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| Saturday, April 29, 2000, Chandigarh, India  
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Haryana’s
IT policy unveiled Sales
tax on vehicles up CM
flags off relief train to Rajasthan Wheat
glut in Haryana mandis Norms
for upgradation of schools AIR
fails to reach out to farmers Martyrs’
kin to get fair price shops Movement
to ‘preserve water’ must |
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| Governor unveils Yaksha’s
statue BIR PIPLI, April 28 — The Haryana Governor, Mr Mahabir Prasad, today unveiled a bronze image of Yaksha called Ratnuk at Bir Pipli on the banks of the Saraswati. With this, the Kurukshetra Development Board (KDB), under the chairmanship of the Governor, restored the sanctity of the sacred land of ‘48 kosa Kurukshetra’. Retired
teachers’ plea to govt
|
Haryana’s IT policy
unveiled CHANDIGARH, April 28 — Mr Om Prakash Chautala is all set to become the next most computer savvy Chief Minister after Mr Chandrababu Naidu, the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister. The ambitious IT policy for Haryana, which was approved at a Cabinet meeting here today, laid down various steps for promoting IT applications in government departments in a big way and also for attracting IT industries to Haryana. The government also decided to develop a world class cyber city over an area of 200 acres. It was also decided that the government would set up hi-tech habitat/ITT complexes at Gurgaon, Panchkula and at other places in the State and it would further promote setting up of software technology parks and IT incubators. On the aspect of IT application in government departments, the new policy laid down a number of important steps. It was decided to introduce smart card based multipurpose citizens’ ID by 2003 to enable people to interact with services, make payments, using it as a voter ID, obtain ration card, passport, driving licence and vehicle registration.The smart card project would be carried out in association with the private sector. It was also decided that all public domain informations like official gazette notifications, Acts, rules, regulations, circulars, policies and programmes would be digitalised and made available for electronic access on the web. State Government departments will establish departmental internets and local area networks for centralised data repository of public domain information for “anytime-anywhere” usage. The Haryana State Wide Area Network (HARNET) is to be established for voice, data and video transmission and dissemination. It will also be utilised for inter-departmental connectivity, video conferencing, file transfer facility, e-mail, on-line application processing, query and response. A portal website of the State to be set up by Hartron by interconnecting website of every department and organisation. The site would be updated regularly. While each department, board and corporation would earmark 5 per cent of its budget for IT applications, the government also decided to set up an IT Initiative Fund with an initial corpus of Rs 10 crore for e-governance with contributions from profit making State PSUs, cooperative societies and other public sector organisations. It was also decided that the government would lay stress on e-commerce and develop Gurgaon as an international e-commerce hub. The private sectors will also be encouraged to set service delivery points like information kiosks, public tele-info centres, interactive voice response systems and Internet community centres. The Cabinet also decided to give the IT industry total exemption from sales tax. There will also be special incentives for projects having investment of Rs 30 crore and above. The Government also decided to set up a separate secretariat for IT headed by the Secretary, Electronics and Information Technology, who would report to the Chief Minister. It was also decided to stress on generation of IT related employment and increase the share of IT in the State’s GDP. The new policy
apparently took into consideration the low level of
computer literacy in Haryana and suggested measures to
gear up the population for the new technology. For
instance, one of the highlights of the new policy was the
government’s decision to implement IT literacy plan
for its employees to achieve cent percent IT literacy by
2002. The policy also laid special emphasis on IT
literacy in schools and colleges, including setting up of
internet clubs for students in all educational
institutions. |
Sales tax on vehicles up CHANDIGARH, April 28 — The Haryana Cabinet, which met here today, under the chairmanship of Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, decided to give ex-post facto approval to the state government guarantee to the Power Department to avail credit facility of Rs 123.60 crore under both fund-based and non-fund based limits from SBP consortium for the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam Limited. The Cabinet also approved the proposal of the Local Government Department to sell six acres land belonging to the municipal council, Jagadhari, to Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam for the installation of 66 KV sub-station at the collector rate of Rs 5.15 lakh per acre. The Cabinet also gave its approval to transfer a piece of land measuring 53 kanal and 8 marla and the trees standing on the land in Sunder Bahadurpur village, Yamunanagar district to the Forest Department for plantation under the Kandi project for soil conservation. The total price of the land and trees has been worked out to about Rs 3.39 lakh. The Cabinet also gave approval to the proposal of the Cooperation Department to stand guarantee of the state government in favour of Central Cooperative Bank, Hisar, for Rs 140 lakh.The Central Cooperative Bank had sanctioned Rs 80 