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| Thursday, January 25, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
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Panchayats to get more
powers: Dhumal BJP
nominees win Shimla ZP poll Victory
‘endorses’ BJP policies Sawhney
elected MC president |
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A dream
come true for Rushdie Immolation
threat: SC family detained Sofat
denies allegations Visit a panchayat a week, SHOs told National
Defence College team to visit Kangra Shanta
Kumar’s tips to scribes Villagers
protest against felling HVP for
taking Mohinder back
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Panchayats to get more powers: Dhumal SHIMLA, Jan 24 — The Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, visualises a prosperous and ideal Himachal Pradesh in the next 10 years and is striving to achieve this goal. On the eve of the completion of three decades of statehood of Himachal Pradesh, Mr Dhumal said today that development of villages would be given top priority and the Panchayati Raj Institutions would be strengthened. In 1971, Himachal became the 18th state of the Union of India and people of this hill state got an opportunity to march on the path of progress, he said. The past 30 years had seen a rapidly changing face of the hilly state. The per capita income which was only Rs 678 in 1971 has gone up to Rs 12,692, the literacy percentage had shot up from 32 to 90 according to latest survey. The number of educational institutions had been risen from 4950 in 1971 to 13,892, including three universities, 37 colleges, two medical colleges, four dental colleges, one regional engineering college, six polytechnics and 34 industrial training institutes. The number of health institutions had grown from mere 849 to 3820. Today the state had a network of over 21,474 km of roads as against 7746 km in 1971. The food production had gone up from nine lakh tonnes to 14 lakh tonnes and fruit production from 1.78 lakh tonnes to over four lakh tonnes. “Today, all census villages in the state stand electrified. Though these achievements speak volume about the development that the state had made in various fields, yet not sufficient to be complacent. We still have to go a long way especially in the present globalised and complete economy which posed a lot of challenges to us, and only those will survive who are the fittest,” Mr Dhumal said. ‘The present BJP-HVC government which took over exactly 34 months ago and its endeavour during this short period has been to give a new direction to the development of the state by ensuring that benefits of development. Percolate to the people who need and deserve these most. “The government has visualised a prosperous and ideal Himachal Pradesh in next 10 years. We believe that the prosperity of the state is possible only when our villages develop. For this, we have decided to accelerate the pace of development by strengthening Panchayati Raj institutions in the state. We have done massive devolution of funds and powers to these grass root institutions of democracy in the past two years and is in the process of giving them more teeth to convert them into effective instruments of development. This year alone panchayats will be getting direct grants of more than Rs 85 crore for development in addition to development works being done under state plans. “The government also intends to delegate powers to the panchayats to appoint some grassroot functionaries. Panchayats will themselves construct the buildings of schools, panchayat ghars, community buildings and link roads in their respective areas and will also maintain them. The government will give grants to them for the purpose from time to time. They have also been empowered to impose fine up to Rs 1000 in case somebody is found destroying public property. Henceforth, beneficiaries of various welfare programmes such as, IRDP and social security pensions will be selected by the panchayats in Gramsabhas. To raise resources for development, panchayats have been authorised to collect land revenue and are being given cess of Re 1, on each bottle of liquor being sold in their areas. Agriculture development has been given special attention by the government, as it is the mainstay of people in the state and provides direct employment to over 70 per cent population. To bring more area under cultivation, 61 watershed projects, costing about Rs 22.54 crore have been approved. Minor irrigation programme has been accorded priority to raise agriculture production. As may a 393 projects having investment of Rs 94.14 crore have been approved under Nabard. Horticulture development has also been given a big boost. Emphasis is being laid on diversification by encouraging farming of flowers and medicinal herbs. Keeping in view the fact road communication play a vital role in the economy of the farmers of