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| Saturday,
March 3, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
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HP to increase daily wages
later Cong rules out
no-trust move Cong, BJP will split
in HP: NCP Supplementary demands
presented |
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Classes being held in
open Anti-people steps protested Trenches
irk pedestrians 2 convicted for carrying charas
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HP to increase daily wages
later Shimla, March 2 Stating this during question hour, Mr P.K. Dhumal, Chief Minister, said his government had raised the daily wages from Rs 45.75 to Rs 51 per day soon after assuming office. It had also restored the benefit of 25 per cent extra wages to workers in tribal areas which was withdrawn by the previous government. He said his government would fulfil the promise made to workers and increase the wages in a phased manner. Replying to a question of Mr Kaul Singh, Mr Dhumal said a preliminary survey to convert the Pathankot-Jogindernagar rail line into broad gauge had been conducted as per which the track from Pathankot to Guler could be widened on the same alignment. However, from Guler to Jogindernagar, the alignment would have to be changed due to the hilly terrain, as a result of which three new stations would have to be provided and some existing ones closed. Referring to the extension of the broad gauge line from Kalka to Parwanoo, Mr Dhumal said the Railways had shelved the project but his government got it revived. Consequently, Rs 2 crore had been allocated for this year for the project likely to cost Rs 23
crore. The proposed Bhanupali-Bilaspur rail line was estimated to cost Rs 944.67 crore. The Railways would only provide 25 per cent of the total cost and the remaining 75 per cent would have to be shared by the state government and the beneficiary cement factories. The state’s contribution would come to around Rs 300 crore. Besides, the operating losses would also have to be borne by the state and the beneficiary company. The techno-economic survey of the project was being carried out by the Railway Institute of Technical and Economic Services whose report would be available by May next. The state would take up the matter with the Railway Ministry for early approval of the project. The Railways has also agreed to carry out a preliminary survey for laying a new rail track to from Jogindernagar to Bhanupali via Mandi and earmarked Rs 13.62 lakh for it in the latest
Budget. Work on the Nangal-Talwara line was progressing well between Una and churuh and last year, Rs 3.91 crore was spent on it. The government had already transferred 26 hectares to the Railways and the process for the acquisition of 20 hectares of private land had been initiated. So far, Rs 32.15 crore had been spent an the project estimated to cost Rs 150 crore. Mr Vidya Sagar, Transport Minister, told the House that during 1999-2000, the state Road Transport Corporation suffered a loss of Rs 75.53 crore which came down to Rs 48.51 crore with the grant-in aid of Rs 27 crore. He said a number of steps had been taken to bring down the operational cost. The mileage of buses had been improved from 3.44 km to 3.52 km to the litre, leading to a saving of Rs 1.4 crore. He said the courier service started by the corporation yielded only Rs 10,365. Mr Dhumal informed Mr Raghu Raj that during the past one year, only one case of death due to consumption of adulterated liquor had been reported in which four boys died at Paprola in Kangra. He said 2,967 cases were registered under the Excise Act last year as compared to 2,944 cases in the previous year. Mr Roop Das Kashyap, Urban Development Minister, told Mr Harsh Mahajan that 691 cases for the regularisation of unauthorised constructions under the new retention policy were pending with the Shimla Municipal Corporation. These would be decided by March 31 next. The new building plans were decided within 60 days of submission. At present, 160 such plans are pending approval. |
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Cong rules out
no-trust move Shimla, March 2 He demanded a CBI inquiry into the serious allegations of corruption and nepotism levelled by four ministers and three legislators of the ruling BJP and also into the charges listed by the Congress in its memorandum presented to the Governor last year against the Dhumal government. Mr Virbhadra Singh, who was talking to mediapersons here, said the Congress did not want to destabilise the BJP government which was “falling apart under its own weight.” He said the Congress did not desire political instability in the state and “we have not worked for it. We will take the warranted action in case events are thrust on us”. He alleged that corruption had been institutionalised by the BJP government. Mr Virbhadra Singh