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Kalpana Chawla Planetarium
Pensioners demand LTC, pension enhancements
Extension recommended for Chief Secy
Chander Mohan thanks PM
Teachers honoured
6 marketing board employees suspended
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Identity proof necessary for SIM card: SP
Crop destroyed in fire
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Kalpana Chawla Planetarium caught in red tape
Kurukshetra, April 7 The issue has become a bone of contention between the two sides, especially after the state government, against the initial agreement, wrote to the NCSM asking it to take the responsibility of running the planetarium. The apathetic attitude of the authorities concerned can be gauged from the fact that the main equipment is yet to be procured for the planetarium. Also, no local nodal officer has been appointed by the state to look after the project. The idea to develop the planetarium was conceived after the demise of Kalpana Chawla in the Columbia disaster. Though the deadline to complete the project expired in December, 2005, the authorities were yet to set a fresh deadline for the project. The NCSM is undertaking the project in association with the Department of Science and Technology, Haryana. Former Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala had laid its foundation stone on May 25, 2003 here after former Union Minister Jagmohan initiated the project. When the TNS visited the site on the Pehowa road, there was hardly any work going on. A structure had been raised but the main work on the installation of a dome-shaped formation made of aluminum was yet to start. When contacted, Deputy Commissioner T.K. Sharma confirmed that the state government had written to the central agency to run the planetarium after its completion. He said the project had witnessed unprecedented delay as the Chautala government wanted to shift the venue after Rs 30 lakh were spent in raising a structure. He said there was no local nodal officer appointed by the state government and the curator of Kurukshetra-based science museum Panorama, Raj Mehrotra, was looking after the project. He showed his inability about the money spent by the state government on the project. However, talking to The Tribune, Mr Mehrotra said work was in full swing and a deadline had been set for the project. He said the NCSM was yet to procure projection machines and other material essential to observe the celestial bodies.
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Pensioners demand LTC, pension enhancements
Hisar, April 7 In a letter to the Chief Minister, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, the association has maintained that most of the present pensioners in the state were those who had opted to serve Haryana at the time of its formation. The pensioners point out that their Punjab counterparts were getting the LTC after every two years, which was denied to them. Secondly, under the revised rules, the pensioners in Punjab got an enhancement of 5 per cent after attaining the age of 65 and another enhancement of 10 per cent on completing 75 years of age. The pensioners of Haryana did not get this benefit as well. The pensioners have urged the Chief Minister to issue the necessary directions in this regard as the fall in bank interest rates on deposits has depleted their income.
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Extension recommended for Chief Secy
Chandigarh, April 7 Ms Chaudhry is slated to retire on April 30. Even if she gets an extension for three months only, it will mar the chance of Mr K.C. Sharma from becoming the Chief Secretary. Mr Sharma, a 1970 batch IAS officer, is next in the Gradation List of Haryana IAS officers after Ms Chaudhry. He will retire at the end of August and it is unlikely that he will be made the Chief Secretary for a month in the case of Ms Chaudhry securing extension for three months. If the Centre agrees to give Ms Chaudhry extension for full one year, it will also affect Ms Asha Sharma, also a 1970 batch officer, who is slated to retire on February 28, 2007. The letter by the government to the Centre last month regarding Ms Chaudhry’s extension said that her continuation in service was desirable for giving a fillip to power sector reforms in the state. Ms Chaudhry was the Principal Secretary, Power, and Chairperson of the power utilities companies, during the previous regime. The letter said the completion of projects such as the special economic zone being developed by Reliance Industries Ltd and the proposed Education City at Sonepat also required that she stayed as the Chief Secretary for at least one more year after the date of her retirement. After having enhanced the retirement age of employees to 60 years from 58, the Central Government is generally following the principle of not giving extension to anyone beyond 60 years. If the Chief Minister actively pursues the matter with the Union Ministry of Personnel, it will be easier for Ms Chaudhry to get an extension. But Mr Sharma is likely to cite his old association with senior Congress leaders to put up a strong case before the Chief Minister. It is, however, also believed that Ms Chaudhry, who was the Secretary in the Sports and Youth Welfare Ministry in the Central Government before she returned to Haryana, has enough contacts in Delhi to clinch the matter in her favour.
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Chander Mohan thanks PM Panchkula, April 7 Mr Chander Mohan said with the upgradation of infrastructure at Panchkula a new era of development would usher in Panchkula, and the city would get a face lift. He also conveyed his gratitude to the Prime Minister on behalf of the people of the Panchkula district for announcing this ambitious plan of advance infrastructure. The Deputy Chief Minister said he would soon meet the Prime Minister, and demand the construction of an overbridge between Panchkula and Grain Market, Sector 26, and another overbridge from Sector 15-16 BEL factory, Panchkula to Sector 29-30, Chandigarh, opposite cable factory as it was an urgent need of the hour to ease the congestion and reduce the distance between Chandigarh and Panchkula, to the extent of 10 kms. Mr Chander Mohan expressed hope that the Prime Minister would also announce a special package for the revival of HMT factory.
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Teachers honoured
Hisar, April 7 These include, Ms Kamlesh Kumari, Mr Gulshan Behal, and Mr Ramesh Kumar from Jind district; Mr Ran Singh, Mr Shrikrishan Sharma and Mr Ratan Singh from Bhiwani district; Mr Kanwar Singh, Mr Jagdish Kumar and Mr Umesh Kumar from Sirsa district and Mr Gulab Singh, Mr Iqbal Ahuja and Mr Major Singh from Fatehabad Headmasters of government high school, Tokas Patan, government high school and government girls high school, Hassangarh, and government middle school, Nayagaon, were also honoured for good results.
—TNS |
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6 marketing board employees suspended
Chandigarh, April 7 The embezzlement came to light after inspection of the grain markets at Palwal, Hodal and Hasanpur in Faridabad district. She urged dealers of wheat to cooperate with the government so that no loss and inconvenience was caused to the farmers and the government.
— TNS |
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Identity proof necessary for SIM card: SP
Ambala, April 7 A press note stated that it would be mandatory for each mobile dealer selling SIM card to submit details every week at the SP office. SIM cards would not be issued without identity proof. Mr Deswal said the mobile dealer should not try to issue SIM card in a wrong manner. He said it had been observed that SIM cards were issued on other’s name and it was used by anti-social elements. |
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Crop destroyed in fire
Ambala, April 7 Four vehicles were rushed from the Ambala cantonment fire station. The blaze was brought under control after two hours. |
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