the pradesh, the government has taken a decision in principle to connect every village in the state by roads in next three years. In the field of education, we have started various innovative schemes, “sarswati bal vidya sankalap yojna” which envisages the construction of 13,612 new rooms at a cost of Rs 126 crore for ensuring minimum of three rooms in each primary school in the state has been widely appreciated.” “The government has decided to introduce computer in all the senior secondary and high schools in the state in a phased manner. To start with, computer classes are being started in 135 senior secondary schools this year.” To give human face to our development efforts, the government has accorded added priority for social services sector and is spending 43.54 per cent of the total plan Budget on this sector this year. “The government has come out with a “tourism policy — 2000” which envisages major role to the private sector in tourism development of the state and a role of facilitator to the state government, ” he said. |
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BJP nominees win
Shimla ZP poll SHIMLA, Jan 24 — The BJP humbled the Opposition in its own bastion by wresting the key posts of the Chairperson and the Vice-Chairperson of the Shimla Zila Parishad, election for which was held here yesterday. BJP-supported Dulo Ram edged out Congress-backed Shambhoo Ram by three votes to win the post of the Chairperson. While the former secured 13 votes, the latter only 10. For the post of the Vice-Chairperson, BJP candidate Het Ram defeated Congress candidate Prem Lata by a margin of five votes. The two parties had been trying to woo candidates to secure majority in the keenly balanced Zila Parishad for the past fortnight. Elections were twice cancelled due to the lack of quorum. The election result has come as a big set back to the Congress which is represented by stalwarts like, Mr Virbhadra Singh, Leader of the Opposition, Mrs Vidya Strokes, Pradesh Congress Committee chief, Mr Ram Lal, former Chief Minister and Mr
J.B.L. Khachi, former PWD Minister. BILASPUR: Mr I.D. Sharma of the Congress was elected member of the Zila Parishad from Lehadisarel ward here in the district today. He defeated Mr
B.D. Sharma of the BJP. While Mr I.D. Sharma secured 4,130 votes, Mr
B.D. Sharma got 1,653 votes. HVC candidate Mehar Singh stood third with 1,564 votes. Election to the ward could not be held earlier with other 13 wards due to administrative reasons. Mr Kartar Singh of the BJP was elected President and Mr Ajay Kumar the vice-president of the Gram Panchayat,
Bharadi. |
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Victory ‘endorses’ BJP policies SHIMLA, Jan 24 — The state executive of the BJP has hailed the impressive victory of the party in the recent panchayat and local bodies elections as “reposition of the people’s faith” in the leadership of Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, the Chief Minister, and an endorsement of the programme and policies of the coalition. The political resolution adopted at the two-day meeting of the state executive, which began here yesterday said the outcome of the poll had clearly underlined the fact the party’s influence was no longer limited to urban areas and it had penetrated deep into villages. The programme and policies of the Dhumal government had convinced the villagers that the Congress fed them on empty slogans for 50 years but the BJP could deliver the goods and translate Mahatma Gandhi’s dream of “swaraj” into reality. The resolution moved by Mr Ganesh Dut, party spokesperson, noted with satisfaction that the party had been able to extend its support base in traditional Congress strongholds like Shimla and Sirmour districts. More importantly, it captured the Rohru and Theog nagar panchayats, the areas represented by Mr Virbhadra Singh, Leader of the Opposition, and Mrs Vidya Stokes, PCC chief, respectively. The party had won 80 per cent of the posts in panchayats, block samitis, nagar panchayats and zila parishads. The party gave the credit for decentralisation of powers to Mr Dhumal and hailed the “Pradhan Mantri Sarak Yojna” to provide road connectivity to all villages over the next six years. It also appreciated the efforts of Mr Shanta Kumar, Union Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution, in launching the Antyodaya Anna Yojna, Anapurna Yojna and other schemes to provide foodgrains at highly subsidised rates to the poor. Mr Narinder Modi, all-India general secretary of the party, Mr Dhumal, Mr Shanta Kumar, and Mr Jaikrishan Sharma, president of the state BJP, were present at the meeting. |
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Sawhney elected MC
