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Rs 14,000 crore approved for 11th Five-Year Plan
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh with Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia during a meeting on the Plan for 2007, at Yojna Bhavan in New Delhi on Wednesday. — Tribune photo by Rajeev Tyagi
Ski village: 15 families face eviction
BJP chief strikes balance in new team
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Workers’ strike stalls work
at Hindustan Lever
Forum shows concern over LPG shortage
HIMUDA charged with tampering cafetaria bids
Dutch national arrested
Forest land got vacated
Man burnt alive
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Rs 14,000 crore approved for 11th Five-Year Plan
Shimla, January 18 The 11th Five-Year Plan was approved in a meeting held between Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and the Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia in New Delhi yesterday. The Chief Minister said social service sector had been given top priority in the plan period and added that Rs 6,158 crore (44 per cent) of the 11th plan outlay would be spent on the social service sector. He said Rs 2,177 crore would be spent on the transportation and communication sector, Rs 1,240 crore on irrigation and flood control, Rs 1,494 crore on agriculture and allied activities, Rs 1,140 crore on energy sector, Rs 811 crore on general economic services and Rs 361 crore on the rural development. He said 5744.10 MW additional hydel power potential would be exploited in the state in the plan period and out of it, 2751 MW under central and joint sector, 1831 MW in private sector and 1150 MW in the state sector. He said an ambitious plan had been formulated to attract 10 lakh foreign tourists and 3.25 crore domestic tourists in the state in the plan period and added that 15,000 additional bed accommodation would be created to facilitate the visiting tourists. He said 23 technical education institutions, 250 primary schools, 500 middle schools, 1,000 senior secondary schools and 15 new colleges would be opened in the plan period in the state. Mr Virbhadra Singh said 5,000 new industrial units would be opened and 27,000 artisans trained and 50,000 new employment opportunities generated in the industry sector during the plan period. He said 170 bridges and five cableways would also be constructed to provide the road connectivity to 200 village in the state during the same period. He said a target had been fixed to produce 17 lakh metric tonne foodgrains, 13 lakh metric tonne vegetables, 1.8 lakh metric tonne potatoes, 9 lakh metric tonne fruits, 6,000 metric tonne mushroom, and 45 tonne dry hops in the state during the plan period. Mr Virbhadra Singh said special emphasis had been laid to double the horticulture production in the next 10 years so as to provide nutritional food to the common people by creating various infrastructure and facilities. He said a target had been fixed to produce 9.06 lakh metric tonne fruit production by bring 2.18 lakh hectares under fruit plantation in the plan period. |
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Ski village: 15 families face eviction
Sethan (Kullu), January 18 The villagers, who normally shut down their summer homes (dhogheries) here due to 10-15 feet of snow have chosen to stay on in this primitive hamlet where they are being “tutored and cultivated” by the ski village instructors on skiing. In fact, the 15 km-long road built by the 192 MW Allain-Duhangan (AD) hydro project company has opened the floodgates for tourists coming to Manali to this valley, including the Hampta Pass and glaciers, which are the lifeline for the Allain and Duhangan rivers, tributaries of the Beas in the Kullu valley. But the villagers rue that they will lose their summer homes and land permanently and an opportunity to start own tourism-related ventures as the opening of the road has allowed them to cater to a new stream of tourists. “The ski village company has offered us lease money for 30 years,” revealed some villagers. “We have asked for Rs 2 lakh per year per family. But each family has four to five unemployed men, which means Rs 50,000 per member, which is nothing. On the other hand we earn Rs 1 lakh as porters and guides from trekking groups.” “We are consulting all villagers to decide the future course of action,” said Chering and Avinash, both villagers, who are also getting training from foreign instructors in skiing and avalanche management. The villagers grow potatoes and peas and other crops here and have given up their traditional trade of shepherding as they cater to the trekking groups coming here from Manali every year, they added. Since there is no snow below the village this year the area looks like a service station where project’s trucks and JCVs roar in the valley. But AD Hydro manager (administration) Jahmohan Bhasin claimed that the company had spent Rs 29 crore on the construction of road. “All 291 land oustees have been paid compensation at the rate of 87,000 per biswa for agricultural land and Rs 50,000 for barren land. We have spent 15 per cent of the project cost on welfare schemes for local villagers in Prini panchayat,” he added.
