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Voices of dissent in Haryana Congress
Power boards reintroduce VDS
Govt defines powers of CPS, PSs
Guru Nanak varsity clinches trophy
Missing taxi driver found murdered
Hooda favouring Jats, says Chhokar
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Gold ornaments, cash stolen from temple
Looting bid foiled
Revised HRA for aided school staff
Additional police called to get HUDA land vacated
Code for poll surveys sought
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Voices of dissent in Haryana Congress
Chandigarh, January 20 So far Mr Kuldip Bishnoi, MP son of the former Chief Minister and Haryana Congress President, Mr Bhajan Lal, had been having pot shots on the Hooda Government. Now the party MLA from
Samalkha, Mr Bharat Singh Chhokar, has joined hands with Mr Bishnoi. Rather Mr Chhokar’s attack on the Hooda Government, made at a press conference held in Panipat yesterday, was stronger than those made by Mr Bishnoi so far. Mr Chhokar is not known for his closeness to the former Chief Minister. It is widely believed that he is close to the Finance Minister, Mr Birender Singh. Mr Chhokar alleged that he was unable to meet the Chief Minister, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, despite sincere efforts and that Mr Hooda had not given due representation to all sections, including his(Mr
Chhokar’s) community, the Gujjars, in the Ministry. He also alleged that senior people in the government did not want to eradicate corruption. While no senior leader of the Hooda camp is available here for comments(as they have gone go Hyderabad for the Congress session), young party leaders owing allegiance to the Chief Minister have come out in his support. In a statement issued here today, the General Secretary of the Haryana Youth Congress, Mr Lakhwinder Singh Lakha, criticised Mr Chhokar for speaking against his own party’s government. He said if the MLA had any grievance, he should have talked to Mr Hooda instead of going to the press. The Youth Congress leader said it was ridiculous to say that Mr Hooda was not accessible. He said perhaps Mr Hooda was the only Chief Minister in the country whose mobile number was known to each and every party worker and he himself attended the calls. Mr Lakha, in the guarded language said, certain forces did not want Haryana to develop under Mr Hooda’s leadership and these were jealous of the Chief Minister’s success in wooing foreign investment to the state in such a short time. These forces, he said, wanted to mislead the people of the state, who had heaved a sigh of relief on getting a new generation of leadership for the state. It may be recalled that when Mr Bishnoi had spoken against the government, Mr Hooda had made light of the MP’s comments by saying that in democracy every one had a right to express his views. However, the Working President of the Haryana Congress, Dr Ram Prakash, did say that no party leader should criticise the government in the press. However, he had refused to go into detail by saying that as a policy, he never discussed the internal matters of the party in the press. From the reactions of Mr Hooda and Dr Ram Prakash(and from the silence of their supporters), it was obvious that they do not want to fuel the controversy by joining issue with Mr Bishnoi. Being old Congressmen and also being old dissidents(when Mr Bhajan Lal used to be the Chief Minister) they knew well that it always paid in the national party to give a long rope to their detractors. Any strong reactions from their side would only furthering the cause of the dissidents. In view of the stringent anti-defection law, supporters of Mr Hooda know that the dissidents can only make noises but cannot rock the boat. |
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Power boards reintroduce VDS
Rohtak, January 20 An official spokesman said here today that the scheme was meant for domestic, non-domestic and tubewell owners in the state. Domestic and non-domestic consumers, who wanted to declare their load would be required to deposit Consumption Security (CS) and complete the usual formalities to get their load regularised. The declaration of unauthorised load would be made on an application and agreement form. A test report would not be necessary for the extension of load up to 5 KW. The applicant would have to submit a certificate stating that the wiring for the extended load had been carried out by an authorised contractor and the same complied with the relevant rules. For extension of load above 5 KW, the applicant would be required to submit a test report. The extended load would be considered regularised immediately on the completion of formalities. He said tubewell owners could declare extended load by submitting an application and agreement form. Submission of affidavits would not be mandatory for the applicants for this category. However, the consumer would certify that he would abide by all terms and conditions of the power utility. The agricultural consumers would submit a test report for the extended load along with consumption security. The extension of load would be subject to system capacity. In case, the existing system needed to be augmented, the power utilities would lay additional lines and transformers also. This scheme will also be available to the consumers who had already applied for the extension of load and their applications were under consideration. He said the power utilities would launch a campaign after February 15 to detect the cases of unauthorised extension of load and theft of electricity. As per the new electricity Act the penalties for theft of electricity were very high. The defaulters would face heavy fine and imprisonment up to three years for the first offence. |
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Govt defines powers of CPS, PSs
