H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

Nothing for common man: Cong
Shimla, March 9
There has been a mixed reaction to the Budget proposals for the year 2001-2002 presented by Mr P.K. Dhumal, Chief Minister, today. While the Opposition Congress termed it as a Budget of “a government on the brink of financial bankruptcy,” the ruling BJP and its coalition partner, the HVC, described it as a blueprint on state’s “accelerated” development.

Money for ropeway surrendered
Palampur, March 9
The Himachal Pradesh Government has surrendered a sum of Rs 84 lakh sanctioned for the construction of a ropeway in this town . Official sources said the ropeway was to be constructed near the Neugal park.

Directive to pay 1 lakh as compensation
Nahan, March 9
Mr P.D. Goel, President of the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, here directed the Life Insurance Corporation to pay Rs 1 lakh with 9 per cent interest from June 1998 and Rs 1000 litigation cost to Vimla Devi w/o late Sumer Chand of Nahan.

OBC threatens to start agitation
Kangra, March 9
The Other Backward Class community has decided to start an agitation in the state to mount pressure on the government to accept its demand of 27 per cent reservation in jobs.

DCC executive constituted
Nahan, March 9
Dr Prem Singh, MLA and President of the District Congress Committee, has constituted the executive. 

Drugs case: bail plea rejected
Shimla, March 9
Mr Justice K.C. Sood of the Himachal Pradesh High Court yesterday rejected the bail application of Daulat Ram, Sher Singh and Punni Ram of Malana village in Kulu district. They had been charged under Section 20 of the NDPS Act and were arrested on January 17.

Nothing for common man: Cong
Tribune News Service

Shimla, March 9
There has been a mixed reaction to the Budget proposals for the year 2001-2002 presented by Mr P.K. Dhumal, Chief Minister, today.

While the Opposition Congress termed it as a Budget of “a government on the brink of financial bankruptcy,” the ruling BJP and its coalition partner, the HVC, described it as a blueprint on state’s “accelerated” development.

Mr Virbhadra Singh, leader of the Congress Legislature Party, said it was a “desperate” Budget of a government in “distress” which would further aggravate the crisis. The figures on the development front had been “fudged”.

The tax relief announced on certain unimportant items was a cosmetic exercise, which would not benefit anyone.

Mrs Vidya Stokes, Pradesh Congress Committee chief, said it was a disappointing Budget which had nothing for the common man. The decision to allow doctors private practice would spell doom for the health services in the state. The government would save a meagre Rs 8 crore annually by not paying non-practising allowance to the doctors, but the poor people, particularly in villages, would suffer.

The Budget had failed to address the problem of unemployment and there was no scheme for regular jobs.

The BJP described it as a “realistic” Budget which would safeguard the economic interests of workers, farmers and the poor and accelerate the pace of development.

Mr Jaikishan Sharma, state BJP chief, said the increase in daily wages from Rs 51 to Rs 55 and regularisation of work-charged employees would result in substantial financial gains to workers. The lifting of ban on export of khair wood would go a longway in ensuring remunerative returns to farmers.

Mr Sukh Ram, president of the HVC, said it was a growth-oriented Budget but to achieve targets, the deficit would have to be contained. Until the state raised funds by exploiting its own resources, it would be difficult to accelerate the pace of development.

Mrs Viplov Thakur, General Secretary, Congress, said the Budget had completely ignored women.

Mr Kameshwar Pandit, secretary of the CPI, said the meagre raise in minimum wages and that too from August next, was not enough to neutralise the impact of inflation. The anganbari workers and helpers, tailoring instructors, chowkidars, water carriers and safai karamcharis of the Ayurveda Department had not been given the minimum daily wages.

The move to reduce the number of employees by two per cent every year would further increase unemployment. There were already over nine lakh jobless in the state for whom there was nothing in the Budget.

Money for ropeway surrendered
Our Correspondent

Palampur, March 9
The Himachal Pradesh Government has surrendered a sum of Rs 84 lakh sanctioned for the construction of a ropeway in this town . Official sources said the ropeway was to be constructed near the Neugal park. This amount was remitted to the state government about three years ago. Since the state government failed to utilise the funds in a specific period laid down as per rules, therefore, there was no other alternative left with the state government but to surrender the funds.

It may be recalled that the ropeway project was initiated by Mr Shanta Kumar, Union Minister for Food and Consumer Affairs, three years ago. Because of his efforts, the government of India had sanctioned Rs 84 lakh for the first phase of this project. But due to sharp political differences with the Chief Minister Prof Prem Kumar Dhumal, the state government did not take much interest in this project and even failed to call for the tenders for the project in the past three years.

When contacted by this correspondent, Mr Shanta Kumar said during the past two years no efforts were made by the state government for the execution of the ropeway project. He said since there were financial crises in government of India too, therefore, he was not expecting the revival of the project in the near future.

Directive to pay 1 lakh as compensation
Our Correspondent

Nahan, March 9
Mr P.D. Goel, President of the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, here directed the Life Insurance Corporation (L.I.C.) to pay Rs 1 lakh with 9 per cent interest from June 1998 and Rs 1000 litigation cost to Vimla Devi w/o late Sumer Chand of Nahan.