lakh to the Cooperative Sugar Mills, Bhuna, as clean cash credit limit and Rs 60 lakh as cash credit limit against the hypothecation of stores and spares for the session 1999-2000. The Cabinet also decided to exempt certain items from the Haryana local areas development tax. Following the decision, goods moving from one area of the state to another area within the state will be exempted from this levy. This levy of 4 per cent will be imposed only on importers who bring goods for use or consumption. Goods imported for sale would not attract this levy. The small importers who bring goods to a local area of the value not exceeding Rs 10 lakh in a year would also be exempted. The levy would be 4 per cent of the value of imported goods. The tax will be collected by filing of returns to be submitted by every importer monthly or quarterly. Also no barriers or check-posts will be set up for collection of this tax. The Cabinet also decided to raise the floor rate of tax on motor vehicles to 12 per cent. The Cabinet also decided to discontinue 1 per cent concessional rate of tax on ferro alloys under the Central Sales Tax Act, 1956. The Cabinet approved the draft of the Haryana municipal corporation (third amendment) ordinance, 2000, to amend the Haryana Municipal Corporation Act, 1994 by omitting the proviso of sub-section (5) of Section 11 of the Act. The amendment has been made following the judgement of the Supreme Court. It was held that the conclusion which was arrived in Saraswati Devi versus Mrs Shanti Devi and others case did not flow from the language of the relevant provision and it is not consistent with the concept of reservation and does not lay down correct law. The Cabinet also approved the draft of the Haryana municipal corporation (third amendment) ordinance, 2000, to amend the Haryana Municipal Act, 1973. In view of the judgement of the Supreme Court, it has been decided to omit the proviso of sub-section (5) of Section 10 of the Haryana Municipal Act, 1973. At the session of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha is not likely to be summoned in the near future and the matter is of urgent nature, therefore, the Acts have been amended through ordinances. Mr Om Prakash Chautala
today launched the website of state’s information
technology policy — 2000. The site can be accessed
at www.haryanait.com. |
CM flags off relief train
to Rajasthan KARNAL, April 28 — The Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Om Parkash Chautala, today flagged off ‘Haryana Fodder Express’ for Rajasthan from the Karnal railway station. The train comprising 40 wagons carried contribution of fodder by people of Ambala, Karnal, Kurukshetra and Yamunanagar. As many as 13 wagons from Ambala, 12 from Karnal, 10 from Kurukshetra and five other wagons formed one rake exhibiting empathy of the people of Haryana for the drought-affected. Mr Chautala said people of Haryana also took lead in helping the cyclone victims of Orissa last year. He said in order to counter the drought situation in many parts of the country, the Central Government should adopt remedial measures like Central control of rivers. At present the water-level in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Sourashtra had gone down by 5 feet and in Haryana by 1 feet. The State Government has launched a programme on priority for filling of dry ponds and encroachments were being removed from ponds so that these could be utilised providing drinking water to cattle. Replying to a question, Mr Chautala said New Delhi was demanding 125 cusecs of water whereas Haryana was not getting 1300 cusecs of water of its share. Later, while talking to
mediapersons at the Circuit House, Mr Chautala said in
view of the farmers’ pre-occupation with collection
of fodder for the drought-affected areas in the country,
the Haryana Government had extended the date for payment
of electricity arrears free of surcharge from April 30 to
May 15. He also said fresh power connections to 23,000
tubewells whose test reports had already been completed
would be released soon. |
Wheat glut in Haryana mandis KARNAL: Traders in Haryana expect an increase between 10 to 15 per cent of wheat arrivals in the State. The wheat arrivals as yet are slower as compared to the last year. There is glut in the markets of Ladwa, Karnal, Kurukshetra, Pipli, Pehowa, Kaithal, Asandh, Guhla-Cheeka. Mr Ved Prakash Singhal, President of the Grain Merchants Association (Ladwa market), the biggest in Asia, told TNS that the arrivals in Ladwa market were slower because of the whether conditions in this area. The arrivals are likely to pick up within the next couple of days. Mr Singhal stated that till Tuesday 12577 metric tonnes of wheat had been brought to the Ladwa market. Last year, the arrivals on this date totalled 51575 tonnes. This was four times more last year than this year. But the President maintained that the arrivals this year would exceed 15 per cent than last year. Out of the total arrivals in Ladwa, 3277 metric tonnes have been purchased by the D.F.C., 7405 metric tonnes by the HAFED, 1005 metric tonnes by the FCI and 890 metric tonnes by private dealers. Mr Singhal stated that there was problem of lifting of wheat from the market. This was so because this year the 50 kg bags were used instead of last year’s 90 kg. Naturally double the space would be required to fill the bags of wheat. Likewise, more space was required for auction. The situation in the Guhla-Cheeka, Pehowa and Kaithal markets is more acute as far as the space for unloading wheat is concerned. In the Guhla-Cheeka and Pehowa markets, wheat bags for auction are being stacked on roads. Although, the government agencies here are very active in purchasing wheat, but the farmers still have to wait for a couple of days for lack of space. However, the farmers complain that despite