Gurgaon, December 23
Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda announced the formation of the Municipal Corporation (MC) for Gurgaon while addressing the ‘Nav vikas rally’ held here today.

The announcement has fulfilled the long-pending demand of the people of the area.

Hooda said the town needed a corporation so that it could plan and implement development works urgently.

The Chief Minister said Gurgaon had made a distinctive identity not only at the national but also at the international level. The state government would further develop it in a systematic and planned manner so that city features amongst the top most cities of the country.

He said for the infrastructural development of the city, a provision of Rs 776 crore had been made which would be spent in three years. So far, a sum of Rs 275 crore had been spent for its rapid development and the maximum amount would be incurred for the metro rail service.

A global corridor would also be made on both sides of the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal expressway.

The Chief Minister also spoke in detail about the development works, which were undertaken by the government during the last two-and-half year tenure.

Referring to the demand put up by local MLA Dharamvir Gauba, the Chief Minister announced to set up a polytechnic college for girls in Basai village.

He said the government would try to bring the country’s first defence university in Haryana.

Criticising the opposition leaders for making unnecessary hue and cry on BPL lists, the Chief Minister said the opposition had no strong issue against the government; therefore they were resorting to such cheap tactics for misleading the public.

He assured that no eligible family would be left out the BPL list and the actual beneficiaries would get their due.

Union minister of state for defence production Rao Indeerjeet Singh raised the issue of formation of the Gurgaon Development Authority (GDA) for speedy development of the town.

He said according to the figures of the revenue department, the collection of revenue from Gurgaon was far more than any other town of Haryana.

He expressed surprise as to why authority was not formed here and the Gurgaon administration had to seek approval of all major projects from Chandigarh.

The government should focus on the policies for the betterment of the people rather than caste-oriented policies, he said.

While remarking about Mayawati, Singh said, “I do not know whether she would be our ally or opposition in future but the industrial policies which she is implementing in her state are very impressive.”

He emphasised the need to form a policy for the MNCs, which were setting their projects in Gurgaon, to provide 25 per cent of employment in their projects to the local youth.

Earlier, the Chief Minister also inaugurated a newly-constructed library building on the local court premises and laid the foundation stone of Indira Gandhi women Bar room, advocate canteen and library extension room.

Hooda said the state government has planned to incur Rs 162 crore on the construction and maintenance of judicial complexes in the state.

He said judicial complexes in 17 out of 20 districts of Haryana had been completed and now the government had started constructing judicial complexes at subdivision level.

The complexes at Loharu, Charkhi Dadri and Safidon had been completed and work on judicial complexes of Naraingarh, Pehowa and Hodal was in progress.

Gurgaon, December 23
All shopping malls located on MG Road here were evacuated following a bomb scare call this afternoon.

A police official said an unidentified caller phoned the police control room at 12.20 pm that three bombs were planted at the Metropolitan mall, which would blast by 4 pm.

The official said the mall owners were informed about the call and were directed to vacate the premises immediately. The mall opposite Metropolitan was also evacuated as a precautionary measure for the safety of residents.

The official said one unit each of National Security Guard (NSG) commandos and the police bomb disposal squad reached the spot and were searching the premises of the Metropolitan mall but nothing had been found till the filing of the report.

The official said after the call was received, the police vacated all malls on MG Road. He said two malls - Metropolitan and City Centre - were searched by the bomb squad team while the remaining malls were searched by local security personnel.

He said the phone number from where the call was made had been traced. It was from the Metropolitan mall Airtel PCO itself. Around 100 police officials were deployed at the spot after receiving the call for search purposes. He said the police had tightened security around the mall after the threat call.

Fatehabad, December 23
The demand for wheat and rice under the mid-day meal scheme in the government schools of the district has decreased considerably after additional deputy commissioner C.G. Rajnikanthan asserted that the education department should provide regular records of the utilisation of these items.

The step has not only stopped the misuse and misappropriation of foodgrains being provided for children but has also checked overstocking of these in many schools.

