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H A R Y A N A |  |
 Wednesday, October 20, 1999 |
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Paddy
sale picks up |
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Hooda dares CM to have
snap poll CHANDIGARH, Oct 19 — Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, president of the Haryana Congress, has dared Mr Om Prakash Chautala, Chief Minister to dissolve the Assembly and have immediate elections under President’s rule to test his government’s popularity. Traders
asked to remain united Bansi
Lal flayed for 'anti-Aggarwal' stance
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No
decision
yet on power board : CM HISAR, Oct 19 — The Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, today said the revival of the state electricity board was under consideration and no final decision had been taken so far. He painted a grim picture of the power scenario in the state and said difficult times were ahead as adequate power was not available. Addressing a conference of power employees here, the Chief Minister said the issue of revival of the board, as demanded by the employees, was too complicated a matter to be decided instantly. He criticised former Chief Minister Bansi Lal for increasing the expenses on power without augmenting the generating capacity of a single unit. Mr Chautala said the power bill was passed by the Bansi Lal government without any discussion in the legislature. The entire Opposition was made to stay out at that time. He criticised Mr Bansi Lal for his "dictatorial" approach. He alleged the former Chief Minister humiliated and harassed employees and laid all the blame for the power crisis on them. The Chief Minister opposed the privatisation of power on the plea that if this was done power could not be provided at subsidised rates to farmers who constituted the backbone of the state's economy. The Finance Minister, Prof Sampat Singh, alleged that during the tenure of the Bansi Lal government the entire infrastructure of the power board was destroyed. Despite the tall claims of the Bansi Lal government not a single extra unit of power was produced by the state. He said the power generated by the National Thermal Power Corporation at Faridabad was not for Haryana. The state had to purchase power from the NTPC at high rates. Prof Sampat shared the concern of the employees on power privatisation. He said privatisation had not succeeded in developing countries. Earlier, the employees
submitted a memorandum of demands to the Chief Minister.
The memorandum was read out by the Sarvkaramchari
Mahashangh president, Mr R.C Jagga. |
Paddy sale picks up in Haryana CHANDIGARH, Oct 19 — The paddy market in Haryana has started looking up after the initial slump, which lasted nearly a month. The prices of paddy in various mandis across the state have gone up appreciably over the past one week. The procurement season, which commenced on September 15, began on a sluggish note and most of the farmers were forced to dispose of their produce at prices much below the minimum support price of Rs 520 a quintal announced by the government. In all 25 per cent to 30 per cent of the paddy was sold at rates below the minimum support price. The rates varied from Rs 425 to Rs 519 a quintal. Even the superior quality of paddy fetched only up to Rs 670 a quintal. The main reason for low prices were the preponderance of the PR-103 variety in the arrivals which is being discouraged by the Union Government as it is prone to pin-point damage. However, farmers of the potato belt comprising Shahabad, Kaithal and parts of Karnal have been growing it as it matures early and enables them to have potato crop before the rabi sowing. Besides, the quality of the paddy, which had up to 25 per cent moisture content as against the stipulated 18 per cent, was also not good. However, the situation has started changing over the past one week, particularly after the government relaxed specifications for levy rice and allowed small brokers up to 1 per cent in the overall broken percentage limit of 25 per cent. The sale figures for the week show that the percentage of paddy disposed of below the minimum support price has gradually come down to six from 25. It was as high as 29 per cent, on October 8 and came down to 15 on October 12. Out of the total arrivals of 49,502 tonnes on Saturday, 31,026 tonnes about 63 per cent was purchased by millers at rates ranging from Rs 521 to Rs 865 a quintal and only 3,444 tonnes (6 per cent) was sold off at rates below the minimum support price, ranging from Rs 437 to Rs 519 a quintal. In all the total arrivals during the season have been 8,73,717 tonnes of which 6,76,594 tonnes, over 77 per cent, were purchased by millers and the rest 23 per cent, by government agencies. In comparison to the last procurement season, only 5,64,323 tonnes of paddy had arrived in the market and 5,43,636 tonnes (96 per cent) of it was procured by millers. The government agencies purchased only 4 per cent of it. On an average nearly
50,000 tonnes of paddy is arriving in market daily and
the quantity is likely to go up progressively. According
to Mr H.C. Disodia, Commissioner, Food and Supplies, the
arrivals will be in full swing up to November 15, and in
all about 30 lakh tonnes of paddy was expected. The
percentage of the early maturing PR-103 variety, which is
not accepted by the Union Government, has come down to
negligible levels in the arrivals and the quality of
paddy has also improved. As such the prices will further
improve as the season progresses. Farmers will get
remunerative returns as bulk of the produce, over 70 per
cent, is yet to reach the market. |