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BJP chief strikes balance in new team
Shimla, January 18 The BJP today announced its state office-bearers, executive body members and special invitees and in charge of the four parliamentary constituencies. The list has been decided after consulting all senior leaders, including former Union minister Shanta Kumar, and former Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal. Mr Thakur has tried to strike a balance and even loyalists of leaders, including former state chief Suresh Bhardwaj, former Health Minister J.P. Nadda and former MP Maheshwar Singh have been accommodated suitably in the new team. Efforts have been made to include youth like Mr Vikram Thakur and Mr Govind Thakur, while at the same time names of party old guard like Mr Nagin Chander Pal also figure prominently. Mr Khushi Ram Balnahta, a staunch Shanta loyalist, who was also a contender for the state party chief post, has been given the important post of general secretary. The fact that the new party chief has given one of the most important posts to a Shanta loyalist clearly indicates that Mr Thakur wants to forge unity despite the fact that the former Union minister had opposed his candidature vehemently. As expected Mr Mohinder Pandey, who was instrumental in getting Mr Jai Ram Thakur elected as the party chief, has been retained as organisation
secretary. Mr Kripal Parmar, Mr Ramesh Dhawala, Dr Rajiv Bindal and Mr Rasil Singh Mankotia have been appointed vice-presidents. Those appointed as state secretaries include Mr H.N. Kashyap, Mrs Renu Chaddha, Mr Vikram Thakur and Mr Govind Thakur. Mr Ashok Sood has been made the treasurer. Mr Randhir Sharma, Mr Kishan Kapoor and Mr Rajinder Rana have been made party spokespersons. The 36-member state executive includes Mr Shanta Kumar, Mr P.K. Dhumal, Mr Nagin Chander Pal, Mr Maheshwar Singh, Mr Jai Krishan Sharma, Mr Suresh Bhardwaj, Mr Chander Sen Thakur, Mr Dulo Ram, Mr Ram Swaroop Sharma, Mr Roop Singh Thakur, Mr Gulab Singh Thalur, Mr J.P. Nadda, Mr I.D. Dhiman, Mr Ravinder Ravi, Mr Karamdev Dharmani, Mr Harbans Rana, Mr Mahender Thakur, Capt Atma Ram, Mr Satpal Satti, Dr Rajan Sushant, Mr Narender Bragta, Mr Chander Mohan Thakur, Mr Praveen Sharma, Mr Rikhi Ram Kaundal, Mr Damodar Dass, Mrs Vimla Kashyap, Mrs Shraveen Chaudhary, Mrs Urmil Thakur, Mr Ram Lal Markanday, Mr Mohinder Sofat, Mr Chet Ram Negi, Mr Bal Krishan Chauhan, Mr K.D. Shridhar, Mr Sukhram Chaudhary, Mrs Vinod Chandel and Mrs Rakesh Sharma. The special invitees include Mr Dile Ram, Mr Pyare Lal, Mr Balbir Chaudhary, Mrs Neena Sharma, Mr Tejwant Negi, Dr Sunil Gupta, Mr Subhash Thakur, Mr Adan Singh, Mr Jagat Singh Negi, Mr Virender Kashyap, Mr Rakesh Bharti, Mr Hemant Raj Vaid and Mr Prem Chaudhary. Mr Maheshwar Singh has been made in charge of the Kangra parliamentary constituency, Mr J.P. Nadda of Shimla, Mr Ram Swaroop Sharma of Hamirpur and Mr Dulo Ram of Mandi seat. The names of office-bearers of frontal organizations like the ABVP, the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, the Mahimal Morcha and other cells are expected to be announced in the next 10 days. |
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Workers’ strike stalls work at Hindustan Lever Baddi, January 18 The officials of the Labour Department were holding conciliatory proceedings with the management as well as the representatives of the workers to end the stalemate till the filing of this report. The production remained suspended for the fifth day today and the company sources said production loss of 1,050 tonnes of toilet soap had been affected. Terming the strike as illegal, the company management said it was an industrial practice all over the country that workmen were required to undergo a probation period. In case of Barotiwala factory the probation period is six months. This is as per the letter of appointment on probation. During this period, on the basis of ‘on the job’ performance of workmen, the permanent employment is offered, or the contract is terminated. Sources in the company said the erring employee who had completed his probation period had not been given employment due to non-satisfactory work after he completed his probation period on January 12. The senior management executives arrived at the unit to chalk out a solution. They maintained that they were not averse to the demands of the workers, including hike in PF or other such issues, and they were ready for bi-lateral talks with the workers at all times. The company, however, resented the manner in which a bus carrying company executives were stopped from entering the unit premises yesterday and the police help had to be mustered to diffuse the situation. They management said such strikes were a loss both to the workers as well as the employees and they served no purpose. While vitiating work atmosphere such strikes sent wrong signals and adversely affected industrial peace in the region. The employees, stuck to their stand and insisted that Rajesh Kumar be taken back and that his termination was due to his raising voice against a discrepancy in the PF hike. The workers continued to sit on dharna outside the unit premises and shouted slogans against the company’s adamant attitude of laying off Rajesh Kumar.