Rajnikanthan had asked the education department to provide regular records of the stock used and lying pending with different government schools of the district so that he could monitor the demand and supply of the foodgrains being supplied under the mid-day meal scheme.

He had also asked the project officer of the integrated child development scheme, Asha Setia, to submit a report of the funds allocated to her department for providing supplementary nutrition to women and children.

According to the stock statement provided by the education department, it had a stock of 690 quintals of wheat and 465 quintals of rice in various primary schools of the district as on November 30.

These schools would now need 225 quintals of wheat and 400 quintals of rice this month in order to provide mid-day meal to children till January end.

The quantity is sharp in contrast to the demand of 1600 quintals sent by the department last month.

The demand is likely to decline further next month, as the stock lying in certain schools of the district is highly disproportionate to the actual need. Similarly, 1,100 quintals of wheat and 900 quintals of rice were found lying in middle schools of the district, which too had been disproportionately distributed.

These schools, too, would now send much lesser demand than the demand of 1,000 quintals of food grains sent last month.

Rajnikanthan disclosed that huge amounts were being spent in supplying foodgrains to the schools but there was no accountability for proper utilisation of these.

A large quantity of foodgrains was being allowed to rot and fed to pests by keeping disproportionate stocks in various schools, where facilities of storage were poor.

He said while the education department had supplied a complete stock statement of foodgrains available in its schools, project officer, ICDS, was yet to give account of funds allotted to her.

The ADC revealed that Rs 2 lakh per day (Rs 7 crore per annum) was being spent under the ICDS in the district and the funds were released by his office in cash, but the department concerned had so far failed to provide account statements of its various anganwadis in the district.

Jind, December 23
The state unit of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the BJP, has announced to oppose the proposed state-level rally of the CPM on December 25 here.

Named as “Jan vikalp rally”, the party has described it as a move to create awareness about the alleged failures of the present state government.

ABVP activists has submitted a memorandum to the district administration asking authorities to deny permission to the CPM to hold any public meeting in the larger interest.

An ABVP spokesperson said the CPM had no right to organise a public meeting as he claimed that it would be an attempt to mislead the people and would send a wrong message in view of the recent developments involving the CPM.

Charging the CPM of being an anti-Hindu party, he said the statements of CPM leaders regarding the existence of Lord Ram had been an adequate proof of the regard of CPM leaders towards religious sentiments of the majority of the population.

In the memorandum, the ABVP has described the incidents at Nandigram as a national shame and claimed it as a result of faulty policies and programmes of the leftist parties.

It alleged that the CPM’s view on the 1962 war with China had also been derogatory and anti-national.

ABVP members will hold a torchlight procession tomorrow and burn the effigy of the left leaders in protest against the rally.

However, the CPM leadership has described the ABVP’s move as just a political drama aimed at getting cheap popularity. Describing the allegations as baseless and irrelevant, it said certain political people in the state, who had been befooling the masses in one way or the other, had now been trying hard to divert the attention of the people from the real issues.

It claimed that the common man had nothing to do with matters that were being raised at state or national levels by the BJP or other parties as the demand for basic amenities and employment were among the core issues.

Senior national-level leaders, including Sita Ram Yechury and Nilotapal Basu, were likely to address the meeting here on December 25.

Chandigarh, December 23
As many as 270 cases were settled at lok adalats held today in eight villages in the state.

Stating this here, a spokesman for the Haryana State Legal Services Authority said the lok adalats were held at Dhand village in Kaithal district, Sikrona village in Faridabad district,

Satnali village in Mahendragarh district, Barana village in Panipat district, Mahalana village in Sonepat district, Kosli village in Rewari district, Saharanwas village in Rewari district and Kesari village in Ambala district.

The cases which were settled included those pertaining to civil, petty, criminal, mutation, summary and bank loan matters.

KAITHAL: As many as 94 cases were settled at three lok adalats held at the district courts, Kaithal, Dohar village and at Dhand in the district on Sunday.

