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| Thursday, December 14, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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Loans to ’84 riot
victims written off: Ramoowalia Sawaal Dus Crore Ka goes off the air Permit to enter NE states likely North India in Parliament |
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Power requirement
of UT reviewed Reduce operational
risks: Tipnis Ogden’s no to funding Maheshwar project UK visas now in
Jalandhar also Uttaranchal faces medical staff shortage Few takers for police theory on murder
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Loans to ’84 riot
victims written off: Ramoowalia NEW DELHI, Dec 13 — In a statement today, Mr B.S. Ramoowalia, MP and President of Lok Bhalai Party, said the Centre had reaffirmed that it had written-off loans granted to victims of the 1984 riots by banks/financial institutions up to the limit of Rs 50,000 together with outstanding interest in respect of individuals as well as industrial units. This was stated in Parliament by the Union Minister of State for Finance, Mr Bala Sahib Vikhey Patil, in reply to a question. The Minister said with a view to providing relief to the victims of the 1984 riots who availed loans from banks/financial institutions, instructions were circulated by the government in 1997 to all scheduled commercial banks/financial institutions to write-off the aggregate of all eligible loans up to and inclusive of Rs 50,000 as principal granted on November 1, 1984, or afterwards, together with outstanding interest. The loan limit of Rs 50,000 was applicable for all categories of eligible borrowers, including individuals as well as industrial units, the statement said. |
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Sawaal Dus Crore Ka goes off the air NEW DELHI, Dec 13 (UNI) — After a somewhat inglorious run of just over two months during which it failed to break the popularity of “Kaun Banega Crorepati’ on Star
TV, the Zee TV programme “Sawaal Dus Crore Ka” is being taken off and will be brought back in a new format early next year. Chief Executive Officer R. K. Singh said the aim of the programme would be to make it easier for more people to participate and get awards in a speedier format. In a lengthy statement, Company Spokesperson Sainath S. Iyer said the termination of the anchor persons did not mean any reflection on their individual versatility, standing and stature. He, however, regretted that their individual ego should have marred and impaired the programme. On the other hand, Mr Sainath has exonerated director Gajendra Singh of any blame. But the ouster of Anupam Kher and demure Manisha Koirala has left a bad taste in the mouth. Anupam has gone to court to get the Rs 4 crore that he had been promised by the zee
TV for the whole year, which is understood to have paid him only Rs 1 crore so far. But, Manisha was luckier, as she is reported to have collected her Rs 5 crore fee (which was meant to be for a full year). Meanwhile, the telephone numbers of “Kaun Banega Crorepati” and the “Jab Khale Sabe Khelo” on Sri Adhikari brothers’
SAB TV have been changed by Dialnet Communications which handles this work. The “Kaun Banega Crorepati” numbers have changed from 9392888 to 9372888 and of the
SABe TV programme from 9392777 to 9372777. This follows a decision by Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited to change all
TV show programme numbers to the 937 level. The SABe TV has also tied up with Contests2Win so that participants do not have to grapple with telephone lines and can send entries through the Contests2Win.com and sabetv.com. The system has been configured to issue millions of tickets per week, thus becoming the first internet-based coupon/ticket contest. |
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Permit to enter NE states likely CALCUTTA, Dec 13 — The Centre proposes to reintroduce special entry permit in the vulnerable areas of the north-eastern states and the adjoining Darjeeling and Sikkim to restrict the free movement of the people in the region. The step has been planned in the wake of recent spurts in insurgency with the involvement of ISI and other external forces which want to destroy the unity and integrity of the country. This restriction had been imposed in the area soon after the Chinese aggression in 1962 and for some time past, both foreigners as well as Indians (in some cases) had to obtain inner-line permit from the Home Ministry for entering certain areas in border states like Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Sikkim and West Bengal’s hills of Darjeeling. A recent series of incidents of subversive activities by various militant groups in Assam, Tripura, Nagaland, Mizoram and elsewhere, forced the union Home Ministry to introduce reimposition of entry permit, particularly, to foreigners for entering certain places in the area. The proposal was discussed at the meeting of the MPs Consultative Committee in New Delhi recently as well as Mr L.K. Advani’s meeting with the Chief Minister, Mr Prafulla Kumar Mahanta (Assam) and Mr Manick Sarker (Tripura) separately after a massacre by the insurgent groups like ULFA and TTVF with the involvement of the ISI in their states. |
