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Make farming more profitable, says Kokje
Farming school at CSK varsity soon
HP getting raw deal from Centre: Dhumal
Poll for state BJP chief likely on Nov 9
Saini is Solan BJP chief
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New people on BPL list to miss benefit, courtesy govt Govt policy on better bus service
Employees demand interim relief
Kanungo, patwari face action
Support to Punjab staff
Cherian gets ‘Sarv Sreshte Suputri’ award
Kinnauri shawls weave magic on visitors
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Make farming more profitable, says Kokje
Palampur, November 1 He also awarded 154 certificates of honour and 59 gold medals to graduates and postgraduates in various disciples of four constituent colleges of the university. The Governor said some pioneering research work was being done in laboratories and farms of the university at Palampur and its out-stations. He asked scientists to make every effort to raise the socio-economic status of farmers and make the farming more profitable as per the proposals given by the President of India, during his visit to the university two years ago. The Governor exhorted the graduates to imbibe the spirit of nationalism and do your duty with dedication and sincerity. Mr Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister, chief guest for the occasion delivered the convocation address. He called for the upgradation of farm technology and diversification of farming for enhancing the income of farmers. The Chief Minister said agriculture played an important role in providing employment to nearly 71 per cent of the work force of the state and contributed 22 per cent of the state gross domestic product so there was a need to generate site specific agro-technologies with respect to farming systems. “The modern techniques of crop improvement, employing biotechnological advancements must be employed in order to break the yield plateau achieved in most of the food crops,” he advised the farm scientists. The Chief Minister informed the state intended to increase vegetable production to 1.5 million tonnes for which the university would have to make efforts. He said 50,000 hectares had been diversified into off- season vegetables with a production of 10 lakh tonnes bringing economic revolution in rural areas. He added 90,000 hectares with an investment of Rs 688 crore would be brought under irrigation. All available methods and technologies should be utilised to use water optimally and develop crop varieties, needing less water. Besides, a Rs 365 crore Midhimalayan Watershed Development Project had been launched for the conservation of natural resources, in addition to according high priority to sustainable development of rainfed areas through integrated watershed development approach. As infrastructure is key to development of agriculture so the government had decided to provide connectivity to all unconnected habitations by March, 2009 under the Bharat Nirman programme. This will boost commercial agriculture. He also talked about women’s empowerment, agriculture credit, animal husbandry, efficient marketing, etc and the policies of the government to strengthen these activities. Similarly, precise research and technology on rainfed farming, high value cash crops, agro-eco tourism, developing entrepreneurial skills of young farmers, etc should be areas under focus in coming times, he said. Mr Raj Krishan Gaur, Agriculture Minister, Himachal, guest of honour, said population of the state in 2020 would be around 96 lakh and food grain requirement will be 33 lakh tonnes. So efforts were required to double food grain production in next 14 years.
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Farming school at CSK varsity soon
Palampur, November 1 A proposal, sent in this regard by the farm varsity, has been accepted by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) under the National Agriculture Innovation Project (NAIP). Vice-Chancellor Dr D.S. Rathore said that ICAR had also awarded the certificate of accreditation to the university and now the varsity had applied for the ISO 9001-2000 certification. Besides, the varsity has signed an MOU with the Kansas State University, USA, for international cooperation and collaboration in international research and education. “The agreement would go a long way in giving students of the university exposure about the latest advancements in research and would also give them a chance to have direct knowledge of the agricultural research in other countries,” said a senior professor. The university has also signed an MOU with Indira Gandhi National Open University and is in the process of starting certificate and diploma courses for the farmers, farm ladies and others. He said that from the next academic session, five new post-graduate programmes at the masters and doctoral level would be introduced.
