100 crore allocation
made grant
SHIMLA, Oct 9 — The Centre has converted an allocation of Rs 100 crore for Himachal Pradesh into an untied grant so as to enable the state government to tide over the financial crisis.
Man dies in police custody
SOLAN, Oct 9 — Mr Subhash Kumar (26), a resident of Noida, who had been remanded to five days in police custody in a car theft case by the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Nalagarh, on October 3, died at the Primary Health Centre, Dharampur, on October 6, according to a delayed report.

Diversification is must: Dr Verma
CHAMBA, Oct 9 — Dr K.S. Verma, project coordinator of Dr Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, has underlined the need for diversification and asked farmers to adopt commercial cultivation and switch over to new technologies in the field of agriculture and horticulture.

Efforts on to locate body
BILASPUR, Oct 9 — The district administration here has pressed a speed boat manned by experienced swimmers at Sallappad and Bchat Kasol, near here, to locate the body of Mrs Dipty Kasliwal, who was reportedly drowned in the Sutlej at Tattapani in Mandi district yesterday while her husband was taking her photograph.

100 crore allocation made grant
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Oct 9 — The Centre has converted an allocation of Rs 100 crore for Himachal Pradesh into an untied grant so as to enable the state government to tide over the financial crisis.

This was stated by the Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, to newsmen here today while briefing about the deliberations of the Cabinet meeting.

He said the allocation was made against specific schemes by the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, while addressing a public meeting here recently. However, the Centre had now allowed the state government to spend the amount according to its requirements.

He said that a communication was received from the Centre yesterday in this regard.

Mr Dhumal said the Cabinet expressed its thanks to the Prime Minister for taking the step.

He said that the Cabinet decided to reduce the levy of 100 per cent sales tax on royalty on limestone to 30 per cent. Sales tax of 100 per cent would continue to be charged on superior quality LD grade limestone. The sales tax was enhanced during the recent budget session of the assembly, but a high-level committee was constituted to review the decision following representation from the miners.

Mr Dhumal said it was decided to provide nine vehicles to the Taxation Department to plug loopholes and leakages.

He said the Cabinet also decided to allow a 30-year lease to Messers Heli Skiing for operating at Manali and Chamba. With a view to promoting heli skiing, the company will keep two helicopters in the state. This would attract foreign tourists.

The Chief Minister said the Cabinet approved an increase of 25 paise per kg on procurement price of citrus fruits, including orange, malta, kinnow and galgal. The procurement price will be Rs 4.10 per kg for kinnow and malta and Rs 2.60 per kg for galgal. Thirtyeight centres will be opened for procurement between November and February.

It was decided to transfer job work on the development of herbs to the Horticulture Department from the Ayurveda Department.

Mr Dhumal said the Cabinet decided to fill the 300 vacant posts of women health workers with trained Himachali girls who had passed the course from any recognised institution in any state.

A relaxation of seven years in age will be allowed to the candidates for these posts.

It was decided to rename Pong Dam as Maharana Pratap Sagar.

It was also decided to open a new PWD circle at Una. Three PWD divisions were also approved for Bangana (Una), Dharampur (Mandi) and Tauni Devi (Hamirpur).

Mr Dhumal said all pending applications of employees for house-building loans would be cleared with the Rs 25 crore loan that had been raised by the government from nationalised banks.

He said it was also decided to continue the subsidy on fertilisers to farmers. The subsidy on pesticides would be extended to vegetable growers and farmers.

Man dies in police custody
From Our Correspondent

SOLAN, Oct 9 — Mr Subhash Kumar (26), a resident of Noida, who had been remanded to five days in police custody in a car theft case by the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Nalagarh, on October 3, died at the Primary Health Centre (PHC), Dharampur, on October 6, according to a delayed report.

Mr Subhash Kumar complained of breathlessness and acute abdominal pain and was shifted to the P.H.C. at 3 p.m. The doctor on duty found him in a state of "extreme shock and unable to make any statement." He breathed his last at 5 p.m.

The doctor, who had examined the deceased on October 4, a day after he was remanded to police custody, had issued a certificate stating that the detainee was not suffering from any serious disease except urinary trouble for which he prescribed him medicine.

An autopsy conducted at the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital, Shimla, yesterday revealed that Mr Subhash was suffering from a serious lung disease. One of his lungs had been "dead" and the other was afflicted with a deadly disease called "koch". The victim had reportedly told the police and the PHC doctor about his ailment.

Mr Subhash had been booked by the Sonepat police in a car theft case. During interrogation he admitted to have stolen a Maruti van from Dharampur area of this district.

Neither the Sonepat police, which must have got him examined by a government medical officer there, nor the Sonepat Jail Superintendent informed the Solan police about his state of health when he was shifted to judicial custody in Solan.

The Superintendent of police, Mr M.L. Negi, told newspersons here today that the autopsy report clearly established that Mr Subhash had died of a lung disease and that there were no signs of torture. Even then he had informed the State Human Rights Commission and other government agencies of the death.

MD arrested for defrauding people
From Our Correspondent

HAMIRPUR, Oct 9 — The Hamripur police has arrested Ajay Kumar Singh of Delhi for allegedly duping people to the tune of over Rs 30 lakh in the state.

He is Managing Director of SJM Agro Limited, Delhi, having 22 branches in Himachal of which 10 branches are in Hamirpur district alone.

Mr Jagjit Kumar Gupta, SP, told reporters here this evening that following a court order, a police party from Hamirpur assisted by a police party from Delhi raided the Delhi house of Ajay Kumar Singh and arrested him from there.

A case under Sections 420, 403, 406 and 468 of the IPC had been registered against him.

He said the accused was presented before the CJM, Hamirpur, who remanded him to police custody till October 13. Further investigations were on, he added.

Meanwhile, over 100 persons who had deposited their money with the company today thronged the local police station and the district courts to meet Ajay Kumar Singh and to get their money refunded.

Diversification is must: Dr Verma
From Our Correspondent

CHAMBA, Oct 9 — Dr K.S. Verma, project coordinator of Dr Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, has underlined the need for diversification and asked farmers to adopt commercial cultivation and switch over to new technologies in the field of agriculture and horticulture.

Speaking at the concluding function of a three-day training camp of farmers and Field Forest Officers on agro-forestry technologies organised by Krishi Vigyan Kendra here yesterday, which was attended by 40 participants, Dr Verma said under the operational research project on agro-forestry sponsored by the National Wasteland Development Board (NWDB) and Agro-Forestry Centre in collaboration with KVK, Chamba, farmers, chairmen and secretaries of the watershed committees, Forest Guards, and Block Officers had been exposed to the use of agro-forestry land use systems.

Dr Verma said silvo-pastoral system for the improvement of pasture and grasslands had been decided on private and community lands. The practice was in progress at Sahoo and Saru villages.

Guidelines issued under the watershed development project were also explained to the farmers.

Efforts on to locate body
From Our Correspondent

BILASPUR, Oct 9 — The district administration here has pressed a speed boat manned by experienced swimmers at Sallappad and Bchat Kasol, near here, to locate the body of Mrs Dipty Kasliwal, daughter-in-law of former Chief Justice of the HP High Court, Mr N.M. Kasliwal, who was reportedly drowned in the Sutlej at Tattapani in Mandi district yesterday while her husband was taking her photograph. She was standing on a rock when she suddenly slipped into the river.

Deputy Commissioner, Ramesh Kapil said here today that the boat was equipped with a wireless set while the Superintendent of police was accompanying a search party. He said the services of Bhakra Beas Management Board divers had also been taken for locating the body.