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North India in Parliament NEW DELHI, Dec 13 —No health centre is in position in the Union Territory of Chandigarh, while two polyclinics and 29 dispensaries are functioning there, the Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Mr A. Raja, informed the Lok Sabha today. While the expenditure on polyclinics set up by the UT during 1999-2000 was Rs 59.60 lakh, it had spent Rs 348.49 lakh on dispensaries, the minister said in a written reply to a question from Mr Pawan Kumar
Bansal. Primary health centres: The Centre has paid a total of Rs 529.58 lakh by way of loan and grant for the first six months in the current financial year to the Himachal Pradesh Government as additional central assistance for primary health component under the Pradhan Mantri Gramodaya Yojna (PMGY), the Minister of state for Health and Family Welfare, Mr A. Raja, informed the Lower House. While Jammu and Kashmir had been given Rs 1,286.85 lakh, Punjab had been extended Rs 303.00 lakh, he said. Primary health centres were established and maintained by the respective state governments out of the funds provided by the Planning Commission under state sector health budgets and funds for basic minimum services which included primary healthcare, the minister said. However, under the PMGY which had been launched during the current financial year, a provision had been made as additional central assistance for strengthening the primary healthcare facilities, he said, adding that a sum of Rs 185 crore had been released to various states for the
purpose. Pregnancy-related deaths: There were 103 pregnancy-related deaths in Haryana in 1998 as compared 105 maternal mortality rate (MMR) in 1997, Mr Raja informed the Lok Sabha. Punjab recorded 199 MMR in 1998 as compared to 196 in 1997, he said in a written reply to a question from Mr Ramanaidu Daggubati. The major causes of maternal mortality were
haemorrhage, puerperal complications, obstructed labour, abortion, toxemia of pregnancy and anaemia, the minister said. Other factors that influenced maternal mortality were socio-economic status of women, low level of education, economic dependency, lack of access to services, poverty and cultural misconceptions, he said. Maternal health was an integral part of the Reproductive and Child Health Programme which was being implemented in the country since 1997 and aimed at bringing down the maternal mortality and morbidity, he said. Under this programme various interventions focused on reducing maternal deaths were being implemented, he said, adding these were essential obstetric care, emergency obstetric care, provision for referral transport for pregnant women with complication of pregnancy through panchayats, provision of drugs and equipment at first referral units, provision of contractual staff like additional health workers, staff nurses, doctors and anesthetist. Funds were also being provided for schemes like 24 hours delivery services at selected primary health centres and community health centres, training of midwives in 142 districts with safe delivery rate of less than 30 per cent and holding of RCH camps in 102 districts with adverse health
indicators. Closed industrial units: Four industries each were closed down between January and September, 2000, in Haryana and Himachal Pradesh due to labour disputes, the Minister of Labour informed the Lok Sabha. The government had been conducting conciliation proceedings to avert strikes, lockouts and labour disputes to establish better industrial relations in the central sphere, he said, adding that a tripartite mechanism had been established for encouraging social dialogue. The government had also been emphasising the important role of workers’ participation in management so as to bring about more harmonious industrial relations, he said. These steps were expected to foster better industrial relations and result in minimising the labour disputes, he added. |
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Power requirement
of UT reviewed NEW DELHI, Dec 13 — Power requirements of Chandigarh in the three to four years would increase to 265 mw from the present power requirement of 180 mw. Union Power Minister Suresh Prabhu at a review meeting here today asked the Chandigarh administration to work out its power requirements up to 2011-12. It was decided that once the power requirements were worked out another meeting would be held to suggest the most appropriate sources or sources to meet the increasing demand of the Union Territory on long-term basis. The meeting was attended by senior officials from the Ministers of Power, Petroleum and Natural Gas and officials from the NTPC along with the Adviser to the administration of the UT of Chandigarh. |
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Reduce operational
risks: Tipnis NEW DELHI, Dec 13 — The Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Anil Yashwant Tipnis, today called upon his commanders to apply innovative means with a view to reducing operational risks during training. “Good training must be backed by flawless implementation for successful mission accomplishment”, he said while inaugurating a conference of Station Commanders of the Western Command. The Air Force chief stressed the need to continuously enhance the quality of training in all fields — operational, technical and support. The momentum of “our drive for improving the infrastructure must be maintained to achieve standards we have set for ourselves”.