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HP getting raw deal from Centre: Dhumal
Palampur, November 1 Talking to The Tribune at Sujanpur Tira this afternoon, he said the Central Government had assured liberal financial aid to the state and necessary estimates of losses were also submitted to the Union Government but the state was still waiting for the release of Central aid for the relief and rehabilitation measures. The BJP leader said that the state had demanded Rs 100 crore immediately but so far no money had been released. He said it is a matter of concern that the UPA government headed by Dr Manmohan Singh was not bothered with the problems of the state and vital issues like allotment of funds for the rehabilitation of flood victims were hanging fire. He said that despite having Congress governments in the state and the Centre, the state was receiving step-motherly treatment and not getting its due share for reasons best known to Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh. Mr Dhumal said when the Vajpayee government was ruling at the Centre, the state had been given liberal funds at the time of natural calamities.
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Poll for state BJP chief likely on Nov 9
Shimla, November 1 The state leadership of the party has conveyed to the high command that the election to the state BJP chief could take place either on November 9 or 10. District presidential elections in nine of the 12 districts have been completed and as such the election to the state BJP president post could take place any time. Depending on the availability of leaders like Sahib Singh Verma, in-charge party affairs in the state, and O.P. Kohli, national returning officer, the election is likely to be held on November 9, as suggested by the state leadership. “We have conveyed the dates for election but are still awaiting a confirmation from the high command,” said Ashok Sood, state returning officer. It has been learned that the high command has directed the State Appeal Committee to delay its decision on complaints lodged with it till the election process is completed. Even though the date for the state party chief election is being fixed, the committee has yet to give its verdict on the 12 complaints that have been made. “The high command has conveyed that since the State Appeal Committee will continue to exist even after the state BJP president election, the complaints should be decided later as giving decision in favour of anyone at this juncture may complicate matters,” admitted a senior leader. He indicated that Kulu might not participate in the state BJP chief election. The three districts where elections are yet to be held are Kulu, Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti. In Kinnaur, the election has not taken place as in two out of the three mandals, membership could not be completed, while in Lahaul-Spiti the process could not be taken up due to adverse climatic conditions. In Kulu district, dispute between former Education Minister Karan Singh and sitting MLA Khimi Ram is yet to be resolved. Supporters of Karan Singh have lodged complaints with the State Appeal Committee.
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Saini is Solan BJP chief
Shimla, November 1 Mr Sood said the results had been withheld as the District Returning Officer (DRO), Mr Vipin Parmar, had disobeyed the directions issued by him with regard to holding of organisational poll |
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Employees demand interim relief
Shimla, November 1 Addressing a press conference here today, Mr B.K. Kaul, president of the confederation, said that the state was bound to follow the Punjab pattern in the matter of pay scales and should announce interim relief without any delay. He also demanded immediate release of the additional dearness allowance instalment which became due from July last. He criticised Mr Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister, for opposing setting up of a pay commission and said his statement that implementation of its report would lead to financial bankruptcy was unacceptable. He said if the government could manage funds for raising the salaries of legislators every year, it could not leave the employees high and dry. |
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New people on BPL list to miss benefit, Solan, November 1 The fact that funds worth crores will lapse if not disbursed before March 2007. The Department of Rural Development has now decided to disburse them to the families enlisted in the last BPL survey. This is a flagrant violation of the latest norms of the Planning Commission, which states that the funds provided under the Tenth Five year Plan should be distributed according to the latest BPL survey. The state government has failed to finalise the lists of this survey till now. With a view to saving funds from being lapsed these are now being distributed to the beneficiaries figuring in the old lists. Not only this, the utilisation certificates for these funds are to be submitted to the Central Government by February next year. The government has already failed to furnish utilisation certificates for the last quarter. The officials in the district administration say according to the fresh instructions received from the Directorate of Rural Development beneficiaries are to be selected from the lists of the last BPL survey. Grants of Rs 75 lakh and Rs 90 lakh have been received in the district for disbursement under the Indira Awaas Yojna and the Rajiv Gandhi Awaas Yojna, respectively, for the current financial year. This benefit is to be provided to as many as 285 families. These instructions will, however, deprive the benefits to the new families, which have been brought under the BPL survey this year. While it will make available various benefits to those already enlisted in the old survey the thousands of needy families across the state will be deprived of its benefits. Officials, however, state that no family will be granted the benefit for the second time, as new families will be selected for these benefits now. The number of BPL families is supposed to be brought down by 30 per cent every five years. Mr H.N. Kashyap, a former Additional Director in the department, while flaying this inordinate delay, says it is politically motivated. The Congress-led government is hesitant to enlist people from such areas where the Congress has not gained much in the recent panchayat elections. The survey cannot be finalised despite several Cabinet meetings.
