H A R Y A N A

IT worries common man, not ministers
Chandigarh, March 5
While Indians having a monthly income of more than Rs 50,000 sweat it out in March every year to settle their tax liabilities, the legislators and ministers of Haryana have no such worry. 

BSNL scheme for existing subscribers
Hisar, March 5
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited has launched a scheme to increase the density of telephone connections in the district. Under this scheme the nigam will issue new connections without any registration charges and security to those consumers who already have a telephone connection.

• BSNL incentive for new connections

BDPO gets justice, but after death
Chandigarh, March 5
Justice came, but too late — 11 years after his death. Taking up his petition filed soon after his retirement as Block Development and Panchayat Officer alleging victimisation by a former Chief Minister, Mr Justice Mehtab Singh Gill of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today directed the state of Haryana and other respondents to pay pensionary benefits to his son without imposing a cut of 5 per cent.

Carpeting work on road begins
Kurukshetra, March 5
The work on Rs 2-crore project of carpeting the four-lane road from Geeta-Dwaar, Pipli, to Kurukshetra University, third gate, was started here today.

Hi-tech cotton testing machine inaugurated
Sirsa, March 5
‘If the farmers want to get good price for their crop, they will have to pay attention to the quality of cotton besides the quantity of production’. This was stated by Dr Srinivasan, a senior cotton scientist of the Central Cotton Technology Research Institute, Mumbai.

Trader shot at, looted
Bhiwani, March 5
A trader was shot at and looted of Rs 1.50 lakh in the morning hours near the railway station here today. The condition of the victim, identified as Mahender Pichopia, is stated to be critical.

Man gets life term for murder
Bhiwani, March 5
The District and Sessions Judge, Mr N.S. Ahlawat, has sentenced Anil Kumar (24) of Charkhi Dadri to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 1,000 on him under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code.

VC for women empowerment
Yamunanagar, March 5
Women have the lowest literacy rate and the least employment opportunities. This was stated by Mr R.S. Choudhary, Vice-Chancellor, Kurukshetra University, while speaking at the convocation of Hindu Girls College, Jagadhari, here today.

‘Kranti yatra’ from today
Chandigarh, March 5
In this season of yatras that have tormented the nation, Haryana will witness a different kind of yatra.

IT worries common man, not ministers
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 5
While Indians having a monthly income of more than Rs 50,000 sweat it out in March every year to settle their tax liabilities, the legislators and ministers of Haryana have no such worry. The income tax payable by the ministers and legislators on their receipts from the government (in case of ministers) or the Assembly (in case of MLAs), is taken care of by the state government.

Sources here said that this time round the state government might have to pay significantly more towards tax liabilities of ministers and MLAs as the income tax authorities reportedly pointed out that legislators and ministers could not be given the benefit of standard deduction which was available for employees.

An MLA in Haryana gets Rs 19,500 per month comprising compensatory, sumptuary, office and telephone allowances. The Speaker, Deputy Speakers and ministers get Rs 26,000 per month as salary and other allowances. The Chief Minister gets Rs 26,500.

Their incomes fall under the tax slab of 30 per cent per annum. While calculating the tax liabilities of the ministers and MLAs they are considered eligible to get the maximum standard deduction ( tax calculated on their total annual taxable earnings less Rs 25,000).

However, following an intimation by the income tax authorities those who are in charge of handling income tax affairs of the state government, including tax liabilities of the ministers and MLAs, have reportedly been forced to do some re-thinking on the way the calculations of the income tax liabilities of the VIPs are being carried out. The tax authorities have reportedly pointed out that ministers and legislators cannot be treated as employees .

Their incomes should be treated as special allowances and not as salary received by an employee from his/her employer and the incomes of legislators and ministers should be subjected to tax under Section 56 of the Income Tax Act, the authorities reportedly pointed out.

The legislators also get about Rs 20,000 every month towards TA and DA. The receipts from TA and DA are, however, exempted from the income tax. Nevertheless, the financial managers of the state government are preparing to pay a huge amount to the tax authorities in the light of the directive that the ministers and MLAs should not be covered under the standard deduction scheme.

The state government, it may be stated, has in its hand another Bill which will almost double the incomes of the MLAs and ministers. The Bill is mostly likely to be placed in the house in its ongoing session unless the Chief Minister holds it back for some reason. Once this Bill becomes an Act, the MLAs and the ministers will have a bonanza though the hike will bring upon increased burden on the state exchequer for more money will have to be spent towards settling the tax liabilities of the ministers and the MLAs.

BSNL scheme for existing subscribers
Our Correspondent

Hisar, March 5
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has launched a scheme to increase the density of telephone connections in the district. Under this scheme the nigam will issue new connections without any registration charges and security to those consumers who already have a telephone connection. As a bonus, the nigam will also provide an ITC card worth Rs 525 with the new connection free of cost.

