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| Wednesday, April 19, 2000, Chandigarh, India  
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Panchayati
Raj Bill passed |
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| Follow Punjab pattern: HP medical
officers CHANDIGARH, April 18 — The Himachal Medical Officers Association has urged the Himachal Pradesh Government to follow the Punjab Government pattern and direct the authorities concerned to issue a notification for giving time-bound promotional scales to doctors after four, nine and 14 years of service. 
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Panchayati
Raj Bill passed SHIMLA, April 18 — The Himachal Assembly today passed the State Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Bill amidst walkout by the Opposition Congress in protest against certain provisions to debar those with more than two children from contesting panchayat elections. As soon as Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, the Chief Minister, finished his reply Mr Virbhadra Singh, the Leader of Opposition, was on his legs pointing out that the provision was unconstitutional and infringed upon the fundamental right of the people. He said the Rajasthan High Court judgement which upheld the provisions, quoted by Mr Dhumal was not the final word on the issue which had not been taken to the Supreme Court. He said the panchayati raj institutions derived their authority from the Constitution and the state legislature was not competent to impose such restrictions on the panchayat functionaries and led his group out of the House in protest. Mr Dhumal condemned the walkout and said that the amendment Bill had so many provisions strengthening the panchayati raj institutions, but the Congress members spoke only about the one debarring those with more than two children from contesting election. He said it had become a habit with the Congress to stage walkout on flimsy excuses, they did not come prepared to the House, could not ask supplementaries and did not even properly study the Bills which were circulated well in advance. He said it was strange that the party was opposing the provision which had already been enforced in two Congress ruled states of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh and even upheld by the high court. He said instead of supporting the laudable step to control the population explosion they were raising flimsy objections. He also demanded that elected panchayat members were being victimised on political grounds and urged Mr Virbhadra Singh not to make such generalised allegation and come out with specific cases which would be looked into. Earlier, Mr Virbhadra Singh suggested that the power to suspend and remove a panchayati raj body member should not be vested in government officers and instead an independent quasi-judicial or judicial body should be set up for the purpose. This provision was liable to be misused by any political regime. Mr Kaul Singh said the amendment was against the basic spirit of the Constitution. He said it would not stand scrutiny of the court and would be struck down. The House also passed the Himachal Pradesh Motor Spirit (Taxation of Sale) Bill and the State General Sales Tax (Amendment) Bill. Mr Mohinder Singh, the
PWD Minister, introduced the Himachal Pradesh Tax on
Luxuries (in hotels and lodging houses) Amendment Bill
seeking to charge luxury tax on actual aggregate amount
received by the proprietor. The Bill will simplify
procedures. The hoteliers will now be allowed 30 days to
deposit the luxury tax instead of the existing eight
days. |
Cong panel
to draft charge sheet SHIMLA, April 18 — The Congress party has set up a five-member committee under the chairmanship of Mr Kaul Singh, a sitting MLA, to prepare a “charge sheet” against the “omissions and commissions” of the BJP-HVC combine government headed by Mr P.K. Dhumal. Announcing this at a joint news conference here today, Mr Virbhadra Singh, CLP chief and Mr Sat Mahajan, PCC President, said that the committee will submit its report within a month. Other members of the committee are, Mr Vijay Singh Mankotia, Mr N.C. Parashar, Mr Ram Lal Thakur and Mr Singhi Ram. Mr Virbhadra Singh and Mr Mahajan accused the state government of dancing to the tune of the mafias of forest, liquor, mining and contractors. They alleged that the forest mafia has become active ever since the BJP came to power. About 18 per cent of forest area has been deleted to benefit the mining lobby. The Congress leaders alleged that the law and order has collapsed in the state and the police was not registering cases against the culprits. They pointed out that no action was taken by the police in apprehending the culprits involved in two cases of mass rape in the Taunidevi area which is represented by Mr Dhumal in the Assembly. They alleged that corruption was at its peak in the state and the Chief Minister has either failed to curb it or was protecting the corrupt elements. Mr Virbhadra Singh and Mr Mahajan alleged that the duly elected panchayat pradhans were being harassed by the government and removed from their posts on flimsy and political grounds. Complaints against them should not be handled by officials and a quasi-judicial body should be constituted to hear complaints against them as they were constitutionally elected persons. They alleged that the Dhumal government was only protecting the interests of certain private companies engaged in hydel generation projects at the cost of the state. They warned that all agreements with such companies will be cancelled when the Congress returns to power. They will not be allowed to play with the interests of the state. The two leaders accused the chief minister of behaving arrogantly with members of the Opposition. They accused the BJP Government at the Centre of having increased the prices of goods under the public distribution system which were earlier available to the poor at a subsidised rate. This has hit those living below the poverty line. They said that the
