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35 pc of LADT funds
for local urban bodies Twelve
brick-kilns sealed Thefts make power consumers pay more No material benefit for promoted Head Constables Farmers demand basmati export zone |
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Panels set up to fix
fee structure Women sarpanches asserting their authority Workshop on safe motherhood
Kataria asks BJP men to enrol more workers Two kids die of viral fever Infant found
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35 pc of LADT funds
for local urban bodies Chandigarh, November 27 The committee, headed by the Chief Secretary, Mr A.N. Mathur, decided that of the total amount collected by the Excise and Taxation Department under the tax, 5 per cent would be retained by the government as collection charge. Thirtyfive per cent of the remaining money would go to the urban local bodies while 65 per cent would go to the Panchayati Raj institutions. Since only 29 per cent of the population of the state live in designated urban areas, allotment of 35 per cent of LADT collection to urban local bodies was not a bad deal, an official here said. Importantly, there has been a drop in the collection under the LADT following the state government decision to bring down by half the tax on all items, except crude oil, which were in the 4 per cent tax basket. While the collection under the LADT was Rs 248 crore in 2002-03, in the current financial year the collection is likely to be somewhere around Rs 200 crore. The collection is expected to drop further next year as the projection for this year includes unpaid arrears of last year. The official estimate puts the collection under the LADT for 2004-05 to Rs 150 crore. After the 5 per cent cut retained by the government from this amount, the urban local bodies will be getting about Rs 50 crore while the remaining money will go to Panchayati Raj institutions. It was learnt that the urban local bodies, including the only Municipal Corporation of the state in Faridabad, were getting a total of around Rs 50 crore as annual collection from octroi. The LADT was introduced in lieu of octroi, and the money which would be received from the tax by municipal bodies, would be able to the balance out the loss suffered by MCs due to abolition of octroi. Had the rate of the LADT not been reduced, the MCs would have been getting much more. There are 67 municipal committees and councils and one corporation in Haryana and most of these urban bodies are in a poor financial condition. The fund, proposed to be made available to them from the LADT, would give much-needed relief to the urban local bodies, a source here said. Since the LADT was introduced by the state government in 2000, till date no money from the collection from the tax has been passed on to the urban local bodies. Officials here said the decision about sharing the money was not taken as the matter was challenged in the court. A case challenging the LADT was still pending in the Supreme Court, they said. |
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Twelve brick-kilns sealed Jind/Karnal, November 27 These brickkilns were sealed in Jind district for not complying with the court orders include Bharat Bricks Company of Igrah, Doon Gramodhyog Bricks Company of Igrah and Raman Bricks of Shamlo Kalan. A team of the Pollution Control Board (PCB) from regional office at Panipat today raided brickkilns of Jind district and found that the above brickkilns were not using fly-ash for making bricks. According to Mr RK Goel, executive engineer of the PCB the brickkiln owners had been instructed to mix fly-ash in various proportions, depending upon the number of years in mud, while baking bricks. This decision to use fly ash was taken by the Court keeping in view of lowering the level of pollution in and around Panipat. The Union Environment and Forest Ministry had also issued notification in this regard and the rule is applicable in 100 Km. radius of Panipat city, said the executive engineer. Today, when a team of the Pollution Control Board checked the brickkilns, in Jind district, it found violation of the Court orders. So, these three brickkilns were sealed. The executive engineer siad that according to the provisions of the Environment Ministry, it was mandatory for the brickkiln owners to mix 25 per cent of fly-ash in mud in first year, 50 per cent during second year, 75 per cent during third year and 100 per cent that is equal quantity of fly-ash is to be mixed in mud in the fourth year onwards. Action would be initiated against the kiln owners for violating the orders of the Court. The brickkilns were sealed in Karnal district include Anil Brickkiln of Phurlak, Mann Brickkiln of Balla, Sham Brickkiln of Beejna, Shamma Brickkiln of Beejna, Singla Brickkiln of Beejna, Mani Ram/Phaggu Ram Brickkiln, Durga Brickkiln, Ganesh Brickkiln and Durga Brick Works of
Gharaunda. |