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Govt policy on better bus service Shimla, November 1 Presiding over a meeting to review the functioning of the Transport Department and HRTC yesterday, he said the introduction of hand-held computerised ticketing service and bigger wheel base buses with Volvo seats, along with computerised networking for effective monitoring were other steps being taken to improve bus services. He said his government was considering providing incentives to bus operators, which operate services in rural areas. He said that the new fleet of buses would be added every year and old buses condemned on a regular basis. He said that as the Volvo bus service had gained popularity with the tourists more such bus services would be introduced from the left-out stations so that people could travel more comfortably. Mr Virbhadra Singh said the government would encourage private bus operators to issue seasonal concessional passes to the students and other eligible categories for which suitable mechanism would be evolved to compensate the operators. He said more flying squads were proposed to regulate private buses and they would be empowered to check private buses passengers and fine those travelling without a ticket. He said that the private bus operators would also be required to issue travel tickets of the equal value as had been the practice earlier. Those defying the orders would be penalised for the offence, he added.
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Kanungo, patwari face action
Nurpur, November 1 According to the information the woman had complained against the field employees, Ashok Sharma, patwari, and Tahal Singh, kanungo, posted at Thakurdwara for demanding Rs 50,000 for executing succession mutation of the property in favour of the successors of her husband Meera Baksh who died in January, 2005. But finally they negotiated to accept Rs 31,000. She alleged that even after taking this money the mutation was not executed in her favour but a relinquish deed (tarak hookuk) was done. According to the SDM, “tarak hakook” deed could not be executed in the Muslim community. He said that he had revoked the executed deed and ordered its review after recording statements of the accused revenue employees. He said a department action had been ordered against them.
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Support to Punjab staff
Shimla, November 1 The general secretary of the association, Mr Bal Krishan Verma, said other technical staff like draftsman and surveyors had been given a higher scale, which was clear injustice to both these categories. |
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Cherian gets ‘Sarv Sreshte Suputri’ award
Shimla, November 1 The award was given to Mrs Cherian by the Prime Minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile, Mr Samdhong Rimpoche, at a function held in Dalhousie on October 30. She has been given the award in recognition of the work being done through numerous small NGO’s working in the hill state for the cause of the disabled Hailing from a political family of Chamba, Mrs Cherian spends most of her time in Delhi. |
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Kinnauri shawls weave magic on visitors Reckong Peo, November 1 These beautiful traditional shawls are characterised by colourful geometrical borders commonly known as ‘patti’ (local tweed) woven in tapestry weave over a twill ground in natural shades of wool. Also on display were the ‘dohrus’, which is worn by the tribal women of
the region. These shawls, made from locally woven fabric of pashmina, ranged from Rs 2000 to Rs 30,000 while the price range of ‘dohrus’ started from Rs 6000. The prices vary with the number of ‘pattis’. The shawls and ‘dohrus’ made of woollen yarn procured from the spinning mills of Punjab and Haryana and later bordered with the local ‘patti’ were available at lower prices compared to the ones woven locally. It may be mentioned that Kinnauri shawls are famous for their intricate geometrical designs that needs great expertise in weaving. The designs on these shawls also carry special religious significance. Usually fine colours are used in typical Kinnauri shawls — white signifies water, yellow stands for earth, red for fire, green for air and blue for ether. The technique used to create the pattern is the interlacing or the ‘dove-tailing’ technique also referred to as the tapestry weave. These masterpieces with the beautiful Kinnauri pattern woven all over the shawl are an exceptional feast to the eyes.
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Man ends life
Nurpur, November 1 |
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