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Forum shows concern over LPG shortage
Palampur, January 18 The PWEPF criticised the local administration for its failure to maintain the supply of LPG in the town. Presiding over the meeting Mr K.B. Ralhan, president of the forum, said despite repeated requests and memorandum submitted to the to the local Sub-Divisional Magistrate (Civil), no efforts were made to regulate the supply of LPG in the town. He said in the rural areas like Ghuggar, Bindravan, Choki Khalet, Aima and Bundla, the situation had gone from bad to worst as the consumers kept on waiting for the LPG supply vehicles for hours but they seldom come. He said even after paying numerous visits to the LPG agency, most of the consumers had not received their LPG refill for the past one month. Mr Rahlan urged the Deputy Commissioner, Kangra, Mr Bharat Khera, to intervene and make efforts for the regular supply of LPG to the town. |
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HIMUDA charged with tampering cafetaria bids
Shimla, January 18 Talking to mediapersons here today on behalf of his NRI brother, Mr Ashish Satija accused the HP Urban Development Authority (HIMUDA) of manipulating the bids to lease out a cafeteria at Kasumpti to the wife of MLA Bhajji. Mr Rajesh Satija, an NRI, had applied for the cafeteria on lease. “HIMUDA disclosed our bid to the legislator’s family and also accepted their bid after the time for doing so had lapsed,” alleged Mr Ashish Satija. “We had filed the bid amount of Rs 71.01 lakh while the other bidder Tripti Associates had put it at Rs 61.80 lakh. This amount was revealed to the third party, which gave a bid of Rs 73.01 lakh and got it,” he claimed. Mr Satija demanded that the tender for the site be cancelled as HIMUDA authorities had told him that there were only two bidders after the time for making bids had expired. |
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Dutch national arrested
Kangra, January 18 The Station House Officer (SHO) of the local police station said today that Ms Stefanie Martina was picked up for questioning from the Tehsil Chowk of the town. Ms Martina was staying in India since August 21, 2002. Her visa is valid till August 20, this year. She had come to India on student visa for studying in an ayurvedic university in Gujarat. She was behaving abnormally and drug intoxication could not be ruled out in her case. She was living in a rented accommodation at Yol for the past two years, the SHO added. |
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Forest land got vacated
Nurpur, January 18 On April 28, 2004, the Divisional Forest Officer, Nurpur, had issued eviction orders against four encroachers who filed appeals before the Divisional Commissioner, Kangra. Their appeals were dismissed on June 14. The department had issued notices to the encroachers to remove their structures within five days on January11 this year, but they had failed to do so. |
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Man burnt alive
Kangra, January 18 Mr Surender Sharma, SHO, said the deceased had been identified as Dharam Vir (62), a former District Panchayat Officer, who was living in his house alone. The deceased appeared to have jumped from the first floor in a bid to save himself. He had some dispute with his wife and she was living with her parents. The police was waiting for the post-mortem report to know the actual cause of the death. |
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Shimla, January 18