president PALAMPUR, Jan 24 — Mrs Shama Sawhney, an independent candidate, supported by the Congress was today elected president of the local Municipal Council. Mr Satish Nagpal of the BJP was elected vice-president. The Congress also supported Mr Nagpal who is a treasurer of the local BJP unit. However, the BJP wanted to field its candidate Ms Santosh Verma for the post, but Mr Nagpal refused to support her candidature. Thus, the BJP was forced to withdraw from the contest. Later addressing media persons Mrs Sawhney, said her priority would be to develop the town and added that efforts would be made to expand the municipal limits of the town. UNA: Mr Sarabjot Singh Bedi was on Tuesday elected president of the local municipal committee. He has held this post thrice earlier. Mr Vijay Puri was elected vice-president. Later, talking to media persons Mr Bedi said a cleanliness drive would be launched in the town with the help of development committees of each ward. He admitted that there was a shortage of “safai karamcharis” in the council. The BJP won the seats of the chairman and the vice-chairman of Haroli block samitis in election which concluded here yesterday. The Congress-HVC combine failed to capture the seats of the BJP. Ms Jasbir Kaur BJP candidate defeated the HVC-Congress supported nominee Mrs Subhadra Kumari. She had secured 15 out of 25 votes. The HVC-Congress candidate could secure only 10 votes. Mr Hans Raj HVC, who had joined the BJP secured 15 votes and won the post of the vice-chairman by defeating the HVC-Congress candidate, Mr Balraj Thakur, who could secure 10 votes only. NURPUR: The Congress supported Councillors Mr Rakesh Mahajan and Mr Yash Soga, were elected unopposed as president and vice-president respectively of the local Municipal Council on Wednesday. Seven out of nine councillors were administered oath of office by election officer-cum-SDM, Mr Vidhan Chand. Two BJP supported councillors abstained from election and oath taking ceremony, while talking to media persons they announced that they would utilise their honorarium in disbursing monthly pensions to the poor people of the town. Five persons would be selected from each ward of the town, he added. |
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A dream come true for Rushdie KASAULI: The lesser known town of Solan shot into fame when the controversial writer of “The Satanic Verses”, set claim to his ancestral property, “Anees Villa”, in 1992. The second stint brought the writer to the town early last year. The town, which he had left as a 14-year-old teenager, haunted him and this coveted visit was a long cherished dream for the India-born writer. It was the fulfilment of a desire for the writer, who is said to have drawn inspiration for his novels from this country. Replete with fond memories of his childhood, Rushdie had always expressed his desire to come here. Nestling amidst majestic deodars, the building until a few years back housed various government offices including the ADM’s residence. The state government used to pay a yearly rent of Rs 2,208 which it paid for many years. In 1983 the government stopped paying rent and it was declared anonymous property and transferred to the state Revenue Department. It was then that Salman Rushdie put forth his claim on this hitherto anonymous property through his attorney, Vijay T. Shankardass, in the state High Court. The petition was filed as a sequel to an order passed by the Deputy Commissioner in 1992 on the plea that there was no claimant to the property. In November 1995 consequent to the Deputy Commissioner’s order, the title of the property went in favour of Maulvi Anees Ahmed, Rushdie’s father. It took the noted writer another review petition for claiming exclusive rights over the villa on the basis of the registered gift deed with him. The two other legal heirs of the Maulvi, including his wife and two daughters, replied to his notices and informed the District Collector that Rushdie had exclusive rights over this property by virtue of the registered gift deed. Finally the then Deputy Commissioner, Mr Srikant Baldi, passed an order and granted the property to Rushdie. The mutation papers were handed over to his attorney on November 15, 1997, and with that Rushdie became the legal owner of “Anees Villa”. Later his attorney informed mediamen that the writer expressed a desire to visit his ancestral home and if the Union Government granted him permission then he might be placed in “Z” security. But his house is located in Himachal which is a peaceful area hence security is no big problem. The attorney also informed that he was also trying to regain his property worth crores in Old Delhi for which various cases are pending in courts for years now. Built in 1927 “Anees Villa” adjoins Shilli wildlife sanctuary and overlooks a pine forest. Located on a forest road, it is surrounded by a grove of deodar trees. Reachable by about 110 steps from the forest road, the grand structure, reminiscent of British architecture, is perched on one of the higher points of the town. Surrounded by a garden on all sides and