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Board moots winter surcharge
Land purchase by outsiders under scanner
Annual Plan pegged at Rs 2,400 cr
School board sans chief
Misuse of PDS items to be curbed
Dharamsala gets 10-bed nature cure hospital
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Rs 16.29-cr Central aid for agriculture
Transport minister inspects bus stand
CM to visit Chamba
Lenovo workers end strike
Paonta boy, girl commit suicide
Cops to look for POs
ATM Theft
Kidnapping alleged
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Board moots winter surcharge
Shimla, February 13 In the case of large industries the tariff for EHT category is proposed to be increased from Rs 2.15 to Rs 3.90 per unit and for HT category from Rs 2.25 to Rs 3.95 per unit. The rates for the bulk supply category are to be increased from Rs 2.25 to Rs 4 per unit for HT and from Rs 2.95 to Rs 4.20 per unit for LT connection. For small industries the tariff for load above 20 kw is to be hiked from Rs 2.85 to Rs 3.95 unit. With a winter surcharge of Re 1 per unit from November to March the average rate for these categories will go up by more than 50 per cent. A good part of the burden on account of the hike is also sought to be passed on to the government by proposing an increase in tariff for water pumping, streetlighting and non-domestic non-commercial category. The tariff for water pumping supply for LT is to be increased from Rs 3 to Rs 4.20 per unit, HT from Rs 2.40 to Rs 410 per unit and EHT from Rs 2.10 to Rs 3.90 per unit. Similarly, the charges are proposed to be revised steeply from Rs 3.10 to Rs 4.50 per unit for streetlighting. The tariff for the non-domestic non-commercial category under which government offices and other institutions are covered is proposed to be increased from Rs 3.75 to per unit up to 20 kw and Rs 3 per unit for load above 20 kw is to be charged at a uniform rate of Rs 4.30 per unit. Similarly, for commercial supply the charges are proposed to revised from Rs 4.10 , Rs 3.30 and Rs 3.10 for load up to 20 kw, 20 to 100 kw and above 100 kw, respectively, to a flat rate of Rs 4.40 per unit. The board, which has been resisting unbundling for the past three years, has tried to take a politically correct position while framing the proposals as evident from the fact that it has not proposed any change in the tariff for domestic and agriculture consumers. Similarly, in the case of small industries the increase proposed for load up to 20 kw is nominal from Rs 3.50 to Rs 3.70 per unit. However, the tariff will be determined by the State Regulatory Commission after hearing various consumer groups, industries and the government in accordance with the Electricity Act, 2003. The tariffs will have to be increased across the board as in the annual revenue requirement filed by the state utility has sought an increase in average tariff from the existing Rs 3.68 to Rs 4.80 per unit. To maintain the tariff for domestic consumers at the present level an additional subsidy of about Rs 80 crore will be required but the government has signed an MoU with the World Bank under which the subsidy has to be capped at the existing level of Rs 132 crore. |
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Land purchase by outsiders under scanner
Shimla, February 13 The government has decided to look into all cases of land purchase by people from outside the state over the past one year. The number of such cases in which permission was granted by the previous Congress regime is around 200. Many of these permissions pertain to construction of hotels or industrial units. Each time there is a change of power in the state, the government orders an inquiry into all such land deals in which permission is granted in relaxation of the HP Tenancy and Land Reform Act but action is taken in few cases. Incidentally, the case of land purchase by Priyanka Gandhi in the Charabra area would also come under the scanner. However, an official spokesperson said here today that no specific inquiry was being held into Priyanka’s case. “The revenue department will go through all files in which land permission had been granted by the government to see if there are any anomalies,” he clarified. Priyanka Gandhi had bought four bighas and five biswas of land in Charabra on the outskirts of the state capital in August last year. The land registry was done in her name on a payment of Rs 46.79 lakh on August 24. In fact the BJP had levelled allegations against the Congress regime shortly before the elections that relaxation was being given to outsiders in violation of the Land Tenancy and Reform Act. In fact, the case of granting exemption to an industrialist in the Baddi-Barotiwala area for using the land given for industrial purpose for building a housing society was also discussed. However, permission was not granted as it was felt that it was in violation of the Act. However, in many other cases permission was granted by the Cabinet. |
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Annual Plan pegged at Rs 2,400 cr
Shimla, February 13 The plan was finalised at a meeting between Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal and deputy chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia in Delhi today. The social services sector has been given top priority with an outlay of Rs 818 crore, which comes to 34 per cent of the total plan. Agriculture and allied sectors have been allocated Rs 251 crore, rural development Rs 116 crore, irrigation and flood control Rs 296 crore , energy Rs 329 crore, transport and communications Rs 374 crore and general economic services Rs 87 crore. Out of the total plan the general plan spending will be Rs 1538.70 crore, under SC sub-plan Rs 594 crore, tribal sub-plan Rs 216 crore and backward area sub-plan Rs 51.29 crore. Dhumal said four medium projects, including Shahanehar, Sidhatha, Changer and Balh valley irrigation schemes, would be completed during the 11th Five-year plan for which Rs 130 crore had been earmarked. He said 41 per cent of the existing hydel potential would be tapped during the 11th plan. So far only 31 per cent hydel potential had been