Addressing mediapersons here today, Mr R.K.Tyagi, GMT, Hisar telecom division, said this scheme would continue till March 31. He said it would be applicable only to those subscribers who already had a BSNL telephone connection. They would have to submit a form for new connection by March 31. He said STD facility would not be provided on the new connections under this scheme.

He said the scheme would be applicable in 24 exchanges of the Hisar Division comprising Hisar, Sirsa and Fatehabad districts. These include C-dot, E-10B, DC Colony, DCM Road, Vikas Nagar, Sector 15 and Azad Nagar exchanges of Hisar town, Barwala, Hansi, Tohana, Dabwali main and RSU exchanges, Ellenabad, Ratia, Fatehabad, Hansi, Rania, Satrod, C-block, C-dot, E-10B, Begu Road and Barnala Road exchanges of Sirsa district.

He said the nigam had also launched scheme for consumers of those urban areas where no waiting list was pending. Under this scheme the nigam would provide an ITC card worth Rs 525 to those subscribers who would apply for a new telephone connection between March 6 and March 31. This scheme will be applicable at E-10B and DC Colony exchanges of Hisar town, main and RSU exchanges of Dabwali, Barwala, Fatehabad and Ratia towns.

Mr Tyagi said to reduce the rush of people of billing counters, the nigam had authorised 48 post offices in different villages of the division for accepting bills.

He said the nigam had connected 22 exchanges with (optical fibre cable) so far. He said the nigam would connect 25 another exchanges with this modern technology by the end of the current financial year. The nigam had issued more than 20,000 new connections this year against a target of 34,000 connections. The nigam had also added 30,000 new lines while the target was 48,000 lines. He hoped that the targets would be met by the end of this financial year. 

BSNL incentive for new connections
Tribune News Service

Ambala, March 5
The Chief General manager Telecom, Haryana Circle, Mr Gurmukh Jethwani, said today that the BSNL had offered an incentive with each new telephone connection for the current year in on-demand areas.

Talking to mediapersons here, Mr Jethwani said in many of the urban areas in Haryana, telephones were available on demand. “In order to create additional demand for new telephone connections the BSNL has offered as an incentive, a free ITC card for the value of Rs 525 with each new telephone connection for the current financial year, upto March 31, 2002, for those urban areas where spare switching capacity is available but adequate waiting list does not exist,” he said.

Mr Jethwani said besides the ITC card, security deposit (annual rental deposit) may be taken in three instalments. The scheme is not a concession scheme but only an instalment scheme. In Ambala SSA, where telephones are on demand include Ambala Cantt Main, Kaccha Bazar, Palam Vihar, Shastri Colony, in Ambala City, Railway Road, Novelty, Baldev Nagar, Model Town, Yamuna Nagar, Chacchrauli and Jagadhari.

He said infrastructure for cellular mobile in Haryana telecom circle is getting ready and the service was expected to become available by Divali.
Mr Jethwani said Haryana telecom circle level telephone adalat was held on February 12 in which 15 out of the 16 cases received were settled. Besides the telephone adalat at circle level, telephone adalats were held at Rohtak, Jind and Karnal. “Haryana telecom circle convened a meeting with Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs of Haryana to brief them about the working and development status of telecom services in Haryana telecom circle. Mr Ratan Lal Kataria, Mr Faquir Chand Mullana, Mr Kishan Singh Sangwan and Dr Sushil Indora, attended the meeting,” he said.

BDPO gets justice, but after death
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 5
Justice came, but too late — 11 years after his death. Taking up his petition filed soon after his retirement as Block Development and Panchayat Officer alleging victimisation by a former Chief Minister, Mr Justice Mehtab Singh Gill of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today directed the state of Haryana and other respondents to pay pensionary benefits to his son without imposing a cut of 5 per cent.

Challenging the orders issued on June 6, 1989, proposing the imposition of a 5 p.c. cut in his pension due to alleged “loss caused by him to government”, BDPO Satya Paul Marwaha had contended that former Chief Minister Bhajan Lal was inimical towards him ever since he was elected MLA from Adampur in 1978-1979.

His counsel had claimed on the petitioner's behalf that Mr Bhajan Lal, soon after becoming CM, suspended the petitioner on July 30, 1979, and a case under the Prevention of Corruption case was registered against him. The petitioner was, subsequently, acquitted by Hisar’s Special Judge. An inquiry also exonerated him.

Counsel had further added that the petitioner’s service record was intentionally spoiled by the former Chief Minister and soon after his retirement on March 31, 1989, the orders proposing a 5 p.c. cut in pension were issued.

