P R A D E S H
Sunday, January 31, 1999
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H I M A C H A L P R A D E S H |
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Sunday, January 31, 1999 |
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spotlight today's calendar |
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Key appointments irk HVC Governor
observes fast |
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Delhi-Shimla flight from
Feb 5: CM Fresh
snow in HP, J&K Doctors,
medicines sent to Khalwhan |
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Key appointments irk HVC SHIMLA, Jan 30 — The leadership of the Himachal Vikas Congress (HVC) is annoyed with Chief Minister P. K. Dhumal for having appointed those officers on key posts who have been "indicted" by the party in its charge sheet against the previous Congress government of Mr Virbhadra Singh. Certain senior leaders of the HVC have conveyed their displeasure to the BJP over such appointments. They are annoyed particularly over the assignment of the vital Finance Department to Mr Yogesh Khanna, Financial Commissioner, who was Managing-Director of the Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) when a "scam" was reported in the corporation. The "purchase scam" figures prominently in the "charge sheet". The HVC leadership has also not relished the appointment of Mr. A. K. Goswami as Chief Secretary. They point out that he was Chairman of the electricity board (HPSEB) when loans were raised from various private financial institutions for the state government. The issue of "illegal" raising of loans is the first charge that figures in the "charge sheet" against the Virbhadra Singh government. A senior leader of the party says that even the Comptroller and Auditor-General (CAG) has described raising of loans by the HPSEB as "unconstitutional". The party leadership is reportedly irked over assigning of important departments to Mr Kanwar Shamsher Singh, Financial Commissioner, considered close to Mr Virbhadra Singh. A senior functionary of the state told TNS that the Dhumal government lacked in the art of governance and was depending more on officers who were close to the previous Congress regime. He was critical of Mr Dhumal for not taking effective steps to get a CBI probe instituted against Mr Virbhadra Singh although almost nine months have passed since the HVC submitted a "charge sheet" against the previous government. He alleged that Mr Dhumal was playing in the hands of a coterie which was misleading him on vital issues. He hinted that a public interest litigation (PIL) might be filed in the court to get the allegations against Mr Virbhadra Singh enquired by the CBI in case Mr Dhumal continued "soft- pedalling"on the issue. He alleged that the
Enforcement Department had refused to register an FIR
against Mr Virbhadra Singh on the basis of a complaint of
Mr Kewal Ram Chauhan. The Chief Minister had not taken
any interest in the case, he added. |
Dhumal launches anti-leprosy drive SHIMLA, Jan 30 — The Governor, Mrs VS Rama Devi, observed a fast today to mark the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The call for observing a fast was given by the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee. Many ministers also observed a fast. Floral tributes were paid to the Father of the Nation at the Ridge here, where his statue is installed. The Governor offered floral tributes at the statue of Mahatma Gandhi on the Ridge. Two minutes' silence was also observed. Mr Virbhadra Singh, former Chief Minister, Mr Narinder Bragta, Dr Rajan Sushant and Mr RD Kashyap (ministers of state), Mr Manoj Kumar, Mayor, Shimla Municipal Corporation and Mr AK Goswamy, Chief Secretary, also paid floral tributes to Bapu. A programme was also
organised at Raj Bhavan, where the Raj Bhavan staff
placed flowers before the portrait of Mahatma Gandhi. |
