent of the existing lease amount after every five years The encroached government land will not be leased to the encroacher but it could be leased out to any eligible person or institutions after removing the encroachment. A provision has been made to lease out the government land for self-employment to ex-servicemen, war widows and BPL families. The state government will have the powers to reduce the lease amount in the cases of persons affected by natural calamities and have lost their agricultural land and dwellings, landless and houseless persons, ex-service man, war widows, BPL families and differently-abled persons. It has also been proposed to lease out the government land for construction of residential house by landless Himachalis or for the rehabilitation for sufferers of natural calamities. Govt takes control
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5 infrastructure companies show interest in satellite townships under FDI
Shimla, September 4 One of the companies is Noida-based 3C Universal Developers, which has a tie-up with a foreign company, Lotus Boulevard. Sandwoods Infrastructure Pvt Ltd, New Delhi, and Shrishti Infrastructure Development Ltd, Kolkata, are the two other companies that have shown interest in the project. However, a decision on these proposals will be taken only once the Cabinet approves the Integrated Township Policy for developing satellite townships under foreign direct investment. The guidelines for the policy are still in the process of formulation. The government proposes to set up five satellite townships with the tentative locations being near Shimla, Solan, Mandi and Dharamsala. Besides, Shimla being the state capital, the other three towns too are buckling under pressure due to increasing population and tourist influx. Another crucial aspect yet to be decided is whether the land given
to private developers would remain in the name of the government or land would be transferred in their name. As part of its preparations for roping in foreign direct investment in satellite townships, the Himachal Pradesh Urban Development Authority (HIMUDA) is searching for
sizeable chunk of land required for having a whole township. “Over 500 bighas of land has been identified near Vaknaghat, but since the area faces water shortage, it might not be suitable till a new water supply scheme is proposed. This could delay the project,” said a senior official. The other site where about 500 bighas of land has been identified is in the Sarah area of Dharamsala. With almost the entire chunk of land having private ownership, land acquisition would prove to be a tedious task. HIMUDA is searching for land in the vicinity of Kandaghat, where some sites have been identified as it would be a central and ideal location between Shimla and Solan. With a minimum requirement of at least 500 bighas of land for developing a satellite township, availability of such a huge chunk of land would be a stupendous task. The funds required for developing a satellite township would be nearly Rs 5,000 crore. Ground work begins
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Power firm to face action for delay in execution of project
Shimla, September 4 The amount has been worked out for five years of delay on the basis of free power which was to be provided to the government from the project. However, no decision was taken regarding forfeiture of the upfront premium of Rs 280 crore deposited by the company as a case was pending in the Supreme Court. The decision was taken by the state Cabinet here today. It was decided that the State Industrial Development Bank would make an equity contribution of Rs 350 crore to State Power Corporation Ltd for the Shongtong-Karcham, Sainj, Sawara Kuddu and Kashang hydroelectric projects during 2013-14. Further, the equity contribution of Rs 350 crore made by the government till 2012-13 would be disinvested from the corporation in favour of the bank. An approval was accorded for the grant of a special extension for 10 months by levying a fee at the rate of Rs 20,000 per MW per month in favour of Venture Energies Technologies Ltd for obtaining clearances and start the construction work of the Sai Kothi power project. It granted ex-post facto extension for five months with an extension fee of Rs 20,000 per MW per month to the Seltu Masarang Hydroelectric Project. It dropped the proposal of the construction of the Palchan-Rohtang ropeway project in Kullu district. It decided to upgrade Kotli sub-tehsil to a tehsil and open a tehsil at Ner Chowk in Mandi district, which would have three kanungo circles at Balh, Pairi and Rewalsar and 27 patwar circles to serve 1,04,420 people. It decided to upgrade Sunni police post in Shimla district to a full-fledged police station. The Cabinet enhanced the honorarium of freedom fighters from Rs 7,500 to Rs 10,000 per month from September 1, 2013, onwards. It decided that all the contract and regular teachers, who had replaced PTA teachers at initial or at subsequent stage, would be posted against vacant posts available in condonation of short stay enabling joining of PTA teachers. |
