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| Thursday, March 1, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
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Bihar presents 50-cr deficit
Budget NABARD interest rates
reduced
LS to vote on Balco
issue |
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BJP won’t raise temple issue:
Paswan Tremors in Delhi,
Haryana Daler suspends shows due to
quake Forest institute in poor
shape
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Bihar presents 50-cr deficit Budget Patna, February 28 The government proposes to earn Rs 7,304 crore as state’s share of central taxes, Rs 2,545.94 crore as state’s tax revenue, Rs 454.16 crore as state’s non-tax revenue and Rs 1264.89 crore as grants-in-aid from the Central Government. The state government also proposed market borrowing to the tune of Rs 1931.28 crore and loans from the Centre totalling Rs 2,526.7 crore and earning of Rs 41.67 crore through realisation of loans and advances of the state government for the period 2001-2002. The state Finance Minister, Mr Tekriwal, said the government proposed to spend Rs 6,661.92 crore on general services, Rs 4,632.10 crore on social services like education, art and culture, health and family welfare, water supply, housing, urban development, social security, welfare and labour and employment. He said the government would spend Rs 3.102.61 crore on agriculture, cooperation, forest and allied services, rural development, irrigation, flood control, energy, industries, minerals and general economic services, while Rs 2.24 crore had been earmarked for grants-in-aid and contributions. Mr Tekriwal said the state government also proposed an expenditure of Rs 1,591.01 crore on internal debt of the state government and loans and advances from the Central Government, besides Rs 609.14 crore as loans and advances of state government. He said after adjustment of opening balance for the year 2000-2001, the government estimated a deficit of Rs 50.81 crore during the financial year that was likely to be overcome by undertaking vigorous resource mobilisation drive. He said effective steps would be taken to generate additional resources and around 100 non-performing projects would be dropped. Efforts were afoot to implement new projects in the fields of agriculture, irrigation and industries, the Finance Minister said. In order to tone up the police administration, Rs 108 crore was proposed for medernisation of police with thrust on updating police communication system, purchase of vehicles and sophisticated fireams.
PTI |
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NABARD interest rates reduced New Delhi, February 28 The corpus of the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) will be increased from Rs 4,500 crore to Rs 5,000 crore next year. Banks will be asked to accelerate Kisan Credit Cards cover to all eligible agricultural farmers within the next three years. The premium burden on this account will be shared by the cards institutions issuing. NABARD and SIDBI have been asked to link one lakh self-help groups during the current year. A micro finance development fund has also been set up in NABARD with a contribution of Rs 40 crore each by NABARD and the RBI. The resources from the Watershed Development Fund set up in NABARD would be used to promote people’s participation and also enable water users’ associations to implement, operate and maintain irrigation schemes. The credit-linked subsidy scheme for construction of cold storages for perishable commodities has been extended to cover rural godowns. The loans will carry an adequate long-term repayment period and enable individuals, cooperative societies and others to build godowns. The scheme will enable small farmers to enhance their holding capacity in order to sell their produce at remunerative prices. NABARD will reduce its rate of interest from 10 per cent to 8.5 per cent. Small farmers will particularly benefit from this scheme by avoiding distress sales, he said.
PTI |
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LS to vote on Balco issue New Delhi, February 28 Till last night, there was a deadlock on the issue with the government disfavouring the Opposition demand for a discussion under Rule 184 which allowed voting. However, the government heaved a sigh of relief today with BJP’s ally TDP, which had strongly attacked the government on the Balco issue in the Rajya Sabha, indicating it would support the government during the voting. TDP sources said the party was for the disinvestment policy and Balco was part of that. However, the TDP might seek clarifications on certain issues during the debate, they said. TDP member C. Ramachandriah had attacked the government over the deal to disinvest yesterday when the issue was discussed under a calling attention motion in the Rajya Sabha. The CPM had tabled notices last week for a discussion on the Balco disinvestment under Rule 184, and the Congress expressed its support. However, the government was of the view that there should be a consistent policy for discussions in both Houses, the sources said. The government also felt that disinvestment was an approved policy and that Parliament should not be voting on an executive decision. But today, the government relented to the Opposition demand, the sources said.
PTI |
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BJP won’t raise temple issue: Paswan Mumbai, February 28 “The BJP now understands the compulsions of coalition politics and being in power (at the Centre), it will not raise the issue,” he told a news portal, adding it was an issue being raised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Bajrang Dal. Hinting that his party might contest the coming UP Assembly elections along with the BJP, he ruled out shifting from national politics to politics in his home state of Bihar, adding he had no aspiration to become the state’s Chief Minister. “I hardly aspire to become the Chief Minister of Bihar. I have been in national politics for a long time now. It is quite different to be in national politics as it broadens one’s vision,” the Lok Janashakti Party leader remarked. Having a dig at his political opponents without naming them, Mr Paswan said many leaders, despite their potential, could not succeed at the national level because of their “narrow political vision.” Talking of Bihar politics, he said Union Agriculture Minister and Samata Party leader Nitish Kumar should not have returned to the Centre after a brief stint as Chief Minister but instead tried to strengthen his base in the state. His “impatience” to return to Union Cabinet had eroded his mass base in Bihar, Mr Paswan said. He emphasised the need for a radical change in the focus and strategy of Dalit politics in the country, adding the oppressed masses would have to fight for better social equity which, according to him, could only be achieved through broader social alliance. “I believe the oppressed and poor from every section of the society should come together to fight against injustice. With 13 per cent of votes, Dalits cannot win the power game and rule the country. They will have to change their strategy”, Mr Paswan opined.