harnessed. The state government has decided to participate in projects to be executed by the state electricity board and the state power corporation with an equity contribution of 40 per cent and 60 per cent, respectively, and a provision of Rs 299 crore had been made for the purpose. The state government had earmarked Rs 37 crore as its share for the 63-km Bhanupalli -Bilaspur -Beri rail project to be executed at a cost of Rs 1047 Crore. The target of foodgrain production had been fixed at 16.38 lakh tonnes. Besides, 11.44 lakh tonne vegetables, 7.77 lakh tonne mushrooms, 8.75 lakh tonne milk would be produced. Dhumal drew attention of the commission to the fact that the state was being deprived of revenue to the tune of Rs 1600 crore annually on account of non-allocation of its due power share in various centrally executed hydroelectric projects like BBMB projects. It urged the commission to help the state get its due share. |
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School board sans chief
Kangra, February 13 The situation is taking a wrong turn as the examinations of middle, matric, XI and XII classes were being conducted by the board, without a chairman in office, from March 4 in which nearly five lakh students were appearing in 1,403 centres in the state which included 70 newly created examination centres. Various teacher unions of the state have expressed concern for keeping post of the chairman vacant despite the fact that the examinations were scheduled from March 4, 2008. The absence of a chairman had reportedly delayed the results of the matriculation examination of the winter closing schools where the number of the examinees was above 30,000. According to reports, the teachers had to mark the written paper out of 85 marks and remaining 15 marks were reserved for the internal assessment but they marked the papers out of 100 marks and later on a process started to correct the earlier marking resulting delay in the results. The delay and alleged wrong marking were attributed to the lacking timely instructions and guidelines to the teachers from the head of the board, as the post was vacant. The secretary of the board has allegedly failed to pass on the right instructions to the teachers in time resulting in the crisis. Meanwhile, education minister I.D. Dhiman said very shortly the chairman of the board would be appointed. He said the secretary was heading the administration of the board and directions from the government were being passed on to him without delay. |
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Misuse of PDS items to be curbed
Shimla, February 13 Food and civil supplies minister Ramesh Dhawala said here today that families were being divided just for the sake of ration cards, which were being misused to corner benefits being provided through the public distribution system (PDS). He said keeping this in view the government had decided to reconsider the entire process for the selection of the BPL and Antyodaya families. He advised consumers not to keep their ration cards with the depot holders, as it would attract action under the rules. Dhawala claimed that with efforts of the government the supply of cooking gas refills had improved over the past few days. In all about 8,400 additional refills were brought to the state, still some people were trying to create artificial shortage. Strict action would be taken against such persons and government would also act firmly to check the misuse of domestic LPG refills for commercial purposes, mainly in hotels, dhabas and teashops. |
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Dharamsala gets 10-bed nature cure hospital
Dharamsala, February 13 Revealing this to The Tribune here today Lt Colonel
M.G. Sharma (retd), president of the organisation, claimed that it would be the first of its kind of centre being approved by the Union government in the hill state. The grant-in-aid for this project would be released by the Ayush Department of the Union government through the state government to this
organisation. Presently, the organisation is conducting naturopathy and yoga courses for the unemployed youth and ayurvedic doctors that are affiliated with the Gandhi Samarak Prakritik Chikitsa
Samiti, New Delhi, he said. Meanwhile, Lt Colonel Sharma has demanded from the government to earmark at least five per cent of the total health budget for naturopathy, grant medical registration in nature cure to the naturopathy and yoga practitioners, constitute state-level advisory board for the development of naturopathy and yoga, include naturopathy/yoga treatment in the medical bills reimbursement schemes for the state government and public sector undertaking employees, to establish a model naturopathy and yoga treatment centre at the state capital, to introduce yoga in schools as a subject and also to look into the possibility of establishing a medical college for naturopathy and yoga degree courses. |
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Tipper owners block roads at dam site
Sundernagar, February 13 Clay found in the Naulakha area, near Sundernagar, was selected for the construction of the 163-metre-high Kol Dam. About 100 tippers were engaged in the job of transporting clay to the dam site situated on the boarder of Mandi and Bilaspur districts. The work of clay filling was stopped in June, 2007, after a seepage in the main dam following heavy rain. The Italian-Thai Dev Public Company Limited (ITDC) had assured tipper owners that the work would be started on February 1, 2008. However, the work could not be started on that day due to bad weather conditions. Tipper owners said since the weather was clear, they loaded tippers on the night of February 11 and reached the dam site, but the representatives of the company did not allow them to unload their vehicles. Agitated over this, drivers of these tippers parked their vehicles on different roads in such a manner so that the work of clay filling became impossible. Today, the staff of the CISF tried to remove tippers and even thrashed a few drivers. One of the drivers lodged a complaint against officials of the CISF at the Barmana police station in Bilaspur district. Tipper owners alleged the work of the dam was being delayed due officials of the company. However, no one was available to depose on behalf of the company. Tipper owners contacted the GM of the project, who intervened into the matter and ordered the unloading of vehicles. He further assured every cooperation to the transporters. On his assurance, the blockade of different roads was cleared. Tippers drivers were seen unloading their vehicles at the site in the evening. |
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Rs 16.29-cr Central aid for agriculture