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Centre sanctions vehicle testing unit
Shimla, September 4 The issue was taken up by Transport Minister GS Bali during a meeting with Oscar Fernandes, Union Minister of Road, Transport and Highways, in New Delhi today. Bali said the Centre had also released Rs 14 crore for the vehicle testing station and it had also agreed to provide funds to the state for developing wayside amenities. It would benefit motorists, particularly tourists, who had to drive a long distance in the hills to reach their destination, he added. He said the Union Ministry had sanctioned an additional 20 new ambulances for the state for providing medical facilities on national highways and the ambulances would be integrated with the National Ambulance Service to ensure their optimum utilisation and increase their area of operation. He urged the ministry to provide heavy duty and forklift cranes to pull out vehicles involved in accidents. He also asked the ministry for four interceptors at Sirmour, Shimla, Kangra and Mandi districts and also crash barriers on the National Highway-20. He urged the Union Minister to include the state in the National Rural Transport Scheme on a pilot basis and assured him that all the pending projects of the state would be commissioned in a time-bound manner. He said the ministry had agreed to release Rs 12 crore under the Central Road Fund for the Nagrota Bagwan area of Kangra district. |
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Probe irregularities in appointments, Vigilance tells varsity
Solan, September 4 While confirming the development, sources in the bureau said since the case pertained to the former VC Dr KR Dhiman, the present Vice-Chancellor had been authorised to probe the case. At least six of the eight cases pertaining to recruitments made in the tenure of the former VC had been challenged in the court while complaints had been made to the state’s Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau to inquire into some more cases. These cases pertain to various appointments made in the university by committees which were headed by the former Vice-Chancellor. The complainants had alleged that merit had been ignored and favouritism had been adopted in making appointments. The appointments had been made in various departments, including plant pathology, seed technology and production centre, biotechnology and post harvest technology. Dr Vijay Singh Thakur had taken over as the new VC on July 25 after the former VC had resigned in May following controversy over various financial and appointment-related issues. University Registrar Rupali Thakur confirmed that the case had been referred to the university by the bureau with directions to conduct a probe and added that the matter would be put up before the Board of Management (BoM), which is the governing body, for further action. The meeting of the BoM, which is conducted every three months, is due in September now and this contentious matter is likely to figure in the agenda. |
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Missing French trekkers’ kin announce reward
The embassy has said the families of two missing French trekkers had deposited the money with it, which would be given to anyone who provided information about them. The reward is likely to act as motivation to local Gaddis, who are well-acquainted with the Dhauladhar mountain range, to trace the French trekkers or their bodies. Earlier, a Gaddi youth had traced the bodies of missing Israeli trekkers from deep gorges in the Dhauladhar mountains. The French trekkers have been missing since August 23. A rescue team sent by the Kangra district administration and army choppers pressed into service have failed to trace the missing French. They had come along with 30 other trekkers to Dharamsala for trekking. They had gone missing in the Dhauladhars on August 23. The other trekkers who had gone with them up to snowline said the French trekkers said they were leaving for the moon peak and the Indarhar pass. |
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Yol villages rue delay in exclusion from Cantt Board
