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Monday,
May 13, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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Foreign-funded projects
speed up development CBSE plans new grading module Need for poll reforms Phone service connects 16,925 villages in HP Virbhadra seeks probe
into selection board work
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Mega programme to secure external aid Water scarcity to end soon in Mandi Plea to notify transfer policy
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Foreign-funded projects
speed up development Shimla, May 12 An official spokesman said successful implementation of the projects had proved a boon for the state and helped achieve objectives of productivity and raising the quality of life in the rural areas. At present, more than seven such projects in the sectors of Forestry, Education, Health and Environment were under execution in the state. Under the existing scenario of scarce resources, the externally-aided projects have assumed greater significance. Himachal is amongst those states, which have good track record of bilateral tie-ups and implementation of projects in an effective manner. In the Ninth Five-Year Plan period, Himachal succeeded in getting Rs 354.36 crore assistance by way of externally-aided projects. The state government has prepared a mega programme to attract maximum assistance by way of externally-aided projects in 10th Five-Year Plan. The state government has proposed 19 projects amounting to Rs 2,296 crore in different sector for funding to various agencies. Initiated in 1990-91, an ambitious World Bank-aided Integrated Watershed Development project, popularly known as Kandi project, has been implemented successfully in five selected watersheds i.e. Markanda and Ghaggar sub-watersheds in Sirmaur district, Sirsa in Solan district, Swan in Una and Chakki in Kangra and Chamba districts, covering about 70,000 hectares area. A sum of Rs 59.46 crore has been spent under the scheme. The second phase of this project was started in April, 1999, and Rs 169.27 crore is being spent under it. The project aims at an integrated development through a multi-disciplinary approach. So far, Rs 63.09 crore has been spent within two years and Rs 28 crore is being spent in the current year. The second phase of Indo-German Changer area Development Project was also started in June, 1999, with an outlay of Rs 32 crore. The project aims at integrated development of Changer area of Kangra district. The first phase of this project concluded in March, 1999, has proved successful in reducing imbalance between production and the use of renewable natural resources in the Changer area through inter-disciplinary measures focused on land and water conservation, animal husbandry and forestry management. It also emphasised the strengthening of village self-held groups. To encourage commercial forestry through Joint Forestry Management, the Department for International Development (DFID) assisted Forestry Development project is also under implementation in Mandi and Kulu districts on 100 per cent external assistance basis. Rs 21.71 crore has been spent under this project till March last year. This project was initially approved for three years in October, 1994, on pilot basis and later extended for three more years. Another ambitious project of Rs 54.80 crore is being executed with OPEC funding in historical Shimla town to improve and augment sewerage system. According to the funding pattern, OPEC will contribute Rs 36 crore and the remaining would be borne by the state government. This project is likely to be completed in December, 2002. A provision of Rs 11 crore has been made for the current year. The Indo-Norwegian Environ-ment Cooperation programme has also been launched under which at least six sub-projects are being executed. Integrated Solid Waste Management project has been started to ensure proper drainage in Shimla town. Similar project has also been launched in the Kulu-Mandi valley to create awareness of problems of solid waste among residents of Kulu-Manali area. A sum of Rs 3.42 crore will be spent under this project. Apart from this project, environment conservation through Mahila Mandals, NGO’s project and project secretariat area are also being executed under this programme. To improve the quality of education, reduce drop-out rate at the primary level and monitor and supervise implementation of district-level programmes aiming at improving quality of primary education, a district primary education programme (DPEP) is being implemented with the assistance of World Bank in four districts — Kulu, Lahaul-Spiti, Chamba and Sirmaur. A sum of Rs 129.28 crore will be spent on this project. A sum of Rs 75.49 crore has already been spent and an outlay of Rs 30 crore proposed to be spent during the current year. This project, it is hoped, would bring about qualitative improvement in the primary education, especially in the field of ensuring 100 per cent enrolment and also reducing drop-out rate. |
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CBSE plans new grading module Shimla, May 12 Stating this at a press conference here today, Mr Ashok
Ganguli, Chairman of the board, said it was an era of “knowledge explosion”, requiring regular updating of curricula. The board had adopted the frontline curricula approach under which 10 per cent of obsolete portion in selected subjects would be replaced by new one every two years. Besides, new courses were also being introduced as per requirement. Topics like genetic engineering, human cloning and medical technology had been introduced. The CBSE, he said, would become the first board in the world to introduce biotechnology from the ensuing academic session. Disciplines like entrepreneurship, defence studies and disaster management were in the pipeline. New textbooks would be prescribed for classes I, III, VI, IX and XI for all subjects, barring social sciences, history and Hindi, the introduction of which had been stayed by the apex court, from the ensuing session. The board had decided to switch over to the new grading system based on absolute marks from this year up to class VIII. Unlike the previous system, the numerical value of the grades would also be mentioned in the certificate. There would be nine grades in all and besides the marks obtained in examination, the new grading system would also reflect the performance of students in sports and extra-curricular activities. Next year, the grading system would be implemented for class IX and by 2005 all classes would be covered under it. All 34 school education boards and various universities had been informed about the new system so that those who passed out from school did not face problems in securing admission in higher classes. The board had also decided to organise a national Information Technology Olympiad so the students could take part in the international event held annually. The next international IT Olympiad was scheduled to be held at Seoul in South Korea in August. To acquaint the students with the country’s rich cultural heritage, a national heritage quiz had been started. |