Chandigarh, January 20 A major curb on their powers has been put in the form of a directive that under no circumstances can they take a decision on their own. But they are going to have access to files depending on the cases referred to them by the Ministers to whom they have been attached. The package is not dissimilar to that enjoyed by an MOS or a DM attached to a Cabinet Minister. The powers and responsibilities of the CPS and the PSs have been defined in a state government order signed by the Chief Secretary, Ms Meenaxi Anand Chaudhry. According to the order, at no stage will the CPS or a PS take a decision independently. Their job will be to aid and assist the Minister in charge in arriving at a decision, the order, which came into effect from January 14 (the day the CPS and the PSs were sworn in), states. The CPS and the PSs, however, will have the power to access files. The Minister concerned, to whom the CPS or a PS is attached, will issue an order assigning work to be routed through the CPS or the PS, as the case may be. The order adds that administrative secretaries will address notes to the CPS or a PS on such matters as have been delegated to the CPS or the PS by the Minister in charge. The Minister will issue a general order indicating which cases or classes of cases should go to the CPS or the PS attached to him/her. Lastly, the order says the duties laid down for Secretaries of departments under Rule 50 of the Rules of Business will remain unaffected. The Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, had on January 14 inducted one CPS and seven PSs. The CPS, Mr Dharam Bir, has been given the portfolios of Development and Panchayats and Public Relations Department. He is attached to the Chief Minister. Mr Dilu Ram, who will look after the Technical Education and Architecture Departments, is also attached to the Chief Minister since the latter is the Minister in charge of both departments. Similarly, the other PSs have been also slotted with various Cabinet Ministers on the basis of the portfolios. Earlier, the state government had amended the rules of government business to exclude the CPS and the PSs from the definition of Ministers. A similar amendment was also carried out to the Assembly rules on the concluding day of the recently held Assembly session. All these changes have been carried out to stand the government in good stead if the decision to appoint the CPS and the PSs is challenged in court. A PIL has been already filed in the High Court here alleging that the appointments were made to circumvent the Constitutional position on the maximum strength of the Council of Ministers. |
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Power boards reintroduce VDS
Rohtak, January 20 An official spokesman said here today that the scheme was meant for domestic, non-domestic and tubewell owners in the state. Domestic and non-domestic consumers, who wanted to declare their load would be required to deposit Consumption Security (CS) and complete the usual formalities to get their load regularised. The declaration of unauthorised load would be made on an application and agreement form. A test report would not be necessary for the extension of load up to 5 KW. The applicant would have to submit a certificate stating that the wiring for the extended load had been carried out by an authorised contractor and the same complied with the relevant rules. For extension of load above 5 KW, the applicant would be required to submit a test report. The extended load would be considered regularised immediately on the completion of formalities. He said tubewell owners could declare extended load by submitting an application and agreement form. Submission of affidavits would not be mandatory for the applicants for this category. However, the consumer would certify that he would abide by all terms and conditions of the power utility. The agricultural consumers would submit a test report for the extended load along with consumption security. The extension of load would be subject to system capacity. In case, the existing system needed to be augmented, the power utilities would lay additional lines and transformers also. This scheme will also be available to the consumers who had already applied for the extension of load and their applications were under consideration. He said the power utilities would launch a campaign after February 15 to detect the cases of unauthorised extension of load and theft of electricity. As per the new electricity Act the penalties for theft of electricity were very high. The defaulters would face heavy fine and imprisonment up to three years for the first offence. |
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Guru Nanak varsity clinches trophy
Kurukshetra, January 20 Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, was also declared champion in music and fine arts while Kurukshetra University in theatre, Dr H.S. Gaur University, Sagar, in dance and Punjab University, Chandigarh, in literary items. Calling upon the students, the Haryana Education Minister, Mr Phool Chand Mullana, said the students should participate in extra-curricular activities, including cultural and sports activities, because the education without extra curricular activities, was incomplete. The Education Minister said all round development of a student was possible only by participating in extra-curricular activities for which the students were urged upon to devote their time to it. The AIU, under secretary, Mr Samson David, said this was 105 unifest culminating into 21st National Youth Festival. Highlighting the two fold objective of the fest, he stated that it was meant to promote human and cultural values as well as provide young artists a forum to display their talents and perfect them. The guest of honour, Mr S.Y. Kureshi, Secretary, Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, expressed his criticism of such education system which obstructed the development of the all-round personality of young students. While presenting the Ratnawali Fest report, the fest convener and Kurukshetra University, Youth and Cultural Affairs, Director, Mr Anoop Lather, described Kurukshetra as the cultural capital of Haryana. The Kurukshetra University Dean students welfare, Dr Raghuvendra Tanwar, proposed a vote of thanks to all, including the participating teams, for their tremendous cooperation in making this mega a grand success. The prizes were given away to the winners by Mr Mullana. The Kurukshetra University, Vice-Chancellor, Prof R.P. Hooda, and the Registrar, Mr Yudhveer Singh Khialiya, were among those present on the occasion. A contingent of 1,000 participant from as many as 70 universities from all over the country participated in this five-day cultural fest.