the claims made by the government procurement agencies and the district administration, the lifting of wheat by the FCI and HAFED was slow. That was the main reason for the glut in the markets. Farmers also complain that in some markets private traders buy wheat at lower rates by delaying the auction. The rate provided to farmers this year was Rs 580 per quintal as compared to Rs 550 last year. The farmers are upset over the low rates of wheat. They point out that when the Union Government had fixed the price of wheat at Rs 950 per quintal through the Public Distribution System (PDS) why the farmers were being given Rs 580 only for their fresh wheat? Majority of the farmers in the above mentioned markets demanded that the minimum price of wheat should be Rs 650 per quintal. The farmers also complain that big farmers and rich traders were keeping back the stocks and the traders were engaged in storing with a hope that the price of wheat by December would rise up to Rs 900 per quintal. This they point out could be the natural corollary of the PDS wheat being sold at Rs 950 per quintal. Commission agents expressed their anger over the procedural delays by the purchasing agencies. Mr Singhal stated that the commission agents were upset with the new policy of the FCI. Under the new policy, the commission agents were required to submit separate bills for price of wheat paid to the farmers. Commission paid to the commission agents and labour charges. In this way, each one of them is required to submit three separate bills, while in the past, only one composite bill would serve the purpose. Besides, lifting problems the farmers were facing other difficulties also in the grain markets. Mr Phool Singh, a farmer of village Brahan told TNS that there was no drinking water and canteen facilities in the Ladwa market. Furthermore, there was no arrangements for proper parking of tractor trailers. This was also the reason of glut prevailing in the market. He further complained that there was lack of arrangement for toilets. While 8,000 to 10,000 farmers visit the Ladwa Grain Market everyday, only two toilets were available. Mr Suresh Kumar, labour contractor stated that over 5000 labourers worked in the markets at Ladwa. Similar number was working in Karnal grain market. But both the markets lacked in arrangements of toilets and sufficient drinking water for the labourers. He feared that this could lead to the spread of jaundice and hepatitis in the market. He stated although labour rates have been raised by the Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board, yet the labourers were dissatisfied with it. The earning of the Board from Ladwa Market alone was to the tune of Rs 4 crore per year. He was surprised that HAFED had refused to make payment to the auctioneers working in Ladwa market. There were about 35 of them who were annoyed over the decision. The arrivals in Karnal
market was of the order of 266027 metric tonnes. Last
year, the arrivals were 330883 metric tonnes. The daily
arrivals were picking up but the space in the market was
proportionately less for auctioning. |
Norms for upgradation of
schools CHANDIGARH, April 28 — For the first time in the history of the State the Haryana Government has laid down norms for upgradation of schools. According to informed sources, though the Government had been following an informal criteria for upgrading the schools, now the norms have been put in black and white so that there is no confusion about it. The norms would also ensure proper atmosphere for studies in the schools. Only those primary schools would be upgraded to the middle level which would have at least eight class rooms besides one office room and one store room. The building should have one toilet each for boys and girls. The schools in the rural areas should have three acre open space for playgrounds and morning assembly. In the areas within the municipal limits and in the controlled areas the size of the open space should be one acre. The number of students in the primary wing should be at least 1500 and the distance from the nearest school should not be less than 2 km. The drinking water arrangement and the boundary wall should also be there. There should be at least 10 class rooms for upgradation of middle schools to high schools. Besides the office room and a store room, there should be a science laboratory and a library. In case of girls school there should be a home science laboratory also. The open space in the rural areas should be five acre, in the urban areas two acre and in the controlled areas, it should be three acre. Besides one toilet each for the boys and girls, there should be separate rooms for the staff and clerks. The minimum strength in classes from sixth to eighth must be 100. The distance from the nearest highschool should be 4 km. A relaxation of 1 km has been given for the Mewat and Shivalik Development areas. In senior secondary schools there must be 14 classrooms for classes sixth to 12th. There should be separate rooms for the Principal, the office, the staff, store and library. There should be two toilets each for boys and girls. Besides a music room, there should be separate laboratories for physics, chemistry, biology, geography, home science and commerce. The size of the open space has been kept equivalent to that in the high school. For arts and commerce streams the minimum strength in classes ninth and 10th must be 100, while for the science stream it should be150. The distance from the nearest secondary school should not be less than 10 km in the rural areas and 5 km in the urban areas. The Government has also
decided that before finally upgrading a school, a letter
of intent (LOI) will be issued to the panchayat/
municipal committee/ notified area committee under which
the school is located so that the norms can be completed.