said allegations of corruption and nepotism were earlier made by six legislators, including three ministers. This time their number had increased to seven with one more minister joining the rebel camp. He said he was now clear that the truce between the Chief Minister and the six rebels in November was a “patch- work” although the latter had withdrawn their letter carrying the allegations before the winter session of the Assembly. He demanded that Mr Dhumal should resign on moral grounds. The CLP Leader said the resignation of Mr Ram Lal Markanda, a nominee of the HVC in the BJP Ministry, hadfurther indicted the Dhumal government against which he had levelled serious allegations of stepmotherly treatment to his tribal constituency of Lahaul-Spiti. He said the Congress was watching the developments carefully and appropriate action would be taken as may be required by the situation. He said the police should have started investigations against the three ministers against whom allegations of kidnapping of two women had been made and an FIR booked by the police at Kangra. |
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Cong, BJP
will split in HP: NCP Kulu, March 2 He said the NCP President, Mr Sharad Pawar, had introduced many faces in the politics in many states where NCP was a partner in the governments, and the same policy would be followed in Himachal Pradesh also. Mr Thomas further stated that the NCP would very shortly organise a three-day youth leadership training camp at Manali.
Supplementary demands
presented Shimla, March 2 Mr Dhumal has sought supplementary demands of Rs 155.37 crore for the non-Plan expenditure. He said a provision of Rs 124.45 crore had been made for state Plan schemes to take care of the commitments in the Budget as well as inter-sectoral adjustments during the course of the year. The major items for which enhanced Plan provisions had been sought included Rs 10 crore for house building advance to employees, Rs 24.75 crore for investment in the HP Road Infrastructure Development Corporation and the HP Health System Corporation. A sum of Rs 50.06 crore had been sought for implementation of the award of the Eleventh Finance Commission. A sum of Rs 98.56 crore had been provided to regulate expenditure under various centrally sponsored schemes. This included Rs 53.18 crore for the accelerated rural and urban water supply programme and Rs 30 crore for central transport subsidy to industries. The demands of Rs 155.37 crore for non-Plan expenditure included Rs 10.95 crore for payment of pension and Rs 30.96 crore for repayment of interest on loans raised through the HPRIDC and Hudco. A sum of Rs 23.94 crore had been sought towards relief and restoration of damages due to the unprecedented natural calamities earlier this year. A sum of Rs 26.07 crore had been sought for payment of interest subsidy to the
HPSEB. |
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Classes being held in
open Kumarhatti, March 2 The school headmaster, Mr Paras Ram Thakur said the walls of these rooms could collapse any time. The situation worsens in the rains when the students have a tough time in the absence of proper sitting arrangements. Besides, the school lacks toilet facilities. “We have been arranging money for small repairs, but for major repairs, we are unable to do the same,” said the headmaster. He said the state government had recently granted Rs 2 lakh to the Girls High School,
Subathu, for the repair work but then school did not get anything. He urged the state government to sanction immediate grant to the school to improve its condition. |
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Anti-people steps protested Shimla, March 2 It alleged the recent decisions had increased the burden on the common man. All basic necessities had been made dearer and beyond the reach of poorer sections, it said. The members further alleged the Budget was making luxury goods like cars, electronics etc cheaper. |
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Trenches
irk pedestrians Shimla, March 2 During night the problem aggravates due to the non-availability of proper streetlights in the town. Many persons have been hurt by falling into these trenches. Recently at Boileauganj a person fell into one of these trenches at night. Fortunately he was helped by passersby. |
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2 convicted for carrying charas Chamba, March 2 When the baggage of these persons was checked, over 2 kg of charas was recovered from the possession of Raju and over 1 kg from
Soni. The accused were told to pay a find of Rs 1 lakh each and undergo rigorous imprisonment for 10 years. |
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Charas seized Kulu, March 2 |
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Sack HP Govt, says Cong Kulu, March 2 |
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