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Missing taxi driver found murdered
Jhajjar, January 20 The police sources said that Kuldeep, a resident of Kheri Gwalison village, had been shot twice by the killers who dumped his body in the fields. The police had recovered his car yesterday which was found abandoned about 2 km from here on the Badli road. A pistol was also recovered from the car. The police, however, got suspicious when it noticed blood stains on the seats of the car. Though, a case of abduction was registered yesterday, it was converted into Section 302 of the IPC today after the recovery of the body. |
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Hooda favouring Jats, says Chhokar
Panipat, January 20 Talking to the media persons here yesterday, Mr Chhokar charged the state government with ignoring non-Jat communities, including Gujjars, while giving representation in the ministry. He said the top posts, including that of the Chief Minister and Speaker in were readily offered to the leaders from Rohtak to keep ``chaudhar’’ in the Jat belt alone. Mr Chhokar said no logical consideration was taken while offering the ministerial berths. He was ``forced’’ to speak to the media after none at the party platform was even ready to listen to him about the grievances ,he added.. He said he was in constant touch other MLAs also who were feeling dejected and insulted by the partisan approach of the Hooda government and said things would emerge come in the open. Though it was up to the party high command to decide the issue, he said Bhajan Lal could have been a better option. Interestingly, the version of the local MLA came after a couple of days after Mr Kuldeep Bishnoi, the Congress MP and son of Mr Bhajan Lal who at Karnal condemned the Hooda government in showing imbalance while offering ministerial berth. Mr Bishnoi had reportedly said that the state leadership had ignored senior and experienced MLAs. Citing his personal example, he said that the top leaders were not accessible to the hard working and non-Jat MLAs like him. He added that during his 10-months tenure, he was not even given a chance to meet the CM or other top leaders for 10- minutes. Taking a dig at the recent Cabinet induction, he said that the non-Jat communities specially the Gujjars were not given any representation in the Cabinet. He cautioned that he would soon the meet people from his Gujjar community to take further action. |
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Gold ornaments, cash stolen from temple
Yamunanagar, January 20 As per information available, thieves broke into the temple and took away gold headgear (mukuts) from the idols of Mata Saraswati, Mata Lakshmi and Ma Kali and also three silver “pindis”. The thieves took away three donation boxes and stole money from another box. As the boxes had not been opened by the temple management for many months, it could not be ascertained how much cash the boxes contained. The theft was noticed this morning, said Mr Inderjit Sharma, an official of the temple management. |
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Looting bid foiled
Hisar, January 20 A sugar merchant, Mr Sanjay Aggarwal, was going to bank to deposit an amount of Rs 1 lakh on a motorcycle. On the way, two youths on their motorcycle tried to snatch the bag containing the money from Sanjay. One of the two youths was allegedly carrying a pistol. While the scuffle was going on, constable Satish Kumar of the CIA staff, Hansi police, noticed it.He overpowered the youth riding the pillion. His accomplice, however, escaped. The arrested youth has been identified as Sarjeet Singh of Dhana Khurd village and the pistol has been seized from his possession. A case has also been registered. Meanwhile, the district police has arrested a proclaimed offender, Bhim Singh of Jind district, who was allegedly involved in a case of dacoity at Bichpadi village in the district in
1986. |
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Revised HRA for aided school staff
Chandigarh, January 20 Stating this here today Mr K.K.
Khandelwal, Commissioner and Director-General School Education, said the decision would bring the staff on a par with their counterparts in government schools. Each employee of the privately managed aided schools would get an additional Rs 100 per month by way of revised
HRA. The arrears would be paid in cash. As many as 4,007 employees working on sanctioned aided posts in the 213 privately managed schools in the state would get this benefit. The government would incur an additional expenditure of Rs 36 lakh annually on this count. |
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Additional police called to get HUDA land vacated
Sonepat, January 20 According to official sources, two companies of the additional police force, each from Rohtak and Panipat districts, have already arrived in this city for the purpose. Officials of the district administration have made an appeal to the slum-dwellers to vacate the land on their own otherwise they would be forcibly evicted from the place. Meanwhile, Ms Pushpinder Kaur, district president of the women’s wing of the BKU, along with Mr Samsher Singh Khatri, a leader of the slum-dwellers, have reportedly started a fast in protest against the vacating of the land by the slum-dwellers. |
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Code for poll surveys sought
Hisar, January 20 This was asserted by the speakers on the concluding day of the UGC-sponsored national seminar on future of exit and opinion polls in India organised on the premises of Dayanand College here. |
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