After hearing arguments and going through the record, Mr Justice Gill ruled: “Since the petitioner has been acquitted by Hisar’s Special Judge and adverse remarks recorded in his annual confidential report for 1985-86 were also expunged, I do not see any reason why the pension and arrears of the petitioner were withheld....”

The Judge concluded: “The writ petition is allowed. The impugned orders dated June 6, 1989, are quashed. The respondents are directed to pay the pensionary benefits and the arrears without imposing a 5 p.c. cut in the pension of the deceased to his son Rajeev Marwaha, who is the only legal representative of the deceased, within three months”.

Carpeting work on road begins
Our Correspondent

Kurukshetra, March 5
The work on Rs 2-crore project of carpeting the four-lane road from Geeta-Dwaar, Pipli, to Kurukshetra University, third gate, was started here today.

Informing this to mediapersons, the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Abhilaksh Likhi, said the carpeting work would be completed within a fortnight while the installation of streetlights at a cost of Rs 16 lakh on the road would be completed by March 31.

Mr Likhi said similarly, the road stretch from Kurukshetra to Pehowa would be repaired before April 11 inview of the pilgrims visiting Pehowa to take a holy dip into the Saraswati on the occasion of “Chet Chaudas” fair being held from April 11 to 13.

Talking about the four-laning of approach roads to Shekh Chehli Tomb, Sthaneshwar Mahadev Mandir, Bhadrakali Mandir and Tapovan, Mr Likhi said it would be commenced by the Central Public Works Department (CPWD), very soon. The grant of Rs 3.5 crore sanctioned by the Union Tourism Minister, Mr Jagmohan, would be spent on it, he added. The Deputy Commissioner said Rs 18 lakh had been sanctioned for draining rain water from the railway road area.

Hi-tech cotton testing machine inaugurated
Our Correspondent

Sirsa, March 5
‘If the farmers want to get good price for their crop, they will have to pay attention to the quality of cotton besides the quantity of production’. This was stated by Dr Srinivasan, a senior cotton scientist of the Central Cotton Technology Research Institute, Mumbai.

He was addressing the farmers and cotton research scientists at a function after inaugurating a high tech machine set up to test the quality of the cotton at the local centre of the institute.

Stressing on the need for genetic cultivation, Mr Srinivasan said it would not only improve the quality of cotton, but also preserve the fertility of the soil.

He further said the main reason for the fall in the production of cotton during the past few years was due to the non-compliance of the advice given by agriculture scientists to the farmers.

The Associate-Director of Agriculture Research Institute, Sriganganagar, Dr R.C. Maheshwari, also emphasised on adopting genetic insect control system. Dr D. Monga, in charge of the local centre, said the quality-testing machine had been set up at a cost of about Rs 15 lakh. With this machine the strength, length and purity of cotton fibre would be tested within a few minutes.

Trader shot at, looted
Our Correspondent

Bhiwani, March 5
A trader was shot at and looted of Rs 1.50 lakh in the morning hours near the railway station here today. The condition of the victim, identified as Mahender Pichopia, is stated to be critical. He was admitted to the Civil Hospital but the doctor referred him to the PGIMS, Rohtak.

According to information available, Mahender, who was going to Delhi, was stopped by three motorcycle-borne miscreants near the railway station and shot at point-blank range. They absconded after looting the cash. The police reportedly arrived two hours after the incident occurred.

A case has been registered though no arrests have been made so far.

Man gets life term for murder
Our Correspondent

Bhiwani, March 5
The District and Sessions Judge, Mr N.S. Ahlawat, has sentenced Anil Kumar (24) of Charkhi Dadri to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 1,000 on him under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code.

According to the prosecution, Anil Kumar sodomised Pawan Kumar and later murdered him on October 4, 1999. An FIR was lodged with the police on October 5.

VC for women empowerment
Our Correspondent

Yamunanagar, March 5
Women have the lowest literacy rate and the least employment opportunities. This was stated by Mr R.S. Choudhary, Vice-Chancellor, Kurukshetra University, while speaking at the convocation of Hindu Girls College, Jagadhari, here today. He said a sure way to empower women was to use knowledge inputs. “The knowledge generates confidence and self-esteem,” he added.

The Vice-Chancellor said recognising the inadequacies of the past developmental efforts and also realising the urgent need for removing the acute gender imbalances, the Government of India had introduced women participation in the defence forces and engineering services. To give further flip to their empowerment political participation of women had been encouraged. As many as 250 girls were conferred on degrees. Dr Urmil Sharma, Principal of the college, read the annual report.

‘Kranti yatra’ from today
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 5
In this season of yatras that have tormented the nation, Haryana will witness a different kind of yatra.

Starting on March 6 from Narnaul, the southern-most tip of Haryana, the 22-day “Sampurna Kranti Yatra” will try to spread the ideas of the late Jayaprakash Narayan among the youths, a press note said here today.