District and Sessions Judge H.S. Bhangoo presided over the proceedings of the lok adalats.

In the Kaithal lok adalat, Ajay Pareshar, CJM, supervised the proceedings. Of the 97 cases put up in this adalat, 30 were settled on the spot. Of the settled cases, three related to motor accident claims, two under the Hindu Marriage Act, two civil cases, 17 cases under the MVA and Shop Act, three civil appeals and two criminal cases, besides one other.

At the lok adalat held in Dohar village, of the 92 cases 26 were settled on the spot. Nirmala Devi, village sarpanch, and advocates Surinder Ranjha, Mange Ram Sharma, Khajan Singh and Shashi Pal Malik helped in the proceedings.

Prior to the lok adalat, the public relations department provided information about free legal aid and female foeticide.

In another lok adalat held at Dhand, ACJM V.P. Sirohi and CJM Ajay Pareshar supervised the proceedings. Of the 157 cases, 38 were settled on the spot.

Addressing the people on the occasion, District and Sessions Judge H.S. Bhangoo said the apex court set up the National Legal Services Authority in 1987 and its branches were constituted at the state and district levels.

He said a provision for free legal aid to certain categories of people was introduced. Any person having less than Rs 50,000 annual income and belonging to the SC, the ST or backward classes, women, the physically challenged, bonded labourers, the mentally challenged and those affected by natural calamities could take the benefit of the free legal aid.

Rohtak, December 23
It was an assimilation of a novel kind - and quite a unique one. Fifty-odd farmers from the Nauhar area of Rajasthan met a group of progressive farmers of Haryana; and exchanged their views and ideas on the farming practices and techniques prevalent in their respective regions.

The Haryanavi farmers present on the occasion, most of whom were innovators and inventors of useful agricultural techniques, told about these to their Rajasthani counterparts. For instance, a local innovator, Tejvir, explained the functioning of an energy-saving pump developed by him which could lift water using less power.

The farmers from Rajasthan evinced keen interest in the techniques and shared their views and ideas with the Haryanavi farmers. They also told the local farmers about various effective agricultural practices used by them.

The Rajasthan delegation was led by Balbir Singh, deputy director (agriculture), Government of Rajasthan, while the assimilation programme was organised by HAFED, in collaboration with a local NGO, Srishti Gyan Kendra.

Local district manager of HAFED V.K. Sangwan took the visiting farmers on a visit to the cattle feed plant and informed them about different schemes and programmes being run by the Haryana government for the welfare of farmers.

The executive officer of the NGO, Kamaljeet, said the visiting farmers were shown a presentation depicting various path-breaking and efficient innovations made by agriculturists and others all over the country.

The Rajasthan farmers appreciated the painstaking efforts made by the volunteers of the kendra and invited them to their place so that they could get acquainted with the traditional wisdom and inventions as well.

Fatehabad, December 23
Construction activity has gained momentum in the commercial sector of the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) near the local bus stand and opposite the Town Park in view of the impending deadline for getting completion certificates.

A number of residents, who have plots of commercial booths in the site adjoining the bus stand and opposite the Town Park have to complete construction of their booths and get its completion certificates from HUDA before December 31.

The plot holders will lose their right to these properties in case they fail to get completion certificates by December 31 and the plots will be resumed by HUDA.

Keeping the deadline in mind, a number of owners have begun construction activity in these plots.

Meanwhile, the plot owners rue that while HUDA made it mandatory for them to complete construction in 15 years from the date of possession, it has failed to complete development activities in the sector in all these years.

A plot owner alleged that HUDA was yet to start construction of inner roads, commissioning of sewer lines and development of parking areas in its commercial sector though 15 years had passed since the sector was carved out.

The plot owners plan to drag HUDA to the District Consumer Forum once they get the completion certificates.

The plot owners maintain that when HUDA had failed to develop the sector, why had it collected development charges from them. 

Bhiwani, December 23
The Haryana Janhit Congress (BL) has constituted a fact-finding committee to take stock of the situation at Khaanak mines area.

