H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

HP, Haryana mull joint hydel projects

Shimla, April 13 The governments of Himachal Pradesh and Haryana will explore the possibility of taking up hydroelectric projects jointly. The issue was discussed at a high-level meeting between the two states held here today. Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister embrace each other after a meeting in Shimla on Thursday.

Millennium celebrations begin today
Chamba, April 13
The Union Minister of Tourism and Culture, Ms Ambika Soni, alongwith the Himachal Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh will inaugurate the “Chamba Millennium” being celebrated with great enthusiasm and religious fervour here tomorrow.

Mid-day meal scheme: teachers starved of funds
Kangra, April 13
Teachers in 1756 primary schools, which include 22 schools in slum areas under the educational guarantee scheme here, have been starved of funds for the centrally sponsored mid-day meal scheme over the past four months.

Growing debt liability matter of concern
Shimla, April 13
While the Himachal Government is looking for the structural adjustment facility to come out of the debt trap, a closer look at its finances indicates that the step may not help in bringing down the debt liabilities to manageable limits.

HP, Haryana mull joint hydel projects
Tribune News Service

Shimla, April 13
The governments of Himachal Pradesh and Haryana will explore the possibility of taking up hydroelectric projects jointly.

The issue was discussed at a high-level meeting between the two states held here today. While Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Haryana Chief Minister, led the visiting delegation, which included Mr Vinod Sharma, Power Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister, headed the state team. The projects will be identified by the Haryana Government in consultation with the state authorities.

Possibilities will also be explored for setting up windmills on an experimental basis and, if successful, the same can be taken up as a joint venture.

The Himachal Government will take up the matter for providing power to Haryana on priority with the Power Trading Corporation of India (PTC) which has been given the rights to market the surplus power available with the state.

Mr Virbhadra Singh pointed out that surplus power was being sold by the state in the open market through the PTC to get the best returns. The state had entered an agreement with the PTC for the purpose. It would request the corporation to sell the state power to Haryana on priority to help meet its requirement.

Mr Virbhadra Singh took up the matter of the Kalka bypass and the Baddi-Chandigarh road, which has been hanging fire for long. He said the two states would jointly approach the Centre to construct these on priority. He said the Pinjore bypass would also be taken up after a joint inspection.

Mr Hooda urged Mr Virbhadra Singh to sell surplus power to Haryana and assured that his government would take care of the interests of Himachal Pradesh. His government would help in transporting and marketing of apples through the Haryana territory, besides entering joint ventures for execution of hydroelectric projects. He said the construction of the Kalka bypass and the Baddi-Chandigarh road would be pursued with the Centre. It would assist the state in getting the Pinjore bypass constructed through Surajpur to avoid the congested town.

Millennium celebrations begin today
Balkrishan Prashar

Chamba, April 13
The Union Minister of Tourism and Culture, Ms Ambika Soni, alongwith the Himachal Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh will inaugurate the “Chamba Millennium” being celebrated with great enthusiasm and religious fervour here tomorrow.

To mark the festival, all arrangements have been made in the historic Chowgan of Chamba. Among the arrangements are a craft village consisting of craft works of stone carving, wood carving and metal craft, while the art gallery is displaying the fine art work of miniature paintings, Chamba “rumal”, embroidery etc, besides the delicacies of Chamba.

A millennium gate to the Chowgan has been erected in the traditional facade and architecture. This would be a monument of rare attractions, which would remind the posterity of the celebrations in the days to come. A large pavilion has also been raised in the Chowgan.

Tucked in mountain fold, the town was the capital of the erstwhile princely state of Chamba and today it is the district headquarters.

The prominent artistes would include choreographer Padamshree Swapan Sundri, dancer Omichari Bhalla Mohini Attam, N. Padamanabham, kathak dancer Raju Gangani, performing a one-act play written by Habib Tanwar, santoor vandan by Shiv Kumar, besides kathakkali dance and fascinating concert by the artistes of the North Zone Cultural Centre.

Noted environmentalist Sunder Lal Bahuguna would also participate in the week-long millennium celebrations.

A poetic symposium would be held during the millennium festivities in which poets from different parts of Himachal Pradesh were invited.

The event is focused on bringing Chamba town of Himachal Pradesh on international map of heritage tourism. The town has been tastefully decorated and illuminated. The celebrations would conclude on April 20.

Mid-day meal scheme: teachers starved of funds
Our Correspondent

Kangra, April 13
Teachers in 1756 primary schools, which include 22 schools in slum areas under the educational guarantee scheme here, have been starved of funds for the centrally sponsored mid-day meal scheme over the past four months.

According to teachers' representatives, funds for the mid-day meal scheme have not been provided in 19 blocks since January this year. Payments to meal suppliers were made till December 31. They said they had been taking material for the mid-day meal scheme from local shopkeepers without making payments for the past three-and-a-half months. Now some of the shopkeepers had started refusing them the material until debts were cleared.

Under this centrally sponsored scheme, funds are to be pumped to block education offices in advance so that there is no hurdle in running the scheme.

When contacted, Joint Director, Primary Education, DS Negi expressed ignorance about the developments.

Mr BM Ananta, Director, Primary Education, when contacted said one instalment was disbursed in November last year and the last instalment of Rs 5.58 crore in March this year. He said there might be some problem at the level of Block Education Offices but funds in advance till June 30, 2006, had already been disbursed.

When contacted Mr Jagdesh Sharma, Principal, DIET, who is holding the additional charge of Deputy Director, Primary Education at Dharamsala, said neither his office nor the Block Education Officers had received funds so far.

He said his office was expecting Rs 1.30 crore and as soon as funds were received, money would be made available to 19 BEOs for onward disbursement. Kangra BEO alone has a liability of Rs 8.50 lakh.

Growing debt liability matter of concern
Rakesh Lohumi
Tribune News Service

Shimla, April 13
While the Himachal Government is looking for the structural adjustment facility to come out of the debt trap, a closer look at its finances indicates that the step may not help in bringing down the debt liabilities to manageable limits.

The growing debt liability of the government is indeed a matter of concern as the outstanding loan of about Rs 17,900 crore comes to 80 per cent of the gross state domestic product (GSDP). It will cross the 19,000-crore mark by the end of the current financial year. As per norms the total debt should not exceed 40 per cent of the GSDP. The state is looking for a structural adjustment facility of about Rs 8,000 crore and the Centre has promised the that it would recommend its case to the World Bank to bring the fiscal liabilities to sustainable levels.

However, the trends of the GSDP and fiscal liabilities for the past five years present a disturbing picture. The fiscal liabilities have been growing at much faster rate that the GSDP and revenue receipts. While the GSDP has been growing at an average rate of 10 per cent, the debt liabilities have been increasing at an average rate of 18.57 per cent. The average buoyancy of the these liabilities with respect to the GSDP was 1.854, indicating that for each 1 per cent increase in GSDP the liabilities were growing at a rate of 1.85 per cent.

Further, fiscal liabilities are considered sustainable if the average interest paid is lower than the growth of the GSDP.