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Tuesday,
December 17, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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On-line lottery: Haryana to reinvite tenders Governor distributes 200 blankets Gita Jayanti quiz contestants get prizes HR minting money from NHDA’s gesture HIGH COURT Haryana DCs told to inspect treasuries |
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Warrants against lyric writer
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On-line lottery: Haryana to reinvite tenders Chandigarh, December 16 This is bound to delay the implementation of the state government’s plans to mop up additional revenue from unconventional sources. According to informed sources, four parties had responded to the earlier NIT. These companies were Widescreen of the Zee group, Wilsat of the Essar group, Orbit
Consortium (not to be confused with the company of the same name owned by the family of former Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal) and Sugal and Damani. Orbit Consortium and Sugal and Damani could not qualify technically because either their networth was less than Rs 50 crore as stipulated in the NIT or they had no foreign collaborator. The Zee group’s offer, the sources say, was conditional. It guaranteed the payment of Rs 72 crore to the state in the first year of the contract and about Rs 800 crore over the next seven years. However, the group wanted that the sales tax on the lotteries sold within as well as without the state must be paid by the Haryana Government. This condition was found unacceptable by the committee of officers which processed the tenders. Moreover, the sources said, the Zee group also wanted the state government to discontinue its traditional paper lottery. The sources say if the government had accepted the conditions imposed by the Zee group, it would have been the ultimate loser. The Essar group offered only Rs 10 crore each for the first two years. Strangely it offered a guaranteed payment of Rs 200 crore for the third year and Rs 100 crore for the fourth year. Since either party could terminate the contract by giving a one-year notice, the committee felt that after earning good profits for the first two years, the Essar group could terminate the contract in the third year, leaving the state in the lurch. The government feels that in response to the re-tender the parties would give realistic figures and would be more serious in their attempts to bag the Haryana contract. A senior functionary involved in the processing of the tender bids said in view of the increasing competition in the on-line lottery business, the Haryana Government should expect something between Rs 30 crore and Rs 50 crore, without any strings attached, for the first year of the scheme. |
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Governor distributes 200 blankets Fatehabad, December 16 When invited to address, Babu Parmanand decried insensitivity on the part of the administration, the MLAs and the officials associated with the welfare schemes meant for common people while dealing with problems of the poor. He said that those who claimed to be varisht nagriks (important persons) of the society by virtue of the powers vested in them were in fact in many cases they should be called bhrasht nagrik (corrupt person) and not varisht nagriks as they missed no opportunity to misappropriate funds meant for common people. He warned the officers that he might not be able to do much about other departments but he was determined to set the departments right under his direct control. He said that if a single penny was withdrawn from the government treasury for welfare of the poor and weaker sections of the society, it must be ensured that it was used properly. He called upon people to come forward to help organisations like the Red Cross Society, the Child Welfare Council and the Gramin Mahila Sangh as the money donated to these organisations was used exclusively for the welfare of the poor and downtrodden. Lauding the role of media for exposing the misdeeds of corrupt officers, he exhorted the journalists to be vigilant so that corrupt officials were not able to misuse the money meant for the poor. Babu Parmanand asked the people to discourage religious bigotry and work for communal harmony. He said while serving the people, caste, creed or religion of the person should never be a consideration. He said he was surprised to see people fighting in the name of religion. He said that when administering blood to an ailing person, doctors do not go for the religion or caste of persons donating or receiving blood. They only match the blood group. He asked people to shun religious bigotry and learn to live like brothers. The Governor announced Rs 1 lakh grant from his discretionary quota for the district and asked Deputy Commissioner, Dr R. B. Langyaan to use this money for providing school uniforms, study material and other help to students of poor families. Governor’s wife, Ms Sudesh