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Ogden’s no to funding Maheshwar project BHOPAL, Dec 13 — The Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) has claimed that the Ogden Energy Group of the USA has withdrawn its commitment to fund 49 per cent of the equity of the controversial Maheshwar Hydroelectric Project in Khargone district of Madhya Pradesh. The NBA leader, Mr Alok Agrawal, told mediapersons here today that officials of Ogden had communicated this to the NBA. They, though, would not like to make a public announcement in this respect lest the Indian promoters of the project should feel embarrassed, Mr Agrawal said. Ogden thus becomes the fourth foreign company to back out after making financial commitment for the Maheshwar project. The others which have withdrawn in the past three years following widespread anti-project protests in India and abroad are Pacgen of the USA and Bayernwerk and VEW Energie of Germany. The New York-based Ogden Corporation had signed a memorandum of intent on March 23 this year with the Madhya Pradesh Government and S Kumar’s (Indian promoters of the project) for the 400 mw Maheshwar project as part of President Bill Clinton’s visit to India. On March 25, Ogden representatives visited the dam site where some NBA activists spoke to Mr Kent Burton, Senior Vice-President of Ogden, for nearly half an hour. Mr Burton was later quoted by NBA activists as having stated that “your people had met us at New York and we had a long discussion. We had also asked them for some documents but they never came back to us”. Mr Burton had also reportedly told the activists that the S. Kumar’s had told them that the “people of this area were extremely prosperous and hence would not require rehabilitation”. The Ogden representatives later visited some affected villages also. |
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UK visas now in
Jalandhar also NEW DELHI, Dec 13 — Travel visas to the United Kingdom would now soon be available in Jalandhar and Ahmedabad also, a British High Commission press release said here today. The British Minister of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Mr Keith Vaz, announced that the venues for the new visa offices would be Ahmedabad, Jalandhar, Sylhet and Lahore, the release said adding that these new offices would save visa applicants from travel and expenses. These would advise on entry clearance requirements and procedures and give out visa applications and information leaflets, the release said adding that these would accept, check and forward visa applications to the relevant High Commissions and Deputy High Commission. “As soon as we have the agreements of the Government of India, Bangladesh and
Pakistan, we shall establish the offices as quickly as possible”, the release said. |
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Uttaranchal faces medical staff shortage DEHRA DUN: Health facilities available at government hospitals and dispensaries in Uttaranchal are poor. The health system needs to be restructured to provide better medical facilities to the people. Talking to
The Tribune in an exclusive interview here today, Mr Ajay Bhatt, Health Minister of Uttaranchal, admitted that the state was facing an acute shortage of doctors and other paramedical staff. Of the sanctioned, 1,182 posts of medical officer, 442 were lying vacant for many years, but the Uttar Pradesh Government was doing nothing to fill up the posts. In reply to a question, he admitted that the situation was likely to worsen in the coming days as 297 medical officers had opted for plain areas regarding their postings. In such a situation the total number of vacant posts would rise to 739. He said there were 328 hospitals, 36 rural health centres, 84 family planning centres and 1,525 primary family planning centres running in the state. Similarly, 38 posts of women medical officer of the 147 were lying vacant in the state. The biggest challenge before the state government is to at least fill up one post at each health centre. The minister said the Uttaranchal Government had asked the Uttar Pradesh Government to send those medical officers posted presently there to Uttaranchal, who belong to the Uttaranchal. Although the UP Government had assured all possible help but all depends upon the preference of the individual whether he/she was interested in coming to Uttaranchal or not. Mr Bhatt further said the state government was looking into the possibility of getting the services of retired medical officers in the state on contract basis. But this process would take time as Uttaranchal was still in the infancy stage and there were lot of financial problems before it. Meanwhile, the state government has issued certain instructions to the Health Department for streamlining the working of government medical centres. All medical officers have been asked to stay permanently at the station of