Shimla, February 13 Director of agriculture J.C.Rana said here today that the main objective of the scheme was to give incentives to the states for increasing investment in the agriculture sector and provide flexibility in planning. Financial assistance under the scheme would be released under two streams. Besides new projects, accounting for 75 per cent of the total amount, funds would also be made available for strengthening the existing schemes under the state sector. Plans would be prepared for the districts and the state, based on the local agro-climatic conditions, available technology and natural resources. A state-level committee had been constituted under the Chief Secretary for sanctioning new projects. In addition, working groups, headed by deputy commissioners, had been set up in all districts for preparing districts agriculture plans. Rana said that Rs 12.22 crore had been allocated for new projects and Rs. 4.07 crore for strengthening the existing schemes. The maximum amount 7.25 crore had been given to agriculture, followed by Rs 2.20 crore for horticulture, Rs 1.63 crore for animal husbandry and Rs 1 crore for the state agriculture university for new projects. |
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Transport minister inspects bus stand
Bilaspur, February 13 He inspected all public facilities at the main bus stand and found that most of the facilities were either in a very bad shape or were totally non-existent. He also had a round of the entire premises of the bus stand and its poor maintenance and cleanliness, including those of the lavatories. He instructed the officers to improve the situation at once and work extra hard to provide essential facilities to the passengers. He said he had earlier asked the officers to ensure all facilities to the passengers and even today he found several things wanting here at the workshop and main bus stand. He said he has given a time of one week to the concerned officers to do the needful within this period, failing which he would be constrained to take action against those found negligent in their duty. |
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CM to visit Chamba
Chamba, February 13 Mohan Lal, former minister and district president of the BJP, said Dhumal would come here in a direct flight from Delhi. During his visit, he would take stock of the prevailing situation arising out of unprecedented heavy snowfall and rain in the district. He would also address a public meeting in Chamba town. |
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Lenovo workers end strike
Kumarhatti, February 13 The experience certificates were also handed over to the sacked workers. The management clarified that the 25 terminated workers were engaged on temporary basis. In their appointment letters it was clearly mentioned that after six months they could be terminated any time without citing any reason. However, the issue got hyped over the management’s alleged planning to remove all Himachalis from the plant in a systematic way. However, the company management had not violated any norms in sacking the workers. |
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Paonta boy, girl commit suicide
Nahan, February 13 Sources said after a search of almost four hours both were found in a critical condition in a sugarcane field 3 km from Fatehpur village. They were rushed to the Paonta hospital but the girl breathed her last in the hospital compound while the boy died on the way to a Dehra Dun hospital. They had reportedly told a common friend early yesterday that they were committing suicide by consuming poison. After that villagers launched a search to locate them. Paonta DSP Shubra Tiwari said the bodies were handed over to their kin after a post- mortem. |
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Cops to look for POs
Shimla, February 13 District police chief R.M. Sharma said today that directions had been issued to all officers and police personnel to make special efforts to trace these Pos. The number of such POs wanted in cases registered in Shimla district is about 50. In many cases, the suspects are Nepalese who have fled to their country after committing the crime. This also includes Nepalese wanted in the triple murder case on The Mall here. A large number of people from Nepal are working as labourers in apple orchards in the entire district and many of them are wanted in serious crimes. Another area where the police will put in extra efforts will be its tirade against liquor and forest mafia. “Besides the forest mafia being active in interior parts of the districts like Chopal and Rohru, the liquor mafia is active in many parts,” he said. |
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ATM Theft
Shimla, February 13 With no external tampering with the ATM machine, the police is yet to make a breakthrough in the case. It is expected that senior bank officials along with technical staff handling the ATM will arrive here in a day or two with the motherboard and the hard disk. “It is only after the motherboard and the hard disk are examined by forensic experts that the police could identify the person who operated it last,” said district police chief R.M. Sharma. The motherboard and the hard disk will be sent for forensic examination outside the state. The bank staff yesterday detected that Rs 4.2 lakh was short in the ATM in which they had put money on Saturday. |
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Kidnapping alleged
Nahan, February 13 On report by father of the girl, resident of Bhatanwali village under Paonta subdivision, the police has
registered a case under the Sections 363 and 366 against Pawan, resident of Taruwala, a class X student of
same school who is also missing. Report alleges that the minor girl has been misled by the boy and has been abducted. The girl had come to school yesterday but did not return home after attending
the school. DSP Paonta Shubhra Tiwari said the police had been dispatched to different places to search the abducted girl. |
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Dy ranger’s sawmill sealed
Sundernagar, February 13 The case related to felling 12 deodar trees from the Pandar range of the Suket forest division. Dinesh had been already suspended by the Forest Department. |
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Youths’ plea
Chamba, February 13 |
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