Fake drugs flood market ROHTAK, Oct 19 — The racket involving the manufacture and sale of spurious drugs has grown extensively, according to information collected by the drug control authorities in the region in the past one year. While the illegal business flourishes, the Drug Control Department is ill-equipped and short of staff. According to sources, the sale of fake drugs of well-known brands has grown in a big way fake manufacturers have virtually flooded the market with substandard medicines, especially life-saving drugs. Drugs used for saving lives at times prove fatal. The sources reveal that there are several hundred persons in Rohtak district alone engaged in the illegal trade of drugs between Delhi and Rohtak. Recently, the authorities caught two persons with fake drugs and medicines worth Rs 50,000 at the railway station here. It is reported that a majority of drugs are purchased from Bhagirath Place in Delhi which is reported to be one of the biggest markets of medicine in Asia, where all kinds of drugs are easily available. The drug officials here also caught an employee of the PGIMS here for taking medicines of the institute for sale in the open market at Delhi. It is learnt that medicines brought by regular train passengers not only cost retailers less but they are also able to evade sales tax. According to experts, several brands are not properly certified and may be fake. There are about 400 to 500 drug manufacturers in Faridabad, Gurgaon, Gaziabad, Bahadurgarh, Kundli and Sonepat. Recently a factory was unearthed which manufactured and sold drugs without any licence at Bahadurgarh. Such cases have also been reported from Okhla in Delhi, Jhajjar district, Sonepat, Karnal, Jind and Rohtak in the past couple of years. The authorities feel if the department is well staffed and equipped, more cases can be unearthed. It is learnt that the facility of computerised printing and publishing technology has facilitated the production of fake labels and wrappers of well-known companies. According to the sources, while the number of wholesalers and retailers have been steadily growing the strength of drug inspectors has been static for the past several years. There are only 17 drug
inspectors in the state at present. The demand for
freeing the department from the control of the Chief
Medical Officer has also been growing for better
administration. |
Hooda dares CM to have snap
poll CHANDIGARH, Oct 19 — Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, president of the Haryana Congress, has dared Mr Om Prakash Chautala, Chief Minister to dissolve the Assembly and have immediate elections under President’s rule to test his government’s popularity. In a statement here today, he said the Congress was fully geared up for a snap Assembly poll. Mr Chautala, he said, should not remain under the false impression that the INLD-BJP alliance would be able to repeat its performance of the Lok Sabha poll in the Assembly elections. The people of the state would not be misled by the populist announcements of the Chief Minister and he would come to know about his popularity only after the mid-term Assembly poll. Accusing Mr Chautala of exploiting the farmers, the state Congress president said that the Chief Minister had been adopting double standards and playing politics with them. Last April when the Vajpayee Government raised the prices of essential goods, Mr Chautala withdrew support to the government but later he changed his decision without any cause. Now when the price of diesel had been increased, he had not made his stand clear whether or not he would continue to support the government. Expressing concern over
the deteriorating law and order situation, Mr Hooda urged
the Chief Minister to take effective steps to tone up the
administration. |
Traders asked to remain united SONEPAT, Oct 19 — Former Education Minister and the leader of the BJP Legislature Party in Haryana Ram Bilas Sharma has appealed to the traders to remain united and continue their struggle in support of their long-standing demands. Addressing a district-level convention of the traders here last evening, he said the problems of the traders could only be removed if they remained united. He hailed the decision of the present government for abolishing the octroi. He said the INLD supremo and the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, had fulfilled the promise made to the traders by the BJP before the assembly elections by making the announcement to abolish the octroi. Mr Sharma stated that the state government was contemplating to decrease the market levy and rate of other taxes so that these should be at par with the neighbouring states. He also stated that a delegation of trading community would meet Mr Chautala to present a charter of demands. He blamed former Chief Minister Bansi Lal for landing the state into a financial crisis. Mr Kishan Singh Sangwan,
BJP MLA, Mr Arun Aggarwal, president of the district
Beopar Mandal and Mr Devi Dass, president of district
BJP, also addressed the convention. |
‘Try Bansi Lal for
treason’ HISAR, Oct 19 — Barely three months after parting ways with Mr Bansi Lal, the former Power Minister in his government, Mr Jaswant Singh, has accused him of being "anti -national and corrupt" who should be "tried for treason". Addressing a conference of power employees here today, Mr Jaswant Singh alleged that Mr Bansi Lal had "sold out national interests" to foreign companies. He alleged that Mr Bansi Lal and his family earned "crores of rupees" as commission from these private companies. The Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala was also present at the conference. The former Power Minister claimed that, the had to resign from the government as he refused to become party to all this. He said, he will write all these details in a book in near future. He claimed that, Mr Bansi Lal kept him in the dark about such deals, despite his being the Minister for Power at that time. Mr Jaswant Singh had