their posting. It was brought to the notice of the Health Ministry by the MLAs and the people that most of the doctors and the paramedical staff reside at places far away from their posting. People had to suffer due to this. The Health Minister said the government was seriously considering proper auditing of the medical centres so as to provide subsidised/free drugs to the patients. A chart would be displayed at the centres giving details of the medicines available there. The Uttaranchal Government will constitute a team of specialised doctors at every district, which will regularly visit the rural areas. The team will comprise a surgeon, gynaecologist, ENT specialist, eye specialist, general physician, dentist and specialists from other fields. The Health Minister felt that this would bring the people closer to the doctors. The government is also considering the proposal of organising health melas at regular intervals with the help of the staff posted at primary healthcare
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Few takers for police theory on murder SAHARANPUR, Dec 13 — There are few takers in this industrial town for the police theory that Mr Nirbhay Pal Sharma, former MLA from Sirsawa constituency, was murdered by a gang of Bawarias. The Uttar Pradesh police working under high pressure and widespread criticism has claimed solving the mystery behind Mr Sharma’s murder and arrested five members of the gang. The claim of solving the murder was made by Mr Mahesh Chander Dwivedi, Director-General of Police, UP during a visit to Saharanpur two days back. The DGP claimed the joint team of the task force of Saharanpur and Meerut police had been able to bust the gang behind the murder. While claiming that the eight-member gang figured in the murder, Mr Dwivedi disclosed that five of them had already been arrested by the task force team. He disclosed that the arrested five members are Kalicharan, alias Rajender, Parmod, alias Karua, Veeran, Khet Singh and Inderjit, alias Inderpal, alias Raj Kumar. In all, there were 18 persons who attacked the house of Mr Sharma in the Officers Colony here. The gang was headed by Kalicharan. Mr Dwivedi claimed the task force got a clue from a pistol which was left behind by the killers while fleeing from the residence of Mr Sharma after he had been killed. The police found the pistol used in the murder was looted from the residence of one Mr Vajpayee, a resident of Bara Banki. This gang had looted Mr Vajpayee’s residence a few days prior to the murder of Mr Sharma. While talking about the details of the murder the DGP is reported to have said the gang of killers had come to Saharanpur in two Tata Sumos from Meerut. They had parked the two vehicles at some distance from the residence of the deceased MLA and walked to his residence. The killers had
quietly left the scene after committing the ghastly murder. The police sources told TNS on telephone that the gun of Mr Sharma, which was also taken away by the killers, had not been recovered so far. Interestingly, the police theory is full of chinks. For one, it is a well-known fact that the Bawarias always strike between 1 to 3 p.m. at the residence of their victims. Also, the Bawarias are known to choose isolated houses for committing dacoities. Plus, if the murder had been committed by the Bawaria gang then why did the police take so much time to arrest the killers. It is also a known fact that the Bawaria settlements are concentrated in a village in Muzaffarnagar district adjoining Saharanpur district. Therefore, the police would find it difficult to explain the delay in arresting the culprits. The murder theory is not being believed even by the family members of the deceased. Both Mrs Kunti Pal Sharma, mother of the deceased, and Mrs Prakash Pal Sharma, wife of the deceased, do not agree that the Bawarias would have murdered Mr Sharma. Both of them stick to their allegations that Mr Sharma’s murder was a political one and someone might have given money to kill the popular leader. Both of them are demanding an independent CBI inquiry into the murder. Incidentally, Mr Sharma was the son-in-law of Mr Lachman Singh, a Rajya Sabha member from Haryana. The deceased was also related to Mr Kamal Nath, a former Union Minister. The Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Mr Digvijay Singh, had also visited Saharanpur after the murder and demanded a high-level probe. The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Mr Rajnath Singh, had directed the state police to solve the murder mystery within 15 days but interestingly it is about after two months that the police now claim that they have been able to solve the murder mystery. The police is yet to arrest 13 members of the killer gang. Another fact which belies the police theory is that the gang members did not indulge in large-scale looting in the house. Had they come with the intention of committing a dacoity they would have taken away all the valuables. The question that how far the police would succeed in assuring the citizens of Saharanpur that the murder was committed by a gang of Bawarias still remains unanswered. |
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Dr Irfan Habib NEW DELHI, Dec 13 — Dr. S. Irfan Habib, a scientist in NISTADS (CSIR), New Delhi, has been elected Assistant General Secretary of the International Association for Science and Cultural Diversity, which is a part of the International Union of History and Philosophy of Science (IUHPS). Dr. Habib shall be in-charge of the web site of the Association, which will be launched shortly. |
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