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| Monday, April 16, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
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Road through every village:
Dhumal Plight of daily-wagers
worsens Withdrawal of Bill on MLAs’ assets
criticised Landlocked area linked with
road Shimla Municipal Corporation swamped by deputationists |
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Plan to boost farming of ‘mahasheer’ Liquor mafia at it
again HRTC staff
defer rally
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Road through every village:
Dhumal Shimla, April 15 Presiding over the statehood day function at Rampur, about 125 km from here today, he said the areas which had remained neglected so far would be paid special attention to ensure that benefits of development reached the remotest corner. He said the greatest achievement during the past three years was that the coalition government had succeeded in bridging the gap between the government and the common man. It had also demolished the bogey of regionalism raised by the opposition by ensuring development of all areas of the state. He blamed the Congress for problems being faced by farmers in the wake of unrestricted imports of farm produce and said the BJP had opposed signing of the WTO treaty as it was not in the interests of farmers and fruit growers. Those who had signed this treaty were now shedding crocodile tears to make political capital, which was unfortunate. He said the present government had raised the import duty on apples to protect the fruit growers of the state. Mr Dhumal said his government had set up a hops plant at Baddi at a cost of Rs 2 crore to ensure remunerative prices to hops growers. Besides, two fruit-based wineries were being set up in Shimla and Mandi districts at a cost of Rs 35 crore to find a solution to the marketing problem. Several other steps like Kisan Pass Books with legal sanction, review of old revenue laws to make these relevant to the times and introduction of the crop insurance scheme had been taken for the benefit of farmers. Keeping in view the vital importance of roads in the economy of the hill areas, the state government had decided to connect every village by road in the next three years. He said schemes for road construction amounting to Rs 60 crore had been approved under the Prime Minister’s gram sadak yojna during the last financial year and schemes worth Rs 120 crore had been sent this year for approval. As many as 134 bridges had been constructed during the past three years, besides about 1800 km of roads. He said Rs 190 crore had been spent on NH-22 which passed through Shimla, Rampur and Kinnaur. The Chief Minister said education and health were also given top priority and 1056 educational institutions had been opened during the past three years in the state. Ten district hospitals had been upgraded and four dental colleges and 152 Ayurvedic health institutions opened during this period. Mr Dhumal said to lend a human face to development efforts, the government had given special attention to the social services sector for which 40 per cent of the Budget had been earmarked this year. He said the Budget for education had been raised from Rs 356 crore to Rs 943 crore during the past three years. A bima yojna had been launched to provide a security cover to poor women. Daily wages had been enhanced to Rs 51, to be further increased to Rs 55 from August, 2001. Hydel power generation had been accorded priority and work on projects of 6100 mw capacity started by the present government. The endeavour was to exploit the identified potential of 20,000 mw at the earliest to generate an annual income of Rs 2000 crore for the state. He announced that work on the 600 mw Rampur hydel project would be taken in hand soon which would generate employment opportunities for the local people. The Chief Minister announced a grant of Rs 53 lakh for construction of various roads in Rampur and nearby areas. He said the Ayurvedic hospital at Rampur would be further strengthened. The Tehsildar and Naib Tehsildar, Rampur, would be asked to camp for a week every month at Sarahan so that people would not have to travel to Rampur for work. Earlier, Mr Dhumal unfurled the national flag and took the salute at an impressive march past by contingents of the police, Home Guards and the NCC. Mr Arvind Digvijay Singh, Deputy Superintendent of Police, commanded the parade. Mr Narender Bragta, Mr Roop Dass Kashyap, Mr Hari Narayan Seni, all ministers, Mr Chet Ram, Parliamentary Secretary, Mr Maheshwar Singh, MP, Mr Singhi Ram, Mr Ishwar Dass, both MLAs, and Mr Ganesh Dut, Chairman of the Housing Board, were present at the function. |
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Plight of daily-wagers
worsens Kasauli A part of this workforce is engaged in government departments including PWD, IPH, MES, Forest Department, etc. The local daily-wagers, particularly unskilled ones, are the ones most severely affected. They complain that their counterparts in government departments manage to grab most jobs by accepting them at half the rates prevailing in the market. While the market rates range between Rs 120 to Rs 180 per day, these daily wagers manage to procure them at half the rates ranging between Rs 50 to Rs 80. The smaller jobs are thus grabbed by them whereas the migrant labour manages to seek employment in bigger ventures extending into months and providing regular income. The local unskilled ones are, thus, left in the lurch. Contractors prefer to hire these migrant labourers on account of them being more hard-working and laborious in