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Vigilance to hold inquiry into GPF money case
BBMB may allow state draw water from reservoirs for its schemes
Over 2 lakh receive ration on fake cards
Nahan Foundry to be merged with HPSIDC
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Forgery case lodged against pradhan
Central team to visit on Sept 29
Govt to pay land compensation to forest department
Job Fair inaugurated
Govt to provide NSS training in schools
CM flags off rally
World Tourism Day observed
Two get RI
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Vigilance to hold inquiry into GPF money case
Shimla, September 27 The Executive Council (EC) of HPU which met here today under the chairmanship of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Sunil Kumar Gupta, decided to hand over the matter to the Vigilance Bureau. “The report of preliminary inquiry conducted into the matter by the committee which had been entrusted the task indicates that there were some irregularities,” said Prof Gupta. It was during the tenure of the previous Vice-Chancellor Prof Anil Wilson that Rs 3.40 crore GPF money were invested in mutual shares, which are now being influenced by changing trends of share market. The present VC had ordered an inquiry into the matter and it was after discussing the report that the EC decided that the matter be probed by Vigilance. In another major decision, the EC also decided to hold an inquiry into the special leave availed by former Vice- Chancellor, Prof L.R. Verma for a period of nine long years and the accruing monetary benefit he derived despite being on leave from HPU. The EC also decided to hold an inquiry into the promotion of P.N. Chauhan who was not qualified and as such did not fulfil the eligibility criteria. The decision on the above two cases was taken after the annual accounts and audit report of HPU for 2004-2005 was discussed at length. Prof L.R. Verma was the VC at that time. The EC also fixed November 8 as the date for the holding of HPU convocation for 2004, 2005 and 2006. It also decided to grant increment to the teachers working in HPU Model School. The recommendations of the Finance Committee regarding appointment of one post of lecturer in geography for remote sensing and two posts of lecturers in tourism were approved by the EC. It also approved creation of posts of a section officer, one clerk and computer operator. |
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BBMB may allow state draw water from reservoirs for its schemes
Dharamsala, September 27 However, the Himachal Government has to first submit the proposals for setting up drinking water schemes. The schemes would be cleared after technical studies to ascertain if they were viable. The BBMB chairman UC Mishra said when contacted by The Tribune to ascertain the views of the organisation for allowing drinking water schemes from its reservoirs. Ironically, lakhs of Himachal residents living on banks of Bhakra and Pong reservoirs reel under acute drinking water shortage, especially during summers. Most of these residents have lost their lands to these reservoirs. The Himachal Government spends a fortune on hiring water tankers during summers to supply drinking water to these areas almost every year. Even the Bhakra village after which Bhakra Dam that ushered green revolution in the country was named was without drinking water supply till a few years ago. It was only after the matter was highlighted in these columns, the BBMB installed a drinking water scheme for the village. The Himachal government officials have been carrying out rhetoric regarding installing drinking water schemes from the reservoirs. The present minister irrigation Ravinder Ravi has also said many times regarding bringing water for drinking water and irrigation schemes by lifting water from the Bhakra and Pong reservoirs. However, till date the sources available here said that the state government had not submitted any proposal to the BBMB for lifting water from Bahkra and Pong reservoirs for installing drinking water schemes. The Changar areas of Kangra district and the Kutlehar area of Una district are worst hit due to shortage of water. The BBMB authorities also said these studies had brought to the fore feasibility of generating more power within the existing system of the organisation. However, the organisation has not been able to move ahead with the projects as the Himachal Government is seeking 12 per cent royalty in new projects where as the partner states in the BBMB, including Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, were not willing for the proposal. |
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Over 2 lakh receive ration on fake cards
Solan, September 27 These revelations have come to the fore after the department conducted an inquiry to identify actual ration cards in the state. The latest report compiled by the department clearly shows that as against a population of 69,67,266 the inhabitants covered under ration cards were 71,72,845. This clearly indicated that 2,05,579 persons were receiving ration under this scheme on a bogus basis. The state government has asserted its resolve to check this misuse by initiating action against the pancahyat pradhans. But though the successive governments have been trying to streamline the system little has been achieved in weeding out the bogus ration cards though their number has been brought down drastically. Officials said ideally a ration card was issued to a family as per the parivaar register maintained by the panchayat. Earlier, the SDMs were authorised to make family divisions but ever since the panchayats were delegated these powers, along with maintenance of parivaar registers, there has been a steep rise in the number of families. What causes the number of beneficiaries to rise above the population is the fact that families enlist even those members which serve in other states and reside outside the state. Since quota for commodities like pulses, rice, wheat, etc, has been fixed per family an adverse trend of joint families manipulating their members as separate families has crept up. Usually a pradhan succumbs to pressure posed by the residents and even joint families are issued more than one ration cards. This is done to keep their voter base intact. These anomalies have led to an excess population of several lakhs getting enlisted as ration card beneficiaries. As per the latest ration card report, out of the total 12 only four districts Hamirpur, Mandi, Solan, Lahaul and Spiti have lower ration card beneficiaries than the rural population, while in the remaining eight districts the difference between the two is huge. For example Kangra the largest district has an excess population of as much as 27,925 while in Chamba this population stands at 49,238. Still worse in Sirmaur, which is another backward district like Chamba, the excess population is as high as 71,475. Likewise in Bilaspur, Kinaur, Una and Shimla the number of excess population was found to be 3229, 8422, 34172 and 4948, respectively. |