tendered his resignation from the post of Power Minister
following some differences with Mr Bansi Lal. |
Bansi Lal flayed for
'anti-Aggarwal' stance AMBALA, Oct 19 — Mr R.S. Chaudhry, Deputy Chairman, State Planning Board, Haryana, has criticised the former Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, for his "anti-Aggarwal Samaj" attitude during his regime. He was speaking in a function organised by the Aggarwal Sabha, Ambala Cantonment, last evening. He said Mr Devi Lal, former Prime Minister, had granted 300 acres of land for the construction of Agroha Medical College on the lease of Rs 1 only. But when Mr Bansi Lal took over the reigns of the state government he discontinued the regular grant to the college. Former Chief Minister, Bhajan Lal was equally responsible for stopping grant to the medical college, he alleged. Criticising the former MP, Mr O.P. Jindal, Mr Chaudhry said in the last election, Mr Jindal had begged votes from the Aggarwal Samaj for Bansi Lal, but when Bansi Lal announced the stopping of grant to the medical college, Mr Jindal did not even protest against it. Latter, talking to mediapersons, he said the result of the Lok Sabha elections had indicated that the voters had expressed their confidence in Mr Chautala. Replying to a question
he said the Congress had been misguiding farmers
regarding the purchase of paddy by the government
agencies. He alleged that the Congress had always
exploited the farmers for their political interests. |
HAU to host vets’
conference HISAR, Oct 19 — CCS Haryana Agricultural University (HAU) will host the 19th annual conference of the Indian Association of Veterinary Microbiologists, Immunologists and Specialists in infectious diseases from October 22. Scientists from all over the country, including directors of animal husbandry, from various states are scheduled to attend it. According to Dr D.P.
Monga, organising secretary of the conference, Dr C.M.
Singh, president of the Indian Veterinary Council, will
be the chief guest, while Vice-Chancellor Vinay Kumar
will preside over the inaugural function. |
Bus fares hiked in Haryana? SONEPAT, Oct 19 — The Haryana Roadways has reportedly increased bus fares by 30 per cent for its Delhi-bound buses with immediate effect. However, no official announcement in this regard has been made by the state government. According to official sources, the hike would be applicable on the buses bound for Delhi, UP, and Punjab as this has been necessitated to the 35 per cent hike in the diesel price by the central government. However, fares on the buses plying within the state would remain unchanged. Meanwhile, owners of
private as well as the Haryana state-cooperative
transport committee buses have already started charging
of enhanced fares from the passengers. |
Power unit commissioned FARIDABAD, Oct 19 — The second 143 MW unit of the gas-based power plant of the National Thermal Power Corporation coming up at Mujedi near here started generating power last night. The first 143 MW unit which started functioning in June is working at 90 per cent plant load factor. Mr K.B. Dubey, Additional General Manager of the project told TNS today that the first unit was supplying 30 to 35 lakh units daily to the Haryana grid. He said the second unit would require 10 days for optimisation and setting of the equipment before it started round the clock generation. Yesterday it supplied 120 MW to the Haryana grid. Mr Dubey was confident that the third unit which worked on steam would be commissioned much ahead of the scheduled date of January 2001. The power generated at
the Mujedi project would be made available to Haryana. |
Haryana to impose 4-hour power
cut CHANDIGARH, Oct 19 — The Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam has decided to impose a power cut in the state following the refusal of the Power Grid Corporation to allow overdrawals from the northern grid. The state had been drawing to 40 lakh to 50 lakh units in excess from the grid daily due to meet its requirements. The grid corporation made it clear that it would not allow the overloading of grid by excess drawals as it could lead to the grid failure. According to sources in the Nigam, a four-hour daily cut — one hour each in the morning and the evening and two hours in the afternoon — will be imposed on the domestic consumers. The cut will be
effective in a day or two. |
Promotee officers seek parity AMBALA, Oct 19 — Resentment prevails among the promotee officers of the Railways due to disparity in the pay scales of directly recruited assistant officers and promotee officers working on the same post by the railway authorities. Mr Ashok Sharma, divisional president of the Northern Railway Promotee Officers Association, said here today that this disparity encouraged inadequate career planning for promotee officers, thus depriving them from retirement benefits, status and loss in the seniority. He said that an urgent
meeting of the executive of the association would be held
on October 21 at Ambala Cantt to discuss the future line
of action. |
Three held for robberies ROHTAK, Oct 19 — With the arrest of three persons yesterday, the district police claims to have busted an inter-state gang of vehicles thieves. According to police sources, a police party stopped a car ( DL 5C-6979) at the Jind bypass and took its three occupants into custody for interrogation. The car was found to be stolen from Uttam Nagar, Delhi. The police found three countrymade pistols, a mouser and five live cartridges from their possession. During interrogation,
the three are said to have confessed to a robbery of Rs
1,15,000 at gunpoint at Gohana (Sonepat) in February,
1998, of Rs 2,50,000 at Bapoli village in Uttar Pradesh
in May, 1998, Rs 6 lakh from car borne persons near
Panipat in December last. |
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