UNI |
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Tremors in Delhi,
Haryana New Delhi, February 28 The quake was felt momentarily in the Capital and was of a slight intensity, Director of the IMD (Seismology division), Dr A.K.
Shukla, told PTI. The epicentre of the quake, which struck at 8.12 IST, was around Charkhi Dadri in Haryana and its magnitude was 4.0 on the Richter scale, he said, adding that it was also felt in Rohtak. No loss to life and property has been reported from any place in Haryana following the earthquake, official sources said in Chandigarh. Bhiwani Deputy Commissioner S.K. Joshi told PTI that no loss of life and property had been reported from any place in the district, including Dadri.
PTI |
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Daler suspends shows due to quake New Delhi, February 28 Daler does not believe in collecting money for distressed people by making others happy through performances. He says, ‘‘I will not be able to sing because the grief of the victims haunt me. I will instead paint and auction the paintings. I am also contributing from my personal account.’’ Asked why he dropped plans to perform in the Capital for the victims of Gujarat quake, the top pop singer told UNI today,‘‘ I can’t make a few people happy through my songs just because I want to earn a few pennies for the quake victims. I feel the cost of wiping a few tears is too much. I can’t perform like this.’’ ‘‘ I have not been able to perform ever since the quake struck Gujarat. I will not perform at least for a few more weeks as I am dedicating myself towards reconstruction work in the state,’’ said the pre-dominently Punjabi pop singer. He is visiting the state to see the progress of rehabilitation work in Kutch district. He also criticised the attitude of artistes to use national disasters for making money.‘‘ There are people who use the occasion to earn money. Their sole purpose is to be financially healthy. I am not like them.’’ Daler, however, advised these artistes to come in a big way to work for the people of the quake-hit state. They should contribute for the welfare of the people of Gujarat from their personal account and not by raising funds through their shows, he added. The singer was being pursuaded to hold a show in the Capital to raise funds for the victims of the Gujarat quake. Delhi member of Parliament Vijay Goel had earlier this month even said that Daler had confirmed holding the ‘Daler Mehndi night’ and the dates were being finalised. However, the singer-dancer dropped the proposal and instead agreed to paint to help raise funds for the victims of the earth quake. His paintings were auctioned and the money was contributed to the welfare of the people of the state. Daler has also adopted a 16-house block in Indraprastha, developed as a model village by the Capital-based non-governmental organisation ‘Rashtriya Swabhimaan’ of senior BJP leader Sahib Singh Verma. He donated Rs 16 lakh towards construction of houses in a village in Anjar division of Kutch district. The village, formerly Dudhair, was turned into rubble in the earthquake.
UNI |
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Forest institute in poor
shape Dehra Dun Inaugurated by the then Viceroy of India, Lord Irwins, on November 7, 1929, the main building is spread over 2.5 hectares. The sylvan surroundings of the FRI with Himalayas in the background have made it a tourist spot that every visitor to Dehra Dun visits. However, this beautiful building is neglected by the Union Government. If the repairs are not carried out in time, any tremour may trigger the total collapse of the structure. The problem is that the architectural design of the FRI building has become the main reason why CPWD, which is supposed to undertake the repairs of the building, is taking no risks. The engineers of the CPWD say that only the experts from the CBRI in Roorkee would be able to suggest a solution to the problem. According to Dr Paramjit Singh, PRO- cum-Liaison Officer of the FRI, “there are bricks in the structure which are not available today. And secondly, the entire building was not built in one go. The eastern and the western parts were built first and the central part was built later. Hence, there is no continuity in the structure and if there is a strong earthquake, chances are that the three parts may fall separate ways.” The main reason for the delay in repair work is that the FRI has no right to approach the experts in Roorkee of their own. They have to go to the CPWD which has so far taken no interest to preserve this building. The oscillations in Garhwal occur from east to west. Had they occurred from north to south this building would have totally collapsed. It is worth mentioning that the FRI is the only building in the country after the Rastrapati Bhawan, New Delhi, that has a structure like this. There are six museums in the FRI which have collections from 1924 onwards. Among which are certain rare wood works which need to be preserved. If the cracks in the main building are not repaired immediately apprehensions are that the earthquake having a magnitude of six or above measured on the Richter scale may destroy valuable designs of wood work. |
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