Savings as a way of life HAMIRPUR: The people of Hamirpur district have earned a distinction of having a per capita saving of Rs 718.45, which is highest in the country. Credit for this goes to the high literacy percentage in the district and timely and adequate efforts of those engaged in the collection of money under various small savings schemes. There are 1,550 small saving agents in the district. Of these 350 women make collections under the Mahila Pradhan Kshetriya Bachat programme. These agents alone collect about Rs 4 crore per month, according to Mr Manoj Kumar, Deputy Commissioner, Hamirpur. He says the Sanchayika scheme is also in operation in various schools. A sum of Rs 1 lakh is deposited per month by the students under this scheme.This scheme is purely managed by school authorities, but the amount is deposited in post offices every month. Nearly 51,910 students are its members. Similarly, under the Pay Roll scheme, 300 persons collect and then deposit Rs 12 lakh every month. Mr Manoj Kumar says that the money collected under the small savings schemes is kept in the post offices of this amount 75 per cent is given for development activities there. The district has earned name and fame in the state for making record collections under the small savings scheme since year1993-94. During 1993-94, a sum of Rs 20.60 crore was collected as against the annual target of Rs 13.19 crore. At the time of the creation of Hamirpur district in 1972-73 net collection under the small savings scheme was only Rs 40 lakh. In 1997-98 Rs 26.52 crore was deposited in post offices against the annual target of Rs 24.26 crore. Under the small savings scheme, nearly Rs 50,000 new accounts are opened every year in the district. Mr Manoj Kumar says that the habit of saving is fast growing in the district and the district authorities have also helped the people in this drive by offering them various types of incentives and prizes from time to time. According to him, the state government has now announced a new incentive scheme under which those who will open new accounts under the small savings scheme will be able to participate in a draw in which the first prize will be half kg gold and the second a Maruti car. Income tax on prizes will be paid up by the state. He is all praise for two main small savings agents of the district who have been getting the first position for the past many years. Agent Birbal Sharma of Hamirpur town has got the credit of depositing Rs 4.29 crore under the long-term deposit scheme during 1997-98. Agent Bimladevi of Chowki village made a collection of Rs 63.80 lakh from among women during in 1997-98. Both these agents were honoured by the Chief Minister, Prof Prem Kumar Dhumal, at a function held at Nahan town recently. Mr Birbal Sharma says that he was inspired by an employee of the post office to make collections under the scheme. His son and wife also work as agents for the small savings scheme and earn enough for themselves, he adds. He feels proud to be the most outstanding small savings agent of the state. He remains engaged in making new customers and having links with the old one. He has kept a diary of his client and visits them regularly. Many a times, he lends money to needy subscribers to the scheme. The Deputy Commissioner is optimistic that the district will not only surpass the target for the current fiscal year but also achieve a new height under the programme, which has become another national programme. The state government has fixed a target of Rs 29.23 crore for the district for the year 1998-99, out of which about Rs 23.20 crore was collected by December 31, 1998. Mr Manoj Kumar hopes that
every family in the district would open at least one
account in the post office under the small savings
programme. |
Delhi-Shimla flight from Feb 5:
CM PALAMPUR, Jan 30 — Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, said here today that the BJP-HVC government in Himachal Pradesh would complete its full term and there was no threat to his government. Talking to reporters Mr Dhumal said the Congress had lost its credibility in the state and its chances to come to power in future was remote. He said the previous government had brought the state on the verge of bankruptcy. The Chief Minister said the government was committed to overall development of the state. He said the Delhi-Kulu and Delhi-Shimla flights would be resumed from February 5. Efforts were on, to start a flight between Delhi and Dharamsala. Later, the Chief Minister
inaugurated a primary health centre at Haldra village,
near here. |
