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CM offers sops to pensioners
State gears up to deal with natural calamities
BJP against extension to retired staff
Foundation stone of girls hostel laid
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CM offers sops to pensioners
Kangra, December 17 He made the announcement while addressing pensioners of the state in the Polytechnic College auditorium here today on the occasion of All-India Pensioners day organised by the HP State Pensioners Welfare Association. He also revoked the government’s decision of enhancement of the rates of rest houses and Circuit Houses for the pensioners and said the previous rates would be charged from them. He announced that pensioner homes would be constructed in district headquarters. Pensioner homes would be constructed at Dharamsala and Shimla in the first phase. The pensioners demanded that fixed medical reimbursement of Rs 25 and Rs 40 should be enhanced to Rs 350 on the Punjab pattern but the Chief Minister assured them that it would be increased. He said this enhancement would be made for the employees in service too. He said his government was eager for the welfare of the pensioners and Rs 14 crore had been earmarked for welfare schemes. He, however, refused to accept the demand that pension should be paid as per rules of the Punjab Government. Two major demands of the pensioners, payment of one-month basic pension after every two years on the Punjab pattern and payment of 5 per cent additional amount of pension to those pensioners who had completed 65 years and 10 per cent to those who had attained the age of 75 years, were not accepted. He, however, said the government notification would be issued during this month regarding the grant of family pension at 30 per cent of the revised pay scales as revised on January 1,1996. He said the pensioners would be part of grievance committees from state to subdivisional level as was agreed at the JCC meeting on October 6, 2006. The pensioners had arrived here from all parts of the state and the function was attended by Sat
Mahajan, Revenue Minister, G.S.Bali Transport and Tourism Minister and local MLA Surender Kaku. |
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State gears up to deal with natural calamities
Shimla, December 17 The topography and climatic conditions make the state more prone to natural disasters caused by
avalanches, floods, flash floods and cloudbursts, etc. The state also falls in zone V of the seismic prone area and has been the epicentre of several earthquakes causing huge loss to the lives and property. Appreciating the need for putting in place disaster management mechanism it has restructured and re-designated the Department of Relief and Rehabilitation as the Disaster Management Department to focus on the mitigation and vulnerability reduction. It was in the process of adopting the Central Disaster Management Act with modifications under which the Disaster Management Authority at the state level as well as the state executive committee will be notified. Such authorities will also be appointed at the district level. The State and District Disaster Management plans are also in the process of finalisation and control rooms have been set up in all districts and the state capital with toll-free numbers. A multi-disciplinary approach is being followed to ensure prompt response. Training are being imparted on human resource development and capacity building. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) makes it mandatory to develop holistic capabilities for effective disaster management. This includes policies and guidelines for mitigation, prevention and capacity building and preparedness right down to the community level. Integral to the plans for national preparedness for responses is the creation of the eight battalions of the National Disaster Response Force which is being trained and equipped for search and rescue operations in the event of disasters. The battalions have been located at suitable places after conducting vulnerability analysis. The facets of relief planned to be covered included temporary shelter and tents, basic living pre-requisites, food and water, medical
aid, including medicines, hygiene and sanitation, lighting and power,
communications, logistic requirements for delivery of the relief material for 25000 persons to be stocked at each location. The planned stocks
will cater to needs of 300,000 affected persons commencing as early as possible after occurrence of a level III disaster. |
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BJP against extension to retired staff
Shimla, December 17 Mr Randhir Sharma, spokesperson of the party, said here today that extension in service was being granted without any norms or parameters just to reward the favoured ones. This was not only depriving the youth of employment opportunities but also creating resentment among the lower rung officers who faced stagnation. In fact, those responsible for mismanagement and involved in vigilance cases were being rewarded. He cited the example of the chairperson of the state electricity board, Mr Shamsher Singh,in this regard. The board was in a mess and it had earned the dubious distinction of making 126 MW Larji project one of the costliest hydroelectric venture in the country. Yet the government had extended his term. Not only this a member of the board had also been granted extension. Mr D.K.Sharma, former planning adviser, had been reappointed and Mr S.P.Negi, the Engineer-in-Chief , had been granted extension up to March 2008 in one go. His term had been virtually made co-terminus with that of the Virbhadra Singh regime which would complete five years in March 2008. Another PWD Chief Engineer, Mr R.S.Kanwar, had also been obliged. Extension in service had been granted right down to the level of assistant engineers without any rhyme or reason and the only criterion seemed to be “proximity” to the Chief Minister. He also accused the government of protecting Dr L.R.Verma, Vice-Chancellor, Himachal Pradesh University, who was responsible for the CPMT question paper leak scam. Not only that there were reports that Dr Verma, whose term would expire on December 31,was being given extension. |
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Foundation stone of girls hostel laid
Kangra, December 17 The Chief Minister said that the hostel would facilitate girls to pursue their studies more conveniently and add to the available facilities in the college. He said that Kangra polytechnic was coming up as a self-contained centre of quality technical education in the district. He said his government was committed to create best infrastructural facilities for employment and self-employment-oriented vocational courses so that youths were able to avail the technical educational facilities. |
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