comparison to locals. They are hired for time-bound contracts which require an efficient workforce. The locals on the other hand, cause undue delays due to frequent leave taking. Militancy in Jammu and Kashmir has led to a large number of people coming here in search of work. Their children, with no hope of getting education, end up either as helpers in tea stalls and other shops or else spend time loitering in markets. Going to schools is a far-fetched idea which hardly comes to their mind. These illiterate children grow up with no future and end up working as unskilled workers. The number of children engaged in begging and rag picking has increased. The tall claims made by the state government to grant 100 per cent primary education to the children seems a farce when such hapless children are deprived of education. The District Primary Education Officer, when contacted, stated that in spite of extending facilities like free books and uniform besides mid-day meals, these children fail to enrol themselves in schools. They prefer to earn something by working or else frequently keep moving from one place to another with their parents. These labourers can be seen living either in make-shift huts erected near construction sites or pass time residing in dilapidated abandoned houses. It is ironical that these migrants are bereft of all facilities extended by the government for people below the poverty line. The Integrated Rural Development Programme, which provides ration at subsidised rates to the poverty-stricken, fails to incorporate these hapless migrant labour, where each member has to toil from dawn to dusk to meet both ends. Constructions are not done all the time hence on certain months they are deprived of income . Work becomes scant during summers when water availability declines forcing them to take up alternative jobs. Being unskilled and inept at getting other jobs, they end up living in penury. It is time the government took some steps to provide better employment avenues for them. |
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Withdrawal of Bill on MLAs’ assets
criticised Shimla, April 15 Mr Sukhwinder Singh, President of the Youth Congress, said here today that the Tehelka expose had strengthened the impression that politicians were the fountainhead of corruption and declaration of assets by elected representatives was the first step to cleanse their image. He said legal provision should be made in the election rules for filing of annual returns of assets with the speaker. He said the Youth Congress would not only demand declaration of assets by MLAs and MPs but also by former Chief Ministers. It would soon submit a memorandum to the Governor in this regard. Thereafter, rallies would be organised all over the state to create awareness among the masses on this issue and mount pressure on the government. If need arose it would file a public interest litigation in the high court. He alleged the introduction of the Bill was a ploy to drag the issue. The BJP in its election manifesto had promised that its legislators would declare their assets within three months of the election. However, more than three years had passed since but the commitment had not been fulfilled so far. Instead, it tried to delay matters by first introducing a Bill and later withdrawing it. No legislation was, infact, required to fulfil the promise. Various political parties claimed that their MLAs and MPs had been submitting details of their assets to party presidents but it was meaningless as the conduct of the presidents, as evident from Tehelka tapes, was not above board. He said Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal should set an example by declaring his assets. |
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Landlocked area linked with
road Shimla, April 15 Mr P.K. Dhumal, Chief Minister, inaugurated the Wazir Bawri-Samejh road, constructed at a cost of Rs 20.85 crore which would benefit over 2,000 people inhabiting the remote pockets of Kulu and Shimla districts. He also flagged off a bus from Jagatkhana to Samejh on the occasion. The Chief Minister inaugurated a telephone exchange at Samejh by making a call. Mr Dhumal reiterated his government’s resolve for speedy development of the backward and far-flung areas of the state. The government will implement Rs 71 crore backward area sub-plan and Rs 143 crore tribal sub-plan during the current year. He said to ensure sufficient staff in these areas, the government has set-up sub-cadre for difficult and tribal areas. The local youth were being given preference in employment under this cadre. Referring to the development of telecommunication sector, Mr Dhumal said Himachal Pradesh had telephone density of six per 100 persons. The Chief Minister said the government has taken up restoration and repair of roads and bridges damaged in floods in the Kinnaur and Rampur areas during the last rainy season. Repair of all 14 bridges, which were washed away, was being undertaken under Nabard funding. Mr Dhumal said Rs 58 crore had been spent by the present government on construction of roads
in Kulu during the past three years and Rs 3 crore had been sanctioned under Prime Minister Gramin Sadak Yojna in the district. He said work on the Samejh road would also be undertaken under the same scheme. Besides, entire road from Jagatkhana to Samejh would be metalled under this scheme. The Chief Minister announced Rs 10 lakh to start work on this road. He also announced Rs 5 lakh each for Muhali-Sargha, Kushva, Khargha, Randle and Posana roads and Rs 2 lakh for development of playground of High School, Samejh. |