Kumari, accompanied him. Commissioner, Hisar Division, P. K. Das, Mrs Raj
Rani, managing secretary of the Bharatiya Gramin Mahila Sangh, Ms Krishana
Dalal, honorary secretary of the Haryana State Child Welfare Council, Ms Shashi
Bala, honorary secretary of the Haryana State Red Cross Society and Ms Sheela
Bhayan, chairperson of the Haryana Women Commission and local MLA Leela Krishan Chowdhary were present on the occasion. The Governor distributed 200 blankets among the poor, 49 sewing machines among women of weaker section of the society, 50 school uniforms and 50 sweaters among poor students and 16 hearing-aids, 25 tricycles and 3 wheel-chairs among handicapped persons. |
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Gita Jayanti quiz contestants get prizes Kurukshetra, December 16 Mr L.N. Mittal, District and Sessions Judge, distributed prizes among winners of the various contests. As many as 16 groups consisting of two children each participated in the contest. Kumari Lorika and Diksha of Aggarsain Public School won the second prize and the team of Vinay Dagar and Sohan Kumar from Gurukul, bagged the third prize. The consolation prize was won by Jyoti and Rachna of Gita Kanya Senior Secondary School. The winner of the first prize was given Rs 500 in cash, a watch and a commendation certificate. The second prize winner got Rs 400, a watch and a commendation certificate. A sum of Rs 300, a watch and a commendation certificate was given to the winner of the third prize. Prizes were also distributed to the children who has won pot decoration, clay modelling, collage making and rangoli contest. |
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HR minting money from NHDA’s gesture Karnal, December 16 It has reportedly started levying Rs 1 per person/traveller toll on its own on the buses plying through the barrier on National Highway No.1 near Karnal Lake, 10 km from here. The move, which is in addition to the toll levied by the NHDA, has resulted in the hike of Rs 1 in the fare. The NHDA, in its concessional gesture towards the state transport buses has allowed them a toll of Rs 262 by which they can ply umpteen number of times during a day whereas every time a bus crosses the barrier it has to pay Rs 175. Despite this concession the state transport has made this barrier a money spinning point for it through which, according to an estimate, about 700 buses belonging to Chandigarh, Ambala, Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra, Karnal,Panipat, Sonepat, Rohtak, Bhiwani, Jhajjar, Gurgaon and Faridabad depots ply every day. This means a profit of about Rs 50,000 per day. UNI |
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HIGH COURT Chandigarh, December 16 Pronouncing the directions, a Division Bench of the High Court, comprising Mr Justice G.S. Singhvi and Mr Justice Virender Singh, also ruled that the issue regarding the provision of facilities to the judicial officers “must not be agitated in the Courts....” In their detailed order, the Judges further ruled: “We have impressed upon counsel for the petitioner and Haryana’s Senior Deputy Advocate-General that the issues concerning facilities to be provided to the judicial officers must not be agitated in the Courts and the officers should approach the state government through the High Court. This would avoid awkward situation which is often created in such matters”. The Judges concluded: “We have also impressed upon Special Secretary R.D. Sheokand that the state government should get in touch with the High Court administration.... He has assured that he would get in touch with the Registrar and come to the Court on the next date with a detailed statement of the facilities being presently provided to the judicial officers and also indicate the need for improvement”. The case will now come up for further hearing on January 23 next year. |
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Haryana DCs told to inspect treasuries Chandigarh, December 16 A spokesman of the Finance Department said here today that they had also been asked to ensure that all treasuries observed the requirements of audit and accounts were maintained properly. |
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Warrants against lyric writer Hisar, December 16 The court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Ajay Tawatia also issued summons to music director Rajesh Roshan, playback singer Abhijit, film producer Romu N. Sippy, film director Raj N. Sippy, film actor Akshay Khanna, film actress Urmila Matondkar and Gramophone Company of India to appear in the court on February 18, 2002. Rakesh Sethi had filed a petition in a court here in November 1998 seeking a ban on a song. In a criminal suit, the complainant Rakesh Sethi, had questioned the use of vulgar language in the song and pleaded the court ban the song and sought punishment.
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