Fresh snow in HP, J&K SHIMLA, Jan 30 — Normal life in tribal areas and the interior parts of the Shimla district has been disrupted due to blockage of roads by snow. The Hindustan-Tibet highway remained closed for the third day today beyond Narkanda. The road leading to Chopal in Shimla district was also closed. Weather remained bad throughout the day today with intermittent snowfall. There was thick fog with cold winds blowing. Although authorities claimed that the road was cleared near Kufri and Kharapathar, there was hardly any traffic because of slippery condition of the road. Reports said there was heavy snow in the upper reaches Kinnaur, Lahaul-Spiti and Pangi. The Dhauladhars in Kangra district were covered with a thick sheet of snow. The entire tribal belt comprising Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur districts and Pangi valley of Chamba district in Himachal Pradesh had another round of snowfall today, throwing normal life out of gear there. The mercury ranged between —6°C and —15°C at various places in the tribal belt. The authorities issued a fresh warning to residents of avalanche-prone areas in Lahaul-Spiti district not to venture out of their houses as there was a danger of snow avalanches. Bharmour and Tisa areas in Chamba district also had another spell of snowfall during the past 24 hours, intensifying the cold wave there. The 13050-feet-high Rohtang Pass also had heavy snowfall. Reports of snowfall also poured in from Solang nullah, Tundi and the key tourist resort of Manali in Kulu district. The famous tourist resorts of Wildflower Hall, Kufri, Naldehra and Narkanda, in Shimla district, had mild intermittent snowfall today. The 320-km-long Hindustan-Tibet highway remained blocked beyond Narkanda for vehicular traffic for the third consecutive day today due to heavy snowfall. Several roads in upper areas of Shimla district also remained blocked for vehicular traffic due to snowfall. Vehicular traffic from Shimla to Rampur and Kinnaur has been diverted via Basantpur-Dhami. According to reports available here, people groaned under minus 5.7 degrees celsius at Kalpa in Kinnaur district in the wake of heavy snowfall there. Reports of snowfall also poured in from high altitude areas in Jammu and Kashmir, including Kargil, Yashmarg, Khilanmarg, Pahalgam and Gulmarg. Srinagar, where the mercury hovered at the freezing point, registered 0.7 cm snowfall till this morning. The mercury dipped to two degrees celsius at Solan district town, where the weather office recorded 0.5 mm rain till this morning. People reeled under 2.6 degrees celsius at Bhuntar, in the Kulu valley, while Una district town had the low of 5.6 degrees celsius. Chandigarh: Elsewhere in the north-west region, Amritsar continued to be the coldest place in Punjab with the mercury showing 5.3 degrees celsius. In Haryana, Ambala recorded the lowest temperature of 6.1 degrees celsius, one degree below normal. Reports of fog came in
from Amritsar, Halwara, Bathinda, Sirsa, Ambala, Hindon,
Palam and Sarsawa. |
Doctors, medicines sent to
Khalwhan MANDI, Jan 30 — A medical team along with vaccines and medicines was sent to Khalwhan panchayat of Janjehli block today where three children reportedly died of measles and over 100 were down with the disease. A spokesman of the Regional Hospital said the team would negotiate a snow-bound trek of 10 km to reach the cluster of villages affected by measles. In the absence of the Chief Medical Officer, who was away on tour, the spokesman refused to comment on the un-availability of staff in health centres and hospitals in Chachiot valley now under three to five feet of snow. Zila Parishad member Guman
Singh alleged yesterday that health services in the
Chachiot valley were in bad shape in the wake of the
outbreak of measles which was fatal in winter. The health
centres were without staff in the backward valley, he had
alleged. |
Rs 19.74 crore for roads in
HP SHIMLA, Jan 30 — The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has sanctioned Rs 19.74 crore to Himachal Pradesh under the rural infrastructure development fund scheme. According to Mr A.K. Garg, General Manager, Regional Office of NABARD, here, the fund will be utilised for converting 124 km of fair weather road to all weather road and construction of 10 bridges. The improvement of road will provide connectivity to 472 villages, benefiting more than two lakh people and also generate employment. The projects will be
completed by March 2001. NABARD had earlier sanctioned Rs
175.40 crore for 182 irrigation schemes, 25 rural roads,
12 bridges and 12 flood protection schemes. |
Pensioners seek arrears HAMIRPUR, Jan 30 — The HP Pensioners Welfare Association has expressed its resentment over the failure of the state government to release the arrears of pension due from January 1986 to December 1995. Mr B.D. Sharma, president
of the association, said here yesterday that it was
shocking to point out that despite an order of the state
government on August 31, 1998, giving them revised
pension benefits, no action had been taken by the
government to provide them with justice. |
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