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Need for poll reforms Shimla, May 12 Delivering the keynote address on “Leadership and Motivation” at the annual meeting of the Rotary International district 3080 (comprising parts of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal, Uttaranchal and Chandigarh) at Kufri, near here, he said today that politics was dominating every sphere of life and the sharp decline in the quality of political leadership had affected the entire system. It was basically the “crisis of character” which was being reflected in the various organs of governance. While the “high moral character” of the leaders who won freedom for the country was missing altogether, a powerful nexus involving politicians, bureaucrats and criminals had come up which was ruling the roost and ruining the country. He said the elite and educated people were, to a large extent, responsible for this as they did not even think that it was important to cast their vote. In a democracy, the people were the ultimate masters and they were the ones who elected the government. However, these days, elections reflected the opinion of slum dwellers who, unlike the educated lot, made it a point to exercise their franchise. They should not only participate in the electoral process but also have the courage of conviction and start questioning the wrongs being perpetrated by the powers-that-be. There was need to bring the right kind of leaders to the political forefront. The faulty electoral system was a big impediment in this regard. Various parties and leaders had been pursuing politics of vote bank and, in the process, they did not even hesitate to compromise with the mafia and gangsters. He cited the example of Bihar in this regard. There was an urgent need to carry out electoral reforms to purge the polity of the unwanted elements. Simultaneously, there was a need to bring transparency in the overall system of governance in general and functioning of its three organs, the legislature, the executive and the judiciary in particular to create an environment where the right of the youths to equal opportunity was not impinged upon, jobs were not traded for money and fair play was ensured at all levels. The address was followed by a question-answer session, at which Mr Jaisingh answered queries covering a wide range of issues, from the PPSC recruitment scam to violence in Gujarat. Mr R.K. Saboo, former Rotary International president, presided over the session. |
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Phone service connects 16,925 villages in HP Kulu, May 12 Mr Gill further revealed that Hamirpur and Kangra districts would also be given intelligent network services in future and with that the whole of Himachal Pradesh would be covered with this facility. He further said the public could now avail itself of the facility of the virtual calling card (VCC) in these districts and the public could make STD and ISD calls from any telephone. The prepaid cards would be available at a price of Rs 100, Rs 200 and Rs 500. During 2001-2002, a record number (95,000) new telephone connections were released along with the laying of 1500 km of OFC, he said. The department had proposed to give 85,000 new telephone connections this year and about 50 per cent of these connections would be on wireless system, he added. He said the BSNL had also proposed to install village public telephones in all villages during this year. Mr Maheshwar Singh said the BSNL had planned to start mobile services within the next three months in Himachal Pradesh. Mr O.P. Minhas, Telecom District Manager, said three base trans receiver stations (BTS) had been commissioned at Khakhnal, Puid and Banjar in this district. With the commissioning of these BTSs, wireless in local loop (WLL) services were being extended to more tougher and remote areas, he added. |
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Virbhadra seeks probe
into selection board work Hamirpur, May 12 He was addressing a public meeting at Kale Amb in this district today. Mr Virbhadra Singh dubbed Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal as the fountain of corruption and added that instead of taking any action against corrupt persons, he was shielding them. The functioning of the HP Service Selection Board at Hamirpur needed to be probed thoroughly by the CBI, he alleged, adding that this board had become a den of corruption and jobs were being given on the recommendations of the Chief Minister and ministers. While deserving persons were ignored, those having links with the rulers were enjoying benefits. He said the annual plans of the state for the past two years proved that while money on developmental activities was on the decline, that on the services network was on the increase. Mr Ram Lal Thakur, former minister, Mr Brij Bihari Lal, former minister, Mr Kashmir Singh and Mrs Anita Verma, former parliamentary secretaries, blasted the state government for working against the interests of the poor and downtrodden sections of society. Mr Kuldip Singh Pathania, former MLA and organiser of the rally dared the Chief Minister to have a debate with him on the issue of developmental activities undertaken in the area during the past four years. |
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Mega programme to secure external aid Shimla, May 12 The government has posed 19 projects, amounting to Rs 2.296 crore, in different sectors for funding by various agencies, according to an official spokesman here. Externally-aided projects have assumed a greater significance in the light of resource constraints in the state. At present, more than seven externally-aided projects are being implemented in forestry, education, health and environment. The second phase of an ambitious World Bank aided integrated watershed development project, popularly known as Kandi project, is being successfully implemented at five selected watersheds in districts of Sirmour, Solan, Una, Kangra and Chamba, covering 70,000 hectares. Similarly, the second phase of the Indo-German Changer area development project is under implementation in Kangra district. It aims at integrated development of the Changer area and strengthening of village self-help groups in the district. The spokesman said to encourage commercial forestry through joint forestry management, the Department for International Development assisted the forestry development project was being implemented in Mandi and Kulu districts with external assistance. Another ambitious project of Rs 54.8 crore is being executed with the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries funding in Shimla to improve and augment the sewerage system. An integrated solid waste management project has been started in Shimla to ensure proper drainage system. A similar project has been launched in the Kulu-Manali valley.
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Water scarcity to end soon in Mandi Mandi, May 12 A spokesman for the IPH Department said efforts were being made to tide over the situation. In some parts, tankers had been pressed into service. He said four lakh litres of additional water would be made available daily within a week or so. Insiders say that due to paucity of funds the present situation has arisen and the Rs 9.41-crore drinking water augmentation work has been held up for over a year. The work is at final stage of completion and only Rs 2.5 crore is required to accomplish it. A loan of Rs 2.5 crore is being raised from HUDCO and all formalities has been completed. The IPH authorities here believe that the lasting solution for is chronic water problem in Mandi town is to harness the clean water of the river tributary. of Beas, through a gravity pipeline. |
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Plea to notify transfer policy Dharamsala, May 12 Employees leaders said not only should the tenure of an employee be around five years at one place but keeping in view the problems faced by widows they should be transferred only within the district, they said They appealed to the government not to confer seniority to retired Army men from the date of joining the Army in educational institutions as this blocked promotional avenues of other employees. |
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