a fruit orchard above it overlooks tall pine trees. The chimneys on the roof together with a spaciously spread grand structure has spacious verandahs and six rooms. The house gets ample sunshine in an otherwise cold place. Solan had a large Muslim population which had to bear the onslaught of communal riots during Partition and flee their dwellings. “Anees Villa” was also one such property abandoned in 1947. It served as a hostel for a local school in the 50s and remained unoccupied for some years. Till 1951 it was the registered property of his father. After housing various offices from time to time it was declared evacuee property by the government and subsequently transferred to the state Revenue Department. The property which was gifted to him by his father in 1969 on his 21st birthday, originally belonged to his grandfather, Muhammed Ulladin. Rushdie’s visit last year had coincided his son’s entering the 21st year in the next two months. Rushdie on a visit to his house was overwhelmed. He was charmed by the majestic deodars and captivating environment. His family had left for England in 1960s and thereafter settled there permanently. Rushdie had decided not to sell his property but had expressed a desire to convert it into a writers’ retreat. As a goodwill gesture the government provided a telephone connection to the bungalow, besides a water connection. Byasa Devi and her family, who have been taking care of the house for three years now, were appointed by Rushdie’s attorney, to look after the place. |
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Immolation threat: SC family detained KANGRA, Jan 24 — The police today took Mr A. B. Rajbansh, an unemployed engineer, his wife and two minor children in custody. They had threatened self-immolation on January 26 in front of the Rashtrapati Bhavan. They were trying to board a Pathankot-bound train on way to New Delhi when the police
took them in custody. According to the police, Mr Rajbansh has been taken to Kangra police station. Mr Rajbansh who was underground since January 13, was spotted at the Kangra railway station along with his family. He was immediately gheraoed by the police. His wife Sapna told mediapersons at the station that Scheduled Caste people living below the poverty line were suffering and no government cared for them. She said despite directions from the National Commission of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe to the state electricity board and Secretary, IPH Department, to accommodate Mr Rajbansh as per his qualification, nothing had been done in this regard. Mr Rajbansh of Ansoli village, near here, had been struggling to get a job after he obtained a diploma in mechanical engineering in 1988 with 56.5 per cent marks. He also cleared a one-year post diploma proficiency course through the Ministry of Human Resource Development. Mr Rajbansh, who is a recipient of a commendation certificate from the state vigilance department, had threatened to carry out self-immolation in front of Rashtrapati Bhavan. He alleged that he was denied a job by the government for the past 12 years and said he had failed to get a job because he had no “contacts”. He said he had applied for the post of voluntary teacher in 1991-92 but a matriculate candidate with 37 per cent marks was “accommodated” allegedly due to the influence he wielded. Mr Nalinder Gautam, state chief of the All-India Hindu Mahasabha, told mediapersons at the railway station that he had tried to contact the Chief Minister in this connection today but he had refused to talk to him as he was busy at meeting with Mr Narinder Modi in charge for political affairs of the state. |
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Sofat denies
allegations SOLAN, Jan 24 — Former minister and Shanta loyalist Mohinder Nath Sofat, in a letter faxed to BJP state President Jai Kishan Sharma, yesterday expressed anguish over allegations of working against the party’s interests in the recent MC poll, levelled against him and some of his close party colleagues. He further sought to clarify that some vested interests were out to belittle his active contribution, spanning almost two decades, towards strengthening the party up to the grassroot levels in the Solan Constituency.” Mr Sofat also urged the party chief to give him an opportunity for explaining his stand in the recent municipal elections in person. The Dhumal faction of the district BJP had started a campaign against Shanta loyalists led by Mr Sofat. |