Dharamsala, September 4 Samiti members alleged that the Army had constructed about 13-ft-high boundary wall around the land of 12 villages in the Yol Cantonment Board, which is not a defence land. As per the revenue record, this is private ancestral land of villagers. The Cantonment Board had no jurisdiction over these villages and its continuance was not justified, members alleged. Objecting to the urban status given to the villages in the Cantonment, samiti president Gian Chand said 98 per cent population in the area comprised Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Below the Poverty Line (BPL) categories. Because of the urban status, the villages were being denied benefits of the Central and state governments’ welfare schemes for rural areas. The Cantonment Board had not made any effort to implement the MGNREGS, the Right to Education and other welfare schemes in its area, he alleged. Samiti secretary Kalyan Chand alleged that the Cantonment Board was not providing even basic amenities to villagers. On the contrary, villagers were forced to abide by the municipal bylaws as applicable to the urban areas. Property tax and house tax had been revised several times. Villagers faced threat to power and water connections if they failed to pay their taxes, he alleged. Villagers alleged that employees of the Cantonment Board were not in favour of the exclusion of villages as they feared losing their jobs. Villagers wondered why there was a delay in exclusion from the Cantonment Board despite no-objection certificate (NOC) given by the army and the state government’s decision in their favour on November 6, 2012. Though the government had informed the Himachal High Court about its decision to the court on November 7, till date no practical move had been made for the exclusion of villages from the Cantonment Board. |
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Helicopter service for Manimahesh launched
Bharmour, September 4 Giving this information here today, Kadam Sandeep, DC, Chamba, Vasant said two heli-service operators, namely Sumit Aviation Pvt Ltd and Bharat Trans Pvt Ltd, had been commercially pressed into service at the Bharmour heliport today. "The heli-taxi services will go a long way in boosting religious tourism in the mountainous terrain of Manimahesh in Chamba district where pilgrims are thronging from Himachal Pradesh and neighbouring states," the DC said. The helicopter flights had started today and would be making around 10 trips a day and operating from 6 am to 6 pm daily, the DC said, adding that the flight from Bharmour to Gauri Kund took hardly 15 minutes one side. The DC said the travel fare was fixed at Rs 6,860 from Bharmour to Gauri Kund (both sides) and Rs 3,430 (one-side). He said each helicopter was shuttling seven pilgrims, including the pilot, in each trip. The helicopter services would continue on the Bharmour-Gauri Kund air route till the concluding of the Manimahesh pilgrimage on September 13. |
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No direction yet to contest poll from Hamirpur: Sukhu
Hamirpur, September 4 Talking to mediapersons here today, he said his main task at present was to work for winning all four seats from the state in the next Parliamentary election. However, he would abide by the decision of the high command to contest any election, he added. He said the Congress party would focus on the misdeeds of the previous BJP government and highlight the achievements and pro-people policies of the UPA government in the election and the Congress was confident of winning all four seats. The HPCC president accused the previous BJP government of not giving land for setting up a spice park at Nadaun, but now the state government was making every effort to set it up. He said, “I recently met several Central ministers to speed up starting work on the Dhola-Sidh project, besides finding suitable land for setting up a Central school at Galod.” He said the decision regarding taking expelled party leaders back in the party would be taken up on the merit of each case. |
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ISU wins 4 seats in Nauni varsity polls
Solan, September 4 While ABVP candidates stood second on all the four seats, NSUI candidates failed to give a befitting fight and were confined to the last position. Ravina Negi of the ISU, who secured 390 votes, was declared the president. She defeated Himanshu of the ABVP, while Dinesh Kumar of the NSUI could muster only 137 votes. Pusp Raj of the ISU was elected the vice-president. He polled 534 votes and defeated Manish Kumar of the ABVP. The post of general secretary was bagged by Ankush Bhaik of the ISU, who polled 405 votes and defeated ABVP’s Sakshi Sharma, who could secure only 269 votes, while Praveen Singh of the NSUI could garner only 213 votes and stood last. Harshwardhan Singh of the ISU was elected as the Joint Secretary and he polled 449 votes. He defeated Vishal Rana of the ABVP, while Gaurav of the NSUI emerged a poor third. Though the ISU was a Congress-backed student organisation, the district Congress leaders had for the first time given a separate student panel under their official student organisation, the NSUI. The NSUI panel not only finished a poor third but also failed to put up a befitting fight, thus embarrassing the ruling party which had led in the SCA polls in other colleges of the district. |
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Centre allots Rs 72.27 cr for agriculture