The party has nominated its youth leader, Jitender Nath, son of late minister Jagannath, as its head.

Party sources said the committee after meeting labourers and crusher owners of the area would prepare a report on incorporate difficulties being faced by labourers and would also give suggestions to handle difficulties.

Disclosing this here today, Nath said Khaanak had become a centre place for power and money for politicians and even ministers of the present state government were playing power game to grab the money yielding from these mines. As a result, common man was forced to buy construction material like bajri and crusher at higher rates.

He said the committee would include information about conditions of labourers, tractor owners and crusher owners. It would also gather information about the aftermaths of blasting in mines besides the financial state of labourers, he said, adding that a detailed report would be prepared about the provident fund, ESI, EPE and MPACF facilities given to labourers.

The committee would comprise Samunder Singh, Narender Kumar, Mahender Sheroan, Sombir, Ashok Sachdeva, Anand Kaushik, Umed Singh Dahiya, Mohipal Singh Gurjar, Ramesh Sui, Jaideep, Suman, Gulshan Kathpalia, Mahipal Singh Tanwar, Prem Raghav, Virbhan Malik, Rajedner Makkad, Madan Pal Saini, Parmajit, Narender Diwan and Jaibeer Sanjarwas as its members.

Panipat, December 23
The state government has decided to reserve one post each for women and SC candidates in various management boards of urban co-operative banks in the state.

Registrar, cooperative societies, R.R. Jowel today said the posts would be filled through an independent election process by shareholders of the banks.

He was here to attend the annual function of Panipat Cooperative Bank. Jowel further said each bank management would have a total of seven members on its board out of which two would be reserved for women and SC candidates for their active participation.

Additional principal secretary to the Chief Minister and commissioner, public relations department, K.K. Khandelwal said the state government had decided to award journalists at district level. He said a sum of Rs 40 lakh had been earmarked for these cash awards.

He said from each district seven print journalists and two from the electronic media would be awarded annually. He said the state government had decided to propose a new accreditation policy to include even part-time journalists.

Chandigarh, December 23
The Haryana technical education department has formulated guidelines for private engineering colleges for adopting students from government schools located in rural areas.

Technical education minister A.C. Choudhry said the guidelines had been issued in order to attract students from weaker sections of society and rural areas towards higher technical education. He said each college had been directed to adopt at least five students each from five government senior secondary schools offering science subjects and situated in rural areas.

As many as 108 topper students of government schools of Haryana got direct admission in engineering colleges and polytechnics during the current academic year, he added.

The minister said one seat each had been reserved for the direct admission of toppers of government school students in engineering colleges and polytechnics located in the state.

In all, 48 toppers from Haryana government senior secondary schools were given admission in engineering colleges and 60 toppers from government high schools were given admission in polytechnics for the session 2007-08.

Choudhry said to provide opportunities to rural students, pre-engineering course equivalent to plus two (non-medical) of the school education board, Haryana, would be introduced from the next academic session.

Under this, 50 per cent students to be admitted in pre-engineering would be from rural schools.

Also, all students belonging to below poverty line families would be provided tuition fee waiver.

Chandigarh, December 23
The Haryana government has said scholarships for students to be given by the technical education department will be known as Sir M. Vishvesvariya Scholarship for degree courses, Vishvamitra Scholarship for diploma programmes, Arya Bhatta Research Scholarship for MTech and C.V. Raman Research Scholarship for PhD programmes.

According to a press note quoting Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, 293 students will be covered under the scheme for degree in engineering, 56 in management, 23 in MCA, 25 in BPharma and BHMCT and about 200 in diploma courses.

The press note said the only condition for these scholarships would be that the student should belong to Haryana and should be admitted through the centralised counselling done by the Haryana State Counselling Society.

The scholarships were for toppers of each discipline of government institutions, aided institutions and self-financing institutions in the state.

The incentive would be continued for the subsequent years of study provided the students passed the first or second semester examination at the time of regular examination and thereafter passed every semester regularly in first division. The student should not be involved in any act of indiscipline or resort to unfair means.