In a complaint filed before the forum, Bimla Devi had said her husband Sumer Chand was insured with the L.I.C. here and he died during the period of insurance in an accident. The L.I.C. refused to pay insurance claim on the plea that Sumer Chand was suffering from a chronic disease, but this plea was rejected by the forum and passed this order.

In another case Mr Goel ordered the National Insurance Company (Branch Manager) Badri Nagar Paonta Sahib to pay Rs 18,400, with an interest at a rate of 9 per cent per annum, with effect from March 1, 1998, till the final payment was made and to pay Rs 500 as litigation cost to the complaintant Mr N.D. Sherab Thorchen, resident of Sataun, within two months.

In another complaint filed by M/s Dixit Enterprises of Paonta Sahib against National Insurance Company Badri Nagar, Paonta Sahib. It was pleaded that Maruti van of the firm met with an accident on August 23,1997, at Raipur Rani (Haryana). The matter was reported to the police and as well to the National Insurance Company with which the van was insured. The company deputed a surveyor who assessed the loss to the tune of Rs 10,890 but the company failed to honour the claim.

Hence the court directed the National Insurance Company to indemnify.The complainant to the extent of Rs 10,890 with an interest at a rate of 15 per cent per annum with effect from October 24, 1997, till the final payment is made. The court has also ordered to pay Rs 500 as litigation cost to the complainant within 45 days. 

OBC threatens to start agitation
Our Correspondent

Kangra, March 9
The Other Backward Class community (OBC) has decided to start an agitation in the state to mount pressure on the government to accept its demand of 27 per cent reservation in jobs.

Briefing mediapersons here yesterday, the organiser of the HP Dalit and OBC sangathan, Mr Omkar Choudary, said the community was in a mood of agitation to get its demand accepted by the government. He said the meeting of the community which was attended yesterday by village Pradhans, BDC members and Panches also demanded 20 per cent reservation in professional colleges.

Mr Choudary also demanded that travelling allowance should be given to Dalit and Schedule Tribe youths who were called for the interviews and written tests for government jobs.

He said Mr Vidiya Sagar, Agriculture and Transport Minister, had offered resignation if the demands were not accepted. Mr Choudary said they would even approach six out of the seven rebel MLAs, who belonged to the OBC community and seek their support in favour of the reservation.

DCC executive constituted
Our Correspondent

Nahan, March 9
Dr Prem Singh, MLA and President of the District Congress Committee (DCC), has constituted the executive.

Mr Desh Raj Sharma has been appointed Senior Vice-President of the DCC while Mr Ranbir Singh (Pachhad), Mr Sohan Dass (Pachhad), Ms Satya Parmar (Nahan), Mr Bansi Ram Rana (Shillai), Mr Lal Singh (Paonta), Mr Yash Pal Chauhan (Renuka) and Mr Raghuvir Singh (Shillai) have been appointed Vice-Presidents.

Ms Amrit Lal Garg, senior Congress leader from Nahan, has been elected Treasurer while Mr Rupender Thakur from Renuka has been appointed General Secretary and spokesperson of the DCC.

Mr Radhye Shyam Gupta (Nahan), Mr Devender Shastri (Pachhad), Mr Amar Singh Chauhan (Shillai), Mr Jalam Singh Fauji (Shillai) and Mr Manminder Singh (Paonta) have also been appointed General Secretaries of the DCC.

Ms Hamida Banu (Nahan), Mr Ajay Sood (Nahan), Mr Sirmour Singh (Pachhad), Ms Deepa Devi (Renuka), Ms Indira Kashayp (Pachhad), Mr Jai Parkash Sharma (Shillai), Mr Prem Pal (Paonta), Mr Hukum Chand Sharma (Renuka), Mr Jagdish Chand (Paonta) and Ms Parishka (Pachhad) have been appointed secretaries of the DCC, Sirmaur.

The in charge Vice-Presidents and General Secretaries for Assembly constituencies of the district are — Ms Satya Parmar and Mr Rupender Thakur (Paonta); Mr Lal Singh and Mr Manjinder Singh (Shillai), Mr Bansi Ram Rana and Mr Amar Singh (Renuka), Mr Yash Pal Chauhan and Mr Devinder Shastri (Pacchad) and Mr Ranvir Singh and Mr Jalam Singh (Nahan).

Senior party leader from Paonta. Rishi Lal has been appointed chief of the beopar mandal cell, Mr Vijay Singh Pundir (ex-servicemen cell), Mr Ranbir Singh (Kisan cell), Mr Bashir Ahmed (minority cell), Mr Prithi Singh (backward class cell), Mr Sannu Ram (SC and ST cell) and Mr Nasir Mohamad Sheikh (Grievances cell).

Drugs case: bail plea rejected
Our Legal Correspondent

Shimla, March 9
Mr Justice K.C. Sood of the Himachal Pradesh High Court yesterday rejected the bail application of Daulat Ram, Sher Singh and Punni Ram of Malana village in Kulu district. They had been charged under Section 20 of the NDPS Act and were arrested on January 17.

The story of the prosecution was that they all were travelling in a van on January 17, 2001. When the police stopped the vehicle and started searching the vehicle the police seized over 2 kg of charas from a bag lying in the van.

The counsel for the accused contended that the petitioners were travelling in a van which was a public carrier and they had no knowledge of the bag and they all were falsely implicated in the FIR. There was no connection between the petitioners and the bag.