38.73 crore set for state plan schemes
SHIMLA, March 5 — The Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, presented supplementary demands amounting Rs 286.28 crore in the Vidhan Sabha today.

Sukh Ram 'blackmailing' government
SHIMLA, March 5 — Mr Kaul Singh, a Congress leader today accused the HVC leader, Mr Sukh Ram of "blackmailing" the BJP government for his personal gains.

Negligence costs students dear
DHARAMSALA, March 5 — The plus two students of the local Government Girls Senior Secondary School, had to face great problem as a result of negligence on the part of the school authorities.

BJP's bid to observe black day fails
HAMIRPUR, March 5 — The BJP failed to organise black day in Hamirpur district today. It was exactly one year ago that people of the lower hill areas of the state were maltreated and their vehicles were damaged at Shimla.

Coalition government strong: HVC
UNA, March 5 — The HVC general secretary, Mr O.P. Rattan, has said the HVC-BJP coalition is strong and the government will last for full five years.

Dhumal presents supplementary demands
38.73 crore set for state plan schemes
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, March 5 — The Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, presented supplementary demands amounting Rs 286.28 crore in the Vidhan Sabha today.

He said in the demands, a provision for Rs 38.73 crore had been made for state Plan schemes. Out of this, Rs 4.60 crore had been provided for the construction of residential buildings, Rs 5 crore for the maintenance and wages to daily wage earners and payment of arrears to the work-charged staff.

Additionally, Rs 10 crore had been kept for new drinking water supply schemes and maintenance of functional schemes and Rs 6.88 crore had been kept for the construction of roads and bridges in the tribal areas.

A sum of Rs 55.44 crore was being provided to regulate expenditure under various centrally sponsored schemes, out of which Rs 2.39 crore had been provided for the soil conservation schemes, Rs 1 crore for the integrated dairy project and Rs 17.82 crore for central transport subsidy to industries located in Himachal Pradesh. In addition, Rs 19.76 crore had been provided for the accelerated rural water supply schemes.

The supplementary demands for the non-Plan expenditure had been fixed at Rs 192.11 crore. Out of this Rs 108.23 crore had been provided for the payment of arrears on account of the revision of pay scales. A sum of Rs 32.53 crore had been provided to the Irrigation and Public Health and Rs 33.12 crore to the Public Works Department for the maintenance of irrigation and water supply schemes, roads and bridges and the payment of wages to daily wages earners and arrears to the work-charged staff.

A sum of Rs 2.04 crore had been kept under the Passenger Accident Insurance Scheme. The HP Contingency Fund Act, 1971, was amended in the last assembly session in which the limit of the fund was enhanced from Rs 1 crore to Rs 5 crore. To meet this expenditure, Rs 4 crore had been provided. In addition to the above the rest pertained to different demands on account of meeting committed expenditure, court, decrees, medical reimbursement etc, he added.

Earlier during question hour, Mr Dhumal announced that Indian Airlines will start a Dornier flight between here and Kulu on March 12. The Union Civil Aviation Minister will come in the inaugural flight.

He was replying to supplementaries pertaining to a question tabled by Mr Kaul Singh (Congress).

The Chief Minister said four helipads were being constructed at Satrundi, Bhanjararoo, Khundi Mural and Khundi in Chamba district to keep a vigil in the areas which were close to the terrorist-manifested parts of Jammu and Kashmir. The Centre had decided to reimburse the cost of eight hours per month on aerial reccee in these areas.

He said Banikhet in Chamba did not qualify for the construction of an airport because the civil aviation policy did not allow the construction of an airstrip within an aerial distance of 150 km from another airfield. Gaggal airport in Kangra was about 55 km away from Banikhet.

Mrs Asha Kumari (Cong) urged that the condition should be relaxed for Chamba because of abnormal situation.

Mr Dhumal said the grant of Rs 30 crore provided by the Planning Commission for the construction of airports at Banikhet and Rangrik in Spiti had been sought to be diverted for the improvement of the three existing airstrips to enable larger aircrafts to land there.

The Chief Minister said instructions regarding engaging daily wage earners for only 15 days were being withdrawn. He was replying to a supplementary of Mr Ram Lal Thakur (Cong). The main question regarding the regularisation of daily wage earners was tabled by Mr Harsh Mahajan and Mr Raghu Raj (both Congress).

The Chief Minister said the services of 2492 daily wage earners had been regularised in various departments and government undertakings since March 1998. As many as 5351 daily wage earners who had completed 10 hears of service were awaiting regularisation. The PWD and IPH Department had proposed the regularisation of the services of 4633 daily wage earners, which would be approved in due course.

Answering a question of Mr Harsh Mahajan (Cong), Mr Dhumal told the House that 72 vigilance cases, 11 against gazetted officers and 61 against non-gazetted employees of the HPSEB, were pending. These cases related to the period between 1989 and 1999. Steps were being taken to decide these cases as early as possible.

Besides, the board accorded 335 prosecution sanctions between 1987 and 1998.