A scholarship would be provided for normal duration of the course which the student would have to pass successfully. Otherwise the entire amount of the scholarship would have to be refunded.

The amount of scholarship for BE/BTech/BArch would be at the rate of Rs 40,000 per student per year or the actual tuition fee, whichever would be less.

In case of MBA/MCA, it would be at the rate of Rs 25,000 per student per year or the actual tuition fee. In case of BPharma, it would be at the rate of Rs 20,000 per student per year or actual tuition fee. For BHMCT, it would be Rs 25,000 per student per year or the actual tuition fee.

In case of diploma-level courses, it would be Rs 20,000 per student per year or the actual tuition fee.

Scholarships for MTech and PhD for preparing the pool of teachers were being finalised, the press note said.

Chandigarh, December 23
Over-worked deputy commissioners now have a chance to unburden themselves of “extra-curricular” work thrust upon them. For once, they are not only getting an opportunity to vent their ire about “juggling” various duties from morning till evening but can also hope for some results.

The Haryana Administrative Reforms Commission, headed by Palwal MLA Karan Dalal, will give a “hearing” to officers of the two ranges of Gurgaon and Rohtak when its meets for a second round talks in Delhi from December 26 to 28. This will include the two divisional commissioners of the two ranges and the 10 deputy commissioners from the districts falling in this area.

“We realise that the DCs are over-burdened with work that can easily be passed on to somebody else. When we meet them on December 27, we will ask them about the kind of work they think can be delegated to other departments,” Dalal said.

The agenda clearly is to ascertain if the work of holding court, licensing and disaster management can all be delegated to another office to enable the DCs to give their full attention to all development works in progress in their respective districts.

“We basically want to identify and give a new role to the DCs in the perspective of our initiatives without compromising on public interest. We want to deliberate on the provisions that do not exist in the manual but can prove beneficial to the administrative set-up at large,” he held.

However, the second round of talks will begin on December 26 by holding a meeting with officers of the Administrative Reforms Department of the government of India. The meeting aims at getting inputs from the officers on the working of administrations across nations of the world for an insight into changes that can be proposed to improve the system.

“On the final day, December 28, we are inviting former chief secretaries of adjoining states to know the working of their administrative set-ups. We are meeting eight former chief secretaries drawn from Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Delhi to seek their opinion on going about our job as also to adopt any good suggestions or conventions being followed in their states to bring about efficiency in the running of the administration,” Dalal held.

This is the second round of meetings of the commission which earlier met in the city to draw up its course of action for bringing about changes in the working of the administrative set-up.

Chandigarh, December 23
The Haryana Command Area Development Authority (CADA) has forwarded four irrigation projects involving a total expenditure of Rs 1,065.75 crore to the central government for inclusion under command area development and water management programme.

The projects propose to provide irrigation facilities over an area of 5.05 lakh hectares.

Irrigation minister Ajay Singh Yadav said the proposed projects were, western Jamuna canal command phase VI, Jawaharlal Nehru canal command phase II, Siwani canal command and Loharu canal command.

He said the western Jamuna canal command phase VI project was slated to cover 2,05,600 hectares of area of eight districts.

The Jawaharlal Nehru canal project would cover 99,383 hectares of land of Rewari, Jhajjar, Mahendergarh, and Bhiwani districts, Siwani canal project was slated to cover 89,765 hectares of Bhiwani, Hisar and Rohtak districts and Loharu canal command was proposed to cover 1.10 lakh hectares in Bhiwani district.

He said the western Jamuna project and Jawaharlal Nehru project had been approved by the central government.

Gurgaon, December 23
Rohit Pagare, who had murdered of his wife, Archana Trivedi, was today remanded to police custody for two days.

The police said, during interrogation, Rohit’s driver said that Rohit dropped him midway and gave Rs 50.

He said Rohit told him that he would pick Archana himself.

Dowry and murder cases have been registered against Rohit and his parents.