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Visit a panchayat a week, SHOs told NAHAN, Jan 24 — Mr S.P. Singh, Superintendent of Police, Sirmour, said here today that during the last year the main thrust was given to improve the working and image of the police in the district. Guidelines laid down in this regard by the state police chief were followed and achievements were above expectation. Elaborating this point at press conference here today, Mr S.P. Singh said three objectives had been fixed for this year. He said every station house officer (SHO) of the six police stations in the district had been asked to visit at least one panchayat every week and dispose of public complaints within 15 days. It had been made clear that any complaint of misbehaviour by the police personnel with the public would be taken very seriously and strict action initiated in such cases. The SP said the state police chief had asked the officers to work in such a manner that in the eyes of the public the police becomes a service organisation and not a force. He said last year Sirmour district was at number 3 with regard to pendency of cases in the southern range but by the end of December this district had achieved the number 1 position with only 12 per cent pendency. Mr S.P. Singh said that community policing scheme in the district was yielding good results. An investigation cell under the charge of a woman sub-inspector had been opened in the police lines, Nahan. Mr S.P. Singh said the Sirmour police had made it a regular activity to hold public meetings in the villages, visit the schools, call schoolchildren over to show them the working of the police in police station. They also held traffic awareness meetings. |
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National Defence College team
to visit Kangra KANGRA, Jan 24 — An 18 member delegation of National Defence College headed by a Major General would pay a one-day visit to the town in order to interact with the local district administration and some non-governmental organisation (NGOs) on January 31. This was disclosed here yesterday. The team would comprise of the defence personnel of the rank of Brigadier and above of various foreign countries including India, sources said. The Indian Air Force plane on Monday made a trail landing at the Gaggal Airport near here. According to reports, a team of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) had already visited the town and reportedly given a node for the visit of the delegation. The delegation would be airlifted from Shimla and return on the same day. They are scheduled to stay in Shimla on January 29 and 30 before visiting Dharamshala. The visit of the delegation here assume significance in view of the defence scenerio in the South East Asia and Dharamshala being seat of the Tibetan Government in exile. |
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Shanta Kumar’s
tips to scribes SHIMLA, Jan 24 — Mr Shanta Kumar, the Union Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution, has refused to be drawn into the controversy over annonymous letters against ministers and officers and asked mediapersons to ponder whether such letters should be published at all. Replying to queries of mediapersons here yesterday, he said it was against ethics to publish unsubstantiated charges against persons holding important positions and it could also cause irreparable damage to the image of persons concerned. He said the allegations of corruption must be probed and the guilty punished but these should be brought before an appropriate forum. One had to have courage and came out openly to fight corruption, he added. When persistenty quizzed about the signed letter written by six ministers and legislators levelling serious charges against certain ministers and institutions, he said the issue had been settled. |
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Villagers protest
against felling BILASPUR, Jan 24 — Large number of leaders from Chandpur near here have opposed the felling of centuries old mango and peepal trees lining the road leading to Kandraur bridge from Ali Khud bridge. Addressing mediapersons here today, the leaders said these trees had been felled on the pretext of brodening the road due to increased vehicular traffic. It shows ‘insensitivity’ on the part of the PWD department and the Forest Corporation towards environment. They said these trees had been planted and protected by the villagers themselves during the old regime of Raja of Bilaspur. They also claimed the land on which these trees were growing did not belong to the government. They urged the Chief Minister to order an enquiry into the ‘scam’. |
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HVP for taking
Mohinder back SHIMLA, Jan 24 — A meeting of the Himachal Vikas Party (HVP) has been convened here on February 1 by the party general secretary, Mr Kewal Ram Chauhan, in the wake of Mr Mohinder Singh, former Public Works Minister, joining the Jan Shakti party of Mr Ram Vilas Paswan. In a statement here yesterday Mr Chauhan said a decision on the issue of maintaining a separate identity or joining some party would be taken at the meeting. He urged the HVC chief, Mr Sukh Ram, to take back Mr Mohinder Singh in the HVC. |
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