Sukh Ram 'blackmailing' government
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, March 5 — Mr Kaul Singh, a Congress leader today accused the HVC leader, Mr Sukh Ram of "blackmailing" the BJP government for his personal gains.

Mr Kaul Singh was speaking on the motion of thanks on the Governor's Address in the Vidhan Sabha today. The motion of thanks was moved by Mr Sukh Ram.

Mr Kaul Singh asked Mr Dhumal not to succumb to the "blackmailing" tactics of Mr Sukh Ram who was taking care of his personal interests only.

Noisy scenes were witnessed during the debate in which Mr Sukh Ram (HVC), Mr Kaul Singh (Cong) and Mrs Sarveen Chaudhary and Mr Jai Kishan (BJP) spoke.

Mr Kaul Singh said a peculiar situation had arisen with two ministers, Mr Mansa Ram and Mr Prakash Chaudhary, issuing a statement that they were members of the HVC and had nothing to do with the BJP.

There were wordy clashes between Congress members and the Treasury Benches consisting of the BJP and the HVC during the debate. The Speaker, Thakur Gulab Singh, expunged certain remarks.

The first verbal duel, was witnessed when Mr Sukh Ram made certain remarks against Mr Virbhadra Singh and a central party leader of the Congress, whom he accused of having got a CBI case cooked up against him.

Mr Sukh Ram faced an angry Mr Kaul Singh when he remarked that the latter had the biggest house in Mandi.

Mr Kaul Singh reacted to the remark and said he had not constructed the house by corrupt means. "A sum of about Rs 4 crore was seized by the CBI from the residence of Mr Sukh Ram and not my", house. Mr Sukh Ram said the allegations were yet to be proved in the court.

Mr Kaul Singh offered to resign his assembly seat if any instance of misuse of power was proved against him.

Thakur Ram Lal, Mrs Viplove Thakur and Mrs Asha Kumari (all Cong) took exception to certain remarks against the Congress members by Mrs Sarveen Chaudhary (BJP during her speech.

There was pandemonium again when reacting to certain remarks of Mr Kaul Singh, Mr Ramesh Chaudhary, Irrigation Minister, alleged that he had signed an affidavit regarding his support to the Congress under threat and pressure.

During the debate, Mr Kaul Singh said instead of listing the achievements of the BJP-HVC combine government, Mr Sukh Ram highlighted only his own contributions during the period when he was a minister at the Centre.

He said that the foundation of the Dhumal government was on certain people who were facing corruption cases in the CBI and various courts.

Mr Kaul Singh said the Dhumal government was surviving with the support of Mr Sukh Ram whose dismissal was sought by the BJP following the registration of CBI cases against him. The BJP did not allow the functioning of Parliament for 13 days and the state assembly for three days.

Mr Kaul Singh alleged that a musical fountain was being constructed by the government outside the hotel of the son of Mr Sukh Ram. The fountain was being constructed in an open space which was earmarked for parking of vehicles.

He said about 100 bighas of land was under the illegal occupation of Mr Sukh Ram and his relatives at Mandi. The issue was raised in the assembly sometime ago.

Mr Kaul Singh said that the law and order situation was deteriorating and attacks on members of the weaker sections had increased. There was a spate of thefts and even the Deputy Commissioner of Kulu was not spared as his official residence too was burgled.

He said while supporting the Congress Government, Mr Ramesh Chaudhary, Irrigation Minister, had filed an affidavit in the high court saying that his personal liberty was not jeopardised by the Congress Government.

Mr Ramesh Chaudhary reacted by claiming that he had signed the affidavit under pressure. He alleged that a Congress MLA, Mr Harsh Mahajan, smashed the windowpanes of his jeep. A sum of Rs 8500 was paid by the Congress leader for repairs of his vehicle, he added.

This was followed by pandemonium with wordy duels between the Treasury Benches and the Congress members.

Earlier, initiating the debate, Mr Sukh Ram said democracy had been restored with the coming of the BJP-HVC combine government to power. The democratic institutions were under a threat during the Congress regime. Elected legislators had to seek protection in Punjab and Haryana as the Himachal police was after them.

He said the financial crisis being faced by the present government was due to the wrong policies of Mr Virbhadra Singh who was in power for 11 years.

Mr Sukh Ram said that the Congress had no moral right to speak against the power hike as during their own rule they did nothing for tapping the power potential in the state and provide cheap power to the people.

He said Mr Virbhadra Singh could not get even a single project sanctioned for the state when he was a minister at the Centre.

He alleged that undue benefits were doled out to a cement factory by declaring it a prestigious unit during the Congress regime.

Mr Sukh Ram demanded an inquiry into the benefits doled out to the cement unit and also the khair wood scandal during the Congress regime.

He said that the support of HVC to the BJP government would continue and no one would be allowed to spoil relations between the two parties.