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Shimla Municipal Corporation swamped by deputationists Shimla, April 15 As may as 42 deputationists are currently running the show. The deputation period of many officials has already expired but they were being allowed to continue in the corporation. The general house of the corporation has been witnessing noisy scenes in its meetings over the retention of these officials beyond the prescribed period. There are four deputationists in the administration department, eight in the health department, 18 in road and building department, 10 in irrigation department and two in forest department, currently running the corporation. Even the Commissioner, Mr H.N. Kashyap is a Himachal Pradesh Administrative Officer. This is for the first time an HAS officer is on the post. Earlier the posts were occupied by IAS and IPS officers. Sources said the deputation period was not supposed to exceed six years. As many as 11 deputationists had completed more than six years but were still running the corporation. Out of 11 deputationists three had been releaved due to pressure by the councillors. The councillors had urged the general house to repatriate the rest of these nine employees, who have completed 10 years in the corporation. Mr Kishori Lal is the most senior most, employee on deputation working for the past 13 years. Mr S.K. Bedi also came in the same period. Mr Omkar Chand Sharma, Mr Ramditu Sharma, Mr Gopal Krishan, Mr Prem Chand Thakur, Mr Umesh Dogra and Mr Kedar Nath Chauhan have completed more than five years. The sources said due to political interference these deputationists were being protected. The Commissioner, Mr Kashyap, at the general house meeting, said these deputationist’s list had been sent to the government. The former Mayor, Mr Manoj Kumar, had raised a question on the deputation issue at a meeting recently. He said they had urged the government to send these deputationist to their parental departments. He said this would maintain cordial relations between the state government and local government. He said it was the government policy that if any employee completed his deputation period, he had to be sent back to his parental department. The sources said if these deputationists were not sent back, that issue would be again raised in the next meeting of the municipal corporation. |
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Plan to boost farming of ‘mahasheer’ Maharana Partap Sagar ( Nurpur) April 15 The angling meet was chaired by Mr S.K. Gupta, Chief Engineer, BBMS, Talwara, Dr Kuldeep Kumar, Director Fisheries HP Government, who read the address of the chief guest, Mr Kishori Lal Vaidya, Industry Minister in his absence pointed out that the state government had drawn up a detailed action plan to set up a model “mahasheer” farm entailing an expenditure of over Rs 4 crore out of which 50 per cent would be met with central assistance. The objective of the farm was to produce ‘mahasheer’ fish seed by transplanting them in various rivers and rivulets in the state, he added. Dr Kuldeep Kumar anticipated that such seed farming programmes would go a long way in the augmentation of the stock and revival of fishery in the state. Brig Ravi Mehta bagged first prize for ‘mahasheer’ catching. |
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Liquor mafia at it
again Shimla, April 15 The squad headed by Mr S.K. Awasthy, Deputy Excise and Taxation Commissioner, found that the driver was carrying as many as 1075 cases of liquor but he had a route pass for only 600. The truck had unloaded 475 cases at the Nain Tikker but the driver had permission for only 150 cases. The driver of the truck (HP-18-4529) tried to mislead the excise staff by producing route passes for liquor vends located in far-off areas like Nahan, Rajgarh and Habban. Thereafter, he vanished from the scene to inform the contractor concerned about the incident. Later, the contractor also tried to convince the officials that the driver had taken a wrong route. However a case was registered against him. Interestingly, the contractor managed to get a similar consignment despatched from the Kala Amb distillary on the same evening for various vends in Solan area and claimed before the Sarhan police that his truck was forcibly unloaded by the excise officials. But records revealed that a truck (HP-11-3099) was despatched at 5.30 p.m. on April 13 whereas the truck which was intercepted by the flying squad had left a day earlier. |
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HRTC staff
defer rally Nurpur, April 15 Mr Rajneesh Sharma president of the state unit of the federation, said in a statement here yesterday that the rally was postponed following an assurance given to a delegation of the federation by the Transport Minister, Mr Kishan Kapoor, at a meeting convened at Shimla on April 12. |
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“Himachal
Gaurav” Shimla, April 15 Mr Ran had saved two persons from drowning due to sinking of boat in the Pong Dam reservoir recently. He was given a cash award of Rs 5100 and a commendation certificate.
UNI |
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Tourist drowned in Beas Mandi, April 15 Mr Jog Raj Thakur, SP, said the deceased, along with his cousin, was on his way from Kurukshetra to Kulu and Manali on a sight-seeing tour.
PTI Seminar
from April 19 Shimla, April
15 |
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Rotary Governor visits Parwanoo Parwanoo, April 15 Members of the Club and their wives attended the function held at Shiwalik Cafe here. |
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