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Thefts make power consumers pay more Chandigarh, November 27 Talking on the sidelines of a function organised by the CII, he disclosed that the HVPN had cut down technical losses to about 10 per cent from over 15 per cent during the past one year, but the power pilferage was still on higher side. He said, about Rs 1500 crore were still outstanding against the defaulters, resulting in a financial loss of Rs 1000 crore annually to the Nigam. The state government was offering Rs 900 crore budgetary support to supply subsidised power supply to the agricultural sector. He lamented that in some of the areas in the state, where the farmer unions were strong, the power pilferage was as high as 70 per cent. He said he was making efforts to involve the institutions, industrial associations, and panchayats to create awareness in the public that “ payment of bills would be beneficial over time as they would get regular and stable power supply.” He observed that after the launch of awareness campaign in some of the villages, the payment of bills had improved from 10 to 15 per cent of total billing to over 50 per cent. But there was still scope for improvement. Referring to the Electricity Act — 2003, he said,” we will make efforts to comply with all the provisions of the Act. The bulk consumers have been allowed to set up their own captive power units and access power from other sources at the specified tariff.” Interestingly, the state had initiated in power reforms in 1997, but it is still facing criticism from the industry and commercial customers due to higher power tariff as compared to neighbouring states, especially in Chandigarh. He admitted that after the electronic metering the Nigam was no more worried about the industrial or domestic customers, but the rural areas were still cause of concern. |
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No material benefit for promoted Head Constables Chandigarh, November 27 The letter added that the upgradation would not confer any right to claim seniority or other consequential benefits by the HCs. The police had sought permission of the government for conferring the rank of Assistant Sub Inspectors (ASIs) to Head Constables after the completion of 30 years of service and promotion of these ASIs as Sub-Inspectors(SIs) after being ASIs for five years. An official spokesman, however, claimed that even though materially the scheme might not be bringing any benefit to the promoted HCs, it would help them socially. Meanwhile, the state police’s latest policy on the promotion of constables to Head Constables has earmarked the largest number of promotions for those who will do well in the B -1 examination. Fiftyfive per cent of the posts of HC has been reserved for candidates of this category. Constables who have completed five years of service can appear in the test and get promoted as HCs on the basis of their performance. Thirtyfive per cent of the posts of HC would go to constables who have completed 16 years of service. The remaining 10 per cent of the posts will go to cops who have been found professionally competent. In fact, the professionally good cops will not have exclusive right over the 10 per cent posts since they will share these vacancies with constables who will excell in the arena of sports.
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Farmers demand basmati export zone Kurukshetra, November 27 He threatened an agitation in these districts if the matter was not decided soon. Decrying the Chautala government’s attitude towards the farmers of these districts, Dr Gaur said these districts exported Rs 1000 crore basmati annually. But government was delaying the announcement of basmati export zone on the pretext that it would cause loss of Rs 20 crore annually to the state. He claimed that had the government declared the basmati export zone, it would have received a huge investment by domestic as well as international investors in basmati processing mills and in upgradation of the existing units. Dr Gaur added that 40 per cent of the area under rice cultivation in the state was covered by basmati mostly falling in the K-zone comprising Karnal, Kurukshetra and Kaithal Districts and with the declaration of export zone, the exports would significantly increase, resulting in more jobs to the youth of these districts in the processing units, better price of basmati to the farmers and rise in the state revenue through taxes on products purchased with earned foreign exchange. He said that our
neighbouring states of Punjab Uttaranchal and Uttar Pradesh had already declared their rice export zones while Haryana state had not done so. |
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Panels set up to fix
fee structure Chandigarh, November 27 While Justice Nehru will head all four committees, the Secretary, Health, and the Secretary, Technical Education, will be member-secretaries for the committees dealing with the medical institutions and technical institutions, respectively. The other members will be experts in the respective fields. These committees have been constituted in pursuance to an order of the Supreme Court issued on August 14 last. The apex court had said while private medical and technical education institutions were free to fix their own fee structure according to the facilities being offered by them, the fee structure must be approved by a committee to be headed by a retired High Court Judge. According to official sources, the Nehru committees would not only approve the fee structure for the government as well as private institutions, but also specify the facilities to be offered to the students by the managements of these institutions. The fee structure approved by the committees would be valid for three years starting from the next academic session. The reports of these committees are expected by April next year. |