All set for Shimla Queen contest
From Rakesh Lohumi
Tribune News Service

SHILON BAGH (Shimla), March 5 — This picturesque tourist resort is all spruced up for the grand finale of the Shimla Queen contest, which will mark the revival of the beauty pageant in the queen of hills after a lapse of 15 years, here tomorrow.

Spread over 40 acres in the heart of a thick forest, which was once the "shikargah" of the Maharaja of Patiala, Shilon Resorts provides ideal locale for the beauty pageant. The stage has been set in the open on the edge of the golf practice ground with the snow-clad Kinner Kailash and Churdhar in the backdrop. The architecture of the buildings, a cluster of cottages, blends well with the predominantly bucolic setting.

In all, 18 girls from all over the country have been shortlisted for the finals after preliminary rounds held at Delhi, Chandigarh and Shimla. Sulakshna of the local St Bedes College has been the lone finalist from Shimla. The beauties who arrived here early this week are going through the sub-contests for the selection of Miss Beautiful Body, Miss Photogenic, Miss Beautiful Hair, Miss Cat-Walk, Miss Beautiful Eyes and Miss Beautiful Smile.

There will be four rounds in the final. In each round five participants will be eliminated. Shimla Queen will be selected from among the five girls who reach the final round.

The glittering show will be compered by Nafisa and Nikhil, well-known MTV VJs, along with Pallab Bose. Famous dance goups of Ronica Jacob and Shivani will entertain the audience in between the rounds.

Mr H. Ghai, Director of UG Hotels, who owns Shilon Resorts, said the most modern sound equipment, specially imported for the Pepsi Cola advertisement featuring Daler Mehndi, was being used for the event. The main purpose of reviving the contest was to provide much needed fillip to tourism related activities during the lean season. The entire event would cost around Rs 35 lakh. The amount has been raised through sponsorship.

Famous personalities from the world of fashion and entertainment, including J.J. Valaya, Anna Singh and Priyanka Singh, all fashion designers, Anil Maitre, Editor of "Aand M magazine, and actor Puru Rajkumar will be among the 10-member panel of judges.

Monica, Neha, Jonita, Jaisica, Shivani, Nafisa, Shatabdi, Sonia, Hitika, Dimple, Indy, Sankriti and Sulakhshna are among those who have been able to make it to the final.

The Shimla Queen contest, which was started in the early 1930s by the British, remained confined to the elite class for long. It was a coveted title which enabled many girls like Poonam Dhillon, Sonu Walia, Priya Rajvansh, Sadhna and Kalpana Kartik to enter the film world. The pageant was, however, discontinued in the mid-80s. Its revival has thus generated much interest among the local people, particularly the youth, who are eagerly awaiting the event.

Negligence costs students dear
Tribune News Service

DHARAMSALA, March 5 — The plus two students of the local Government Girls Senior Secondary School, had to face great problem as a result of negligence on the part of the school authorities.

According to the students, during the maths examination they were provided with extra sheets from the school itself. When the school staff realised they had to give sheets of the school education board, 45 minutes had already elapsed. The students were then asked to copy the answers on sheets provided by the board.

The students complained that for fault of theirs they wasted 45 minutes and on top of that they were merely given five minutes extra. They demanded they should be given grace marks by the board as they could not complete their answers in time as a result of negligence on the part of the staff on duty.

BJP's bid to observe black day fails
From Our Correspondent

HAMIRPUR, March 5 — The BJP failed to organise black day in Hamirpur district today. It was exactly one year ago that people of the lower hill areas of the state were maltreated and their vehicles were damaged at Shimla.

However, the district unit of the BJP came out with a hand out blaming the Congress party for the incident. The party warned the people against the Congress party and criticised it for its anti-people role.

The party claimed that its government in the state was working for the well-being of the people and for equal and balanced development of the state.

Coalition government strong:HVC
From Our Correspondent

UNA, March 5 — The HVC general secretary, Mr O.P. Rattan, has said the HVC-BJP coalition is strong and the government will last for full five years. Referring to the statements of ministers Parkash Chaudhary and Mansa Ram regarding their not joining the BJP, Mr Rattan said it did not matter whether the ministers belonged to the HVC or the BJP. Their support to the government would continue till the BJP continued to recognise and respect the policies of the HVC.

Addressing mediapersons here today, Mr Rattan clarified the statements of the two ministers should not be treated as attempts of the HVC to destabilies or blackmail the government.

Mr Rattan said the walkout of the Congress legislators from the Vidhan Sabha after the Governor's address was totally unjustified. He said it was in fact the previous Congress government which had recommended the increase in electricity rates. The present government had only imposed the recommendation from September 1998.

Referring to the Congress walkout over the law and order position in the state, Mr Rattan lashed out at Mr Virbhadra Singh. Saying that during the dictational regime of the Congress their MLAs were beaten up in public and were thrown out of the Vidhan Sabha. They were not allowed to address the public from the Congress dais. He asked Mr Virbhadra Singh whether he wanted to bring back that kind of law and order" in the state.