Shimla, September 4 Stating this here today, Director of Agriculture JC Rana said Rs 58.21 crore would be spent on new and special schemes and Rs 14.06 crore on the strengthening of the ongoing schemes and development of resources. A provision of Rs 6.5 crore had been made for promoting organic farming, Rs 6.7 crore for the Adarsh Krishi Gram Yojna, Rs 4.16 crore for integrated crop diversification through vegetable production and Rs 5 crore for irrigation sector, he said. He said the department would function as the nodal agency for the scheme which would also benefit horticulture, animal husbandry, fisheries, agricultural research and education departments by enabling them to get financial assistance. |
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Withdraw VAT on canteen facility for ex-servicemen: Dhumal
Shimla, September 4 In a statement issued here today, Dhumal said the decision of the state government to impose four per cent VAT on canteen was an insult to the valiant soldiers and their families. “Rather than extending every possible facility and honouring the soldiers who protect our country and face hardships, the state government is insulting them by trying to extract money from them in the form of VAT,” he remarked. He said the BJP would never allow the disregard to the soldiers and go to any extent to prevent the imposition of VAT on the canteen facility. He said it should be the foremost duty of every government to take good care of its soldiers and their families. “Rather than fulfilling the promises made to the ex-servicemen and serving soldiers in the election manifesto, the Virbhadra regime has started withdrawing the facilities given by our government,” alleged Dhumal. The BJP leader said the performance of the government in the last eight months had been dismal and every section of society was feeling charted and let down. “The state is under debt and the formation of the Congress regime is proving to be nothing less than a nightmare for people of the state,” he said. |
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Open hydro-engg college at Bilaspur: Anurag
Bilaspur, September 4 He said it was due to this fact that former Energy Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde had agreed to open a hydro- engineering college at Bilaspur and former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal had allotted a land for the college near Bilaspur town. However, no concrete steps had been taken in this direction till now, he said.
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Woman succumbs to burn injuries
Kangra, September 4 The police said Manchala Devi, wife of Vikram Singh of Chadiyiar, had received serious burn injuries and was rushed to the Chadiyiar hospital. She was referred to the DRPGMC, Tanda, where she died. Her father Rattan Chand said his daughter was under depression for the last nine years and had received burn injuries accidentally. The police is investigating the case under Section 174, CrPC. Jyoti (34), wife of local resident Raj Kumar, had received 45 per cent burn injuries from a kerosene stove and was struggling for life at the Tanda hospital. Navdeep (32), son of Roshan Lal of Gaggal town, had received 54 per cent burn injuries when the stove on which he was cooking food caught fire and was also under treatment at the hospital.
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Rs 78.42-crore investment proposals cleared
Shimla, September 4 The proposals that were given nod by the authority, which met here under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, included Rs 36.63-crore venture of Johnson & Johnson and Rs 30.83-crore project of Triupati Medicare. The projects would generate employment for 433 persons. Industries Minister Mukesh Agnihotri asked the departments concerned to provide all clearances to the entrepreneurs to set up their units within a
stipulated time.
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Three killed in road accidents
Shimla, September 4 The deceased were identified as Sher Singh and Kuldeep, both residents of Nirman. Pyare Lal, driver of the truck, is learnt to be absconding since the mishap. In another accident, Rajinder Singh, resident of Dadag village, was hit by an unidentified vehicle. He was found on the road in a critical condition and died before he could be taken to hospital.
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Girl dies of snakebite
Bilaspur, September 4 In the morning she felt giddiness and was rushed to nearby Community Hospital, Barthin, from where she was referred to the Regional Hospital here. She remained under treatment for sometime and died. — OC
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Bilaspur, September 4 The police arrived on the spot and rushed him to a nearby PHC where doctors declared him brought dead. The police has registered a case and impounded the truck and arrested driver Rajesh Kumar. — OC
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Dharamsala, September 4