The posting of teachers and admission of students will
take place only after the completion of the norms. |
AIR fails to reach out to
farmers KARNAL, April 28 — Farm women and dairy farmers are mostly unaware of the Farm Radio programmes of AIR. On the other hand, the dairy farmers and farmers in general view Krishi Darshan televised by Delhi Doordarshan. These findings are the result of a survey by students of M.Sc. (Extension) and research scholars of Dairy Economics (Statistics) and the Management Division of the National Dairy Research Institute here. A number of farm women expressed the view that training programmes for clean milk production should be organised at the village level. The group of scientists who visited several villages suggested to farm families to extensively use mass communication methods like the radio, transistor,television, newspapers and periodicals to get information on improved farming practices. According to the
Director of the National Dairy Research Institute, Dr
B.N. Mathur, the institute would soon start dairy
extension programmes in adopted villages for propagating
the methodologies for clean milk production and the
hygiene to be absorbed in milk handling. |
Martyrs’ kin to get fair
price shops FATEHABAD, April 28 — The Haryana Government has decided to allot fair price shops to families of martyrs and disabled personnel of the armed forces. Stating this, the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Anil Malik, said the government had taken the decision after the Kargil war. In the matter of
allotting fair price shops, PCO’s and booths at bus
stands the martyr’s families would be given
preference. According to instruction from the Director,
Food and Civil Supplies, Haryana, if no such application
came forward, then after obtaining a certificate from the
Rajya Sainik Board, the same could be allotted to
somebody else as per the rules. |
Movement to ‘preserve
water’ must KURUKSHETRA, April 28 — Between 15 to 20 per cent area in the country is facing a decrease in the water-table. This fact came to light when the Brahmsarovar Artificial Recharge Scheme was dedicated to the nation by the Haryana Governor, Mr Mahabir Prasad, here today. Mr Prasad urged for a “conserve water movement” in the country to preserve sufficient water for both drinking and irrigation purposes. The Governor said that the slogan of “water is life” should be given to the nation during the coming millennium. He expressed concern at the fact that the water level in the districts of Ambala, Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra and Karnal had gone down by 12 metres. There was every likelihood that the state could face a drought like Gujarat and Rajasthan. The Governor suggested that water resources management throughout the country should be under one ministry. The Governor said the district administration should punish those who wasted water. Dr Thakur, Water
Resources Minister, suggested a water conservation policy
at the national level. |
Governor unveils Yaksha’s
statue BIR PIPLI, April 28 — The Haryana Governor, Mr Mahabir Prasad, today unveiled a bronze image of Yaksha called Ratnuk at Bir Pipli on the banks of the Saraswati. With this, the Kurukshetra Development Board (KDB), under the chairmanship of the Governor, restored the sanctity of the sacred land of ‘48 kosa Kurukshetra’. According to Hindu
mythology, the pilgrims visiting Kurukshetra used to
start their pilgrimage from here. The ancient Kurukshetra
land comprised Karnal, Panipat, Jind and Kaithal
districts. According to the Mahabharata, the land between
the Saraswati in the north and Drishadvati in the south,
in an area of 20 ‘yojanas’ i.e. 48
‘kosa’, was known as Kurukshetra. |
Retired teachers’ plea to
govt CHANDIGARH, April 28 — The Haryana College Retired Teachers Association has urged the State Government to expedite the pension scheme to save the retired teachers from a bleak financial future. In a statement issued
here today, Mr D.P. Gupta, convener of the association,
said resentment prevailed among the retired teachers over
the “deliberate” delay in the payment of
provident fund, gratuity and pension. |
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