Congress party will not allow the BJP government to
tinker with the Constitution as its review was being done
with nefarious political designs. |
Group to
redeploy HPSEB manpower SHIMLA, April 18 — The Government has constituted a task group to rationalise deployment of manpower in the HP State Electricity Board (HPSEB) on which the monthly salary liability was to the tune of Rs 31.82 crore. This was stated by the Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, in the Vidhan Sabha today in reply to a question of Mr Harsh Mahajan (Congress). Mr Mahajan wanted to know the output of the large manpower which was virtually sitting idle and whose annual salary bill was about Rs 400 crore. Replying to supplimentaries, Mr Dhumal urged all members to rise above party lines on the important issue which involved the interest of the state. While the private parties were planning to curtail the period of execution of the power projects assigned to them, work on those projects being constructed by the HPSEB was lingering on. He said that the task group had so far identified 161 posts of various categories as surplus. Giving details of various categories of posts in the HPSEB, the Chief Minister said that there existed 16 posts of Chief Engineer, 54 posts of superintending engineer, 199 executive engineer and 779 post of assistant engineer. Against the total sanctioned posts of 28,746, as many as 24,826 posts were filled. Replying to another question of Mr Harsh Mahajan (Congress), Mr Dhumal said that the government had taken a serious view of the incidence of deployment of government employees and daily wagers for domestic purposes. Development could be speeded by detaching these employees from domestic help at houses of officers. Mr Mahajan said that at least 2,000 persons were working as domestic help and who were being paid something around Rs 4 crore from the public exchequer. In a written reply to
Mrs Asha Kumari (Congress) the Chief Minister informed
her that 103 flights were undertaken to the tribal areas
by the helicopter of the Mesco Airlines, which had been
hired by the state government. Besides, 143 other flights
were undertaken which include 72 for the Chief Minister,
29 for the Governor and 13 for tourism purpose. |
Prevent
forest fires, officers told SHIMLA, April 18 — Mr Roop Singh, Forest Minister, has ordered the forest officers to remain vigilant to control forest fires during the summers. Mr Roop Singh said here today that the eco-systems of Himachal Pradesh not only supports the life systems of its own area, but also of the adjoining states in the plains. Winter rains for the last two years in Himachal Pradesh were scanty, resulting in a draught-like situation in the state. Keeping in view the ensuing summer season, directions have been issued to the officers of the Forest Department to remain vigilant to control forest fires to avoid any loss to the forest due to fires. Mr Roop Singh said additional central assistance of Rs 5 crore and a tie-up with Australia for training and capacity building were underway. He said out of 35407 km
forest area in the state, 8267 km was prone to fire
incidents. The state government has approached the Centre
to provide more funds to control forest fires. |
Bank staff
observe strike SHIMLA, April 18 — The functioning of various branches of the UCO Bank, the United Bank of India and Indian Bank was paralysed as employees observed a day’s strike today in protest against certain discriminatory clauses in the wage settlement agreement pertaining to their banks. A spokesman for the Bank Employees Federation of India which gave the call for strike, claimed that the strike was complete. He said the federation would not allow the government to browbeat them and impose the Verma Committee Report on them. The striking employees
held a rally at which the speakers condemned the
government’s move to defer implementation of the
wage settlement in the three banks. |
Copter
flights for tribal areas SHIMLA, April 18 — The Himachal Government will resume its scheduled helicopter flights to the snow-bound tribal areas, which were suspended due to grounding of the private helicopter taken on lease by it from the Mesco Airlines. The lone helicopter was grounded on March 31, when its flying permit expired. The airlines could not get the permit renewed in time due to certain objection raised by the Civil Aviation Ministry and the Home Ministry. Mr Ram Lal Markandey, the Rural Development Minister, who belongs to Lahaul-Spiti, camped in Delhi for three days to personally file for the renewal of flying permit.
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Follow
Punjab pattern: HP medical officers CHANDIGARH, April 18 — The Himachal Medical Officers Association has urged the Himachal Pradesh Government to follow the Punjab Government pattern and direct the authorities concerned to issue a notification for giving time-bound promotional scales to doctors after four, nine and 14 years of service. Dr Harmohinder Singh,
general secretary of the association, in a statement here
today said the Punjab Government had issued a
notification and the Himachal Pradesh Government, which
earlier followed the Punjab pattern in all sorts of pay
scales for its employees, should do the same without any
delay. |
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