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| Monday, January 3, 2000, Chandigarh, India  
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3 watershed projects to be launched Hike in levy sugar quota hailed Khalsa tercentenary competition |
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Virbhadra denounces hijackers' release JAHOO (Hamirpur), Jan 2 — A former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister and senior Congress leader, Mr Virbhadra Singh, has denounced the action of the Central Government in dealing with the hijacking of the Indian Airlines plane. Way the Government acted and released the three militants proved that it was most inefficient government, the nation has ever had since independence. Talking to mediapersons here this afternoon, the former Chief Minister said the release of hardcore militants would again invite trouble for India. The government showed its incompetence to deal with sensitive issues. There were many other options which could have been tried but the inapt handling of issue right from its hijacking multiplied the problems and India had to surrender, he added. He demanded fixation of responsibility on erring persons, including those, who failed to tackle the issue once the plane was hijacked and taken to Kandhar from Amritsar. He alleged that Pakistan was to be blamed for the whole episode as the hijackers were its national. He took the government to task for the poor fiscal health of the state. Despite tall claims that the government had received Rs 7 crore from the Central Government, development works in the state had come to a standstill and BJP leaders and workers were busy looting the state exchequer. The BJP government had so far managed loans worth Rs 1,200 crore from various organisations, and talks were still on to get loans worth Rs 600 crore, he added. The ex-Chief Minister demanded a CBI probe into the cold bitumen scam. He said the report of the Divisional Commissioner should be made public. He enquired why PWD divisions of Dharampur and Sarkaghat in Mandi and Tounidevi of the district had not been covered under the purview of the inquiry. He said despite the suspension and arrest of the Chief Engineer of the Central zone (Mandi) the work was still going on in Tounidevi and Dharampur divisions with the same material. Either the government was shielding corrupt officers, or it was hand in gloves with the corrupt elements, he added. He also demanded an inquiry by a sitting judge of the Himachal Pradesh High Court into the reports submitted by the Shukla Committee, the Harsh Gupta Committee as well as employments given by the BJP government during its tenure. He alleged that pick and chose method was adopted in granting employments and claims of genuine persons was ignored. He denied any change in the organizational set up of the state Congress. Party elections were round the corner and hence there was no question of any change in the leadership, he added. The ex-Chief Minister also expressed concern over the prevailing drought condition in various parts of the state. |
3 watershed projects to be launched BILASPUR, Jan 2 — Three watershed projects are being launched in Jhandotta development block of this district and a sum of Rs 15 lakh will be spent on these projects till March 31. Addressing mediapersons here today, the Minister of State for Cooperatives, Mr Rikhiram Kondal, said these projects would be launched at Jaddu Gulzar, Badgaon Galu and Auhar panchayat areas. He said 51 school rooms are being constructed under 'Sarswati Bal-Vidya Sankalap Yojna" and 37 schemes were being implemented under the assured employment programme. Sixteen schemes under "Vikas Men Jan Sahyog" are underway, while 22 projects with the help of MP area development funds were under construction and Rs 2 crore will be spent on these projects, he added. The minister warned officers concerned that slackness in work would not be tolerated and strict action would be taken if these projects were not implemented within stipulated time. He urged elected representatives of panchayats and other such voluntary bodies to ensure quality of projects being constructed under their jurisdiction and to take care of development works being implemented by other departments and report the matter to the government regarding any irregularities. He reminded them of their duties for which they were elected by the people. |
Hike in levy sugar quota hailed SHIMLA, Jan 2 — The state unit of the BJP has hailed the decision of the Centre to increase the levy sugar quota of hill states from 425 gram to 700 gram per head per month. Mr Khushi Ram Balnatah, General Secretary, appreciated the government decision to increase import duty on sugar from 27 to 40 per cent. It would discourage imports which in turn help farmers in getting better price for their produce. He congratulated the Union Minister for Consumer Affairs and Civil Supplies, Mr Shanta Kumar, for taking important policy decision for the benefit of the hill farmers. The demand to increase sugar quota was being made for over a decade but the successive Congress governments had failed to fulfil it. |
Khalsa tercentenary competition SHIMLA, Jan 2 — Guarav, a plus 2 student of Chand Public School, Palampur, has won the first position in the state-level Khalsa Panth ter-centenary general knowledge competition organised by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad on October 17 last. Vasu Keshav Sharma of St Paul's school, Palampur, got the second position and Jagriti Sharma of government Senior Secondary School, Bhangrotu, came third in the competition in which more than 11,500 students participated. First, second and third prizes were also given for each district. The winners will be given cash prizes ranging from Rs 120 to Rs 2,100, besides a memento and citation. |
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