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Saturday,
May 10, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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Rural
Development Dept to be revamped Mandi
parishad budget passed Tribal
areas to get priority Rahi for
corruption-free school board HP
University schedules Hamirpur
jawan dies in action |
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Bank
dacoity clues found
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Rural Development Dept to be revamped Shimla, May 9 Giving details of the plan at a press conference Mr Sat Mahajan, Minister for Rural Development, said that the functioning of the department right down to the office of the block development officer would be fully computerised over the next six months. The department had already acquired web-enabled software for the purpose which would help update data at the state level automatically. The progress of centrally sponsored schemes would be reported to the ministry instantly. The block development officers would be given computer training at the state institute of public administration here. Willing panchayat secretaries would also be provided training. Steps would be taken to ensure that works were carried out as per the specifications. No scheme would be inaugurated without inspection by a team of experts from the department which would certify that the scheme was fit for commissioning. The engineering wing of the department would be strengthened by inducting engineers from the state electricity board, the PWD and the Irrigation and Public Health department. He said a proposal to make it mandatory for newly recruited engineers to serve in the Rural Development Department was under consideration. The endeavour would be to make the block development office the hub of all development activities at the grassroots. It had also been decided that the ACRs (annual confidential reports) of the block development officers would be written by the chairman of the block samiti concerned. Mr Mahajan said that a fresh survey of persons below the poverty line was being conducted and to ensure that only the deserving were included in the list, the government had decided to involve the panchayats in the exercise. The government had also decided to do away with watershed development committees, which were packed with political workers, and decided to assign the task of planning and management of watersheds to the panchayats. A provision had been made to include the block and zila parishad members concerned in the committees. The Dhumal government had neglected this important department which was spending over Rs 90 crore on various development schemes, besides the funds available under centrally sponsored schemes. It was, thus, hardly surprising that it could not utilise even half of the foodgrains allotted under the food-for-work programme to the state. As against the allotted 28,000 tonnes of foodgrains only 14,000 tonnes could be actually utilised. Foodgrains remained in godowns as the state government refused pay for transporting the stock to the respective panchayats. He said it was shocking that Uttaranchal lifted one lakh tonnes of foodgrains, more than seven times of what Himachal utilised. His plan was to ensure that instead of foodgrains worth Rs 100 crore utilised last year, the government would lift five times more and, if all went well, it would even try to achieve a target of Rs 1,000 crore. |
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Mandi parishad
budget passed Mandi, May 9 Stating this Ms Sushila Sonkhla, president of the parishad, said the overall development of the town had been kept in view while passing the budget. Every ward member has been given Rs 1 lakh to be spent in the area on urgent work. She said Rs 50 lakh would be spent on the development and beautification of the town. A sum of Rs 1 lakh had been earmarked for the maintenance of roads and streets. The parishad would improve streetlighting and add new points by spending Rs 16 lakh during the year. A sum of Rs 4.5 lakh had been provided for supplying potable water by installing water tanks, she said. Ms Sonkhla said the parishad would generate revenue from various sources. About Rs 70 lakh was expected from property tax, Rs 4 lakh from parking charges, Rs 1 lakh from professional tax and Rs 50,000 from sales tax on liquor.
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Tribal areas to get priority Shimla, May 9 Reiterating his government’s resolve of speedy development of tribal areas, he said that priority would be given to the construction of the Attarug Mudh bridge which would reduce the distance between Kaza and the state capital by 105 km. The Chief Minister said that with the construction of the roads the people of valley would be able to transport agriculture produce to the market for remunerative prices, besides boosting up tourism. He said that it would providing people with self-employment opportunities in agriculture and tourism sectors. He said that the government would provide Rs 10.5 crore for various projects in the valley which included Rs 6 crore for repair of Rangric Hydel Power Project, Rs 3 crore for Chichim Bridge and Rs 1.50 crore for Rangric Irrigation channel. The 4th Kal Chakra ceremony would be held in the Pin valley and Mr Subhash Chand Negi, Principal Secretary, would coordinate its arrangements. It would be ensured that devotees visiting the valley for the event did not face inconvenience. The Chief Minister said that keeping in view the pollution-free environment in the area besides tourism, cultivation of vegetable, fruits herbal
plant and flowers would popularised in the valley to boost the tribal economy. He directed the authorities to construct Lura, Lalung, Lore Himgu, Uppter Losar and Lari Irrigation schemes before the onset of winter so that farmers could draw maximum benefits out of these. Mr Virbhadra Singh said that Rs 122.32 crore would be spent in Spiti subdivision during 10th Five-Year Plan and thrust areas would include the construction of more roads, strengthening of educational and health institutions besides expansion of irrigational facilities. |
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Rahi for corruption-free school board Dharamsala, May 9 Later talking to mediapersons, he said that his appointment was an indication of the new thinking of the government because for the first time a school teacher had been entrusted the responsibility. He said it was too early for him to comment on the working of the Board but it would try to ensure that the institution became a model. He said transparency in the working of Board would be observed and accountability for lapses fixed. He said corruption and issues which brought bad name to the Board would not be tolerated. He said the school curriculum would be studied afresh and necessary amendments will be made so that students benefited. He also assured the teachers and staff that their interests would be protected. |
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HP University schedules Shimla, May 9 There will be 65-day vacation in all during the year. The summer closing colleges will have it in three phases, from May 19 to June 17, 2003 (30 days), December 26, 2003, to January 19, 2004 (25 days) and a 10-day break from the first day of supplementary examination. In the winter closing colleges, the vacations will be in two phases, from May 19 to June 17, 2003 (30 days) and January 1 to February 4, 2004 (35 days). Admissions to undergraduate classes for all colleges will take place from June 19 to June 28, 2003, without late fee and up to July 9, 2003, with late fee. No late fee will be charged for admissions within 10 days of declaration of the general result. Regular teaching classes will commence from June 30, 2003, and practical examinations will commence from February 5, 2004, for all classes. |
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Hamirpur
jawan dies in action Hamirpur, May 9 An official spokesman said here today that the body of the martyr would be brought to Maharal and cremated with state honours. Naresh Kumar leaves behind his parents and wife. He was married last year, according to family sources. His father Baldev Singh is an ex-serviceman. Former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal and local MLA Baldev Sharma have mourned his death. |
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Bank dacoity clues found Dharamsala, May 9 In a statement issued here today, the Kangra SP, Mr Zahoor H.S. Zaidi, who has been camping at Damtal since yesterday, said on the basis of the statements of bank employees, an identity kit of the persons involved was being prepared. He said police parties had been sent to various places in Punjab and Himachal to trace the culprits. The police has also been alerted along the border areas.
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Independent
withdraws Shimla, May 9 He announced the decision after a meeting with Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, at Keylong yesterday. |
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