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Women sarpanches asserting their authority Ambala, November 27 Two recent incidents highlight the fact that women panches and sarpanches are trying to prove their mettle. While the women of Tundla village under Pushpa, a panch, have managed to ensure that a liqour vend in their village is closed down, Saroj Bala, sarpanch, Salarheri village, is trying to get back grazing land for the village. In villages where women are panches and sarpanches, there seems to be a conscious effort to address issues which pertain to women. While the presence of ‘dai’ may not have been given much thought when men were running the panchayat, the women sarpanches are trying to ensure that the midwife is easily accessible in times of need. The village womenfolk can interact easily with women panches and sarpanches. Women sarpanches admit that the effectiveness of their role is now getting desired results in small ways. They point out that when there was any ‘problem’ with a local school teacher, they did not hesitate to take up the matter with the school principal. Women sarpanches also regularly visit the anganwadis. “We may not be seen openly undertaking activity but we are definately working hard in our new role as sarpanches,” a woman sarpanch said. Dr Ramesh Madaan, who has carried out study of panchayats, observed that women sarpanches and panches are definately doing work for the welfare of their village. “For them, it is a question of not only survival but also of sustenance,” he said. Dr Madaan said women sarpanches take up issues which may have been glossed over by the men. “The fact that women of Tundla village led by their panch ensured that a liqour vend is closed down shows that they are taking up social causes for the benefit of every villager,” he said. He pointed out that issues like the availability of midwives, school teachers and pensions were being carried out by women sarpanches. “In a few villages in Haryana, women sarpanches were elected unopposed. It shows that they had the support of the different sections of the village,” he stated. Even though the incidents of women sarpanches asserting their authority are few and far in between, a positive beginning seems to have been made. Only, the next panchayat poll will tell how the women sarpanches have performed a compared to their male counterparts. |
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Workshop
on safe motherhood Ambala, November 27 A booklet was released by Ms Anuradha Malhotra. The booklet, prepared by the Station Medicare Centre, is a guide on practical tips for ensuring safe pregnancy and better child- care. Group Captain Dr Vipan Chander, Senior Medical Officer, Air Force Station, highlighted the importance of early registration and institutional delivery of all pregnant cases in order to reduce maternity mortality rate. He also stressed the importance of breast-feeding and childcare.
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Army School sports day begins Ambala, November 27 Brig JP Singh and Mrs Rita Singh were the chief guest at the two-day annual sports function of Army School, Ambala Cantonment. The event was held at Kharga Stadium. School Principal Ms Bushra Ahuja delivered the welcome address. The annual report by students highlighted the achievements in academics, extra- curricular activities and in different competitions. An impressive marchpast by students was followed by PT display by the tiny tots.
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Kataria
asks BJP men to enrol more workers Ambala, November 27 Addressing party workers at a meeting of the district unit of the BJP, Mr Kataria said he had raised issues concerning Ambala in Parliament. The meeting was held under the presidentship of Mr Ravindra Dhawan today. |
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Two kids die of viral fever Karnal, November 27 Three-year-old Sahila of Sakra village, near Nissing, died of viral fever in the Civil Hospital on Tuesday. He was brought to the hospital on November 22. |
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Infant
found Sirsa, November 27 The police said some women who had gone to fields of Gurmukh Singh Maan on the outskirts of Thobarian village yesterday, heard the cries of an infant and later found the infant wrapped in a blanket lying near the fence of the field. An issueless woman reportedly adopted the infant in the presence of the gathering,.
— PTI |
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Girl commits suicide after rape Hisar, November 27 She sustained severe burn injuries and died while she was taken to the Civil Hospital, at Hisar.
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Haryana cancels restricted holiday Chandigarh, November 27
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