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Nahan Foundry to be merged with HPSIDC
Shimla, September 27 Stating this while presiding the
meeting of the Board of Directors of the company, Chief Minister Prem Kumar
Dhumal here yesterday said best efforts had been made to revive the oldest
foundry of the state which has produced quality products in the past. However,
with the passage of the time the products became outdated and the demand
reduced in the market, causing heavy losses to the foundry with every
succeeding year. He said all movable, immovable and other assets would be
transferred to the corporation along with the debts, liabilities, duties and
obligations of the foundry. The state government had created various public
sector undertakings (PSU) with the sole motive of profit earning by carrying
diversified commercial activities. He said the PSUs were required not only to
meet their liabilities but also earn profit for expanding of their activities
to compete in the open market with private players. He said many such
undertakings had diversified their activities and emerged viable. He said the
corporations and the boards functioning under losses needed to take inspiration
from the profit earning undertakings. |
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Forgery case lodged against pradhan
Nurpur, September 27 Moreover, in the certificate the pradhan had verified that Darshna was a resident of ward number three for which anganwari centre’s appointment had to be made. But in the panchayat voters’ list she was a resident of ward number two. Whereas, complainant Anita was a resident of ward number two. She also alleged that the beneficiary had also manipulated with wrong low-income certificate of Rs 6,000 per annum, whereas her husband was a government contractor and owning a vehicle. She stated that she had, however, filed an appeal against the appointment made in favour of Darshna before the deputy commissioner, Kangra. She rued that she visited the office of the child development project officer many times but failed to get copy of decision against her appeal given by the ADM, Kangra. She alleged that she was denied this appointment because of forged and manipulated certificates. |
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Central team to visit on Sept 29
Shimla, September 27 Kashmir Chand, joint secretary in the ministry of home affairs, will head the seven-member central team. The team will visit the districts of Una, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, Mandi, Shimla and Kinnaur during its three-day visit. Secretary, Revenue, Rakesh Kaushal said the team would visit the state on September 29 and 30 and hold a meeting with senior officers from all departments on October 1. “The total estimated of loss to the roads, bridges, the drinking water schemes, private and public property, crops and fruits has been Rs 2,076.73 crore,” he informed. The other senior officers, who will be a part of the Central team, include representatives from the Planning Commission, the ministry of agriculture, drinking water supplies, finance, roads and transport highway, rural development and water resources. The maximum damage to both private and public property and crops has been caused in district Shimla. Here the loss caused to horticulture sector alone has been assesses at Rs 208.86 crore as the apple crop suffered huge loss. The loss to agricultural crops has been put at Rs 30.86 crore. Even with respect to loss of human life, the maximum number of 43 persons died in Shimla district. Out of the total of 100 persons, who lost their lives, 14 died in Sirmour, 11 in Kangra, seven in Una and Chamba, respectively, six in Solan, five in Mandi, four in Kinnaur and one each in Lahaul Spiti, Bilaspur and Kullu. The state government had unanimously adopted a resolution in the state Assembly seeking Rs 1,000 financial assistance from the Centre to undertake relief and restoration work. However, with a fresh spell of vigorous rains a week back, the figure of losses further shot up. |
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Govt to pay land compensation to forest department
Mandi, September 27 Addressing the gathering after the inauguration of the hostel and dining hall at the Jawahar Navyodya Vidyalay (JNV) cluster cultural meet at NV, Pandoh, near here today he said the government would raise the Rs 20 lakh needed for the venture. Dhumal said Himachal had left behind even Kerala in the field of education. He said the state had received a diamond award for the environment and it had boosted the government pledge to make Himachal Pradesh as green and clean and self-dependent state in the country. He appreciated the neat, clean and green campus of Pandoh. The chief minister said the government would soon complete the building at Kinnaur so that the Nayodya Vidyalya students did not suffer for want of infrastructure. Dhumal also received a cheque for Rs 1.5 lakh from the DC office, Red Cross Society, the Pandoh Beopar Mandal for the CM Relief Fund. |
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Job Fair inaugurated
Kangra, September 27 Prof Dhumal was addressing a gathering in the local Polytechnic College this afternoon after inaugurating a two-day "Job Fair 2008" organized by the CII Himachal Pradesh State Council in association with BBNIA. He expressed concern over the industrial package which was granted in 2002 during the NDA government as it did not yield the dividend as the aim of providing jobs to 70 per cent Himachali youths was not achieved because the UPA government curtailed the package. The state would be raising issues of mutual interest in the Northern States Chief Ministers’ Meet scheduled for September 29 at Shimla and the Trade Centre to be set up at Baddi at a cost of Rs 10.80 crore and 12,000 rooms to be constructed by industrialists. Prof Dhumal emphasised the need for appropriate residential facilities to the industrial workers in all the industrial townships in the state. He said that 4500 youths got their names registered today on the first day of the two day job fair for their employment and nearly 1500 were to be appointed amongst them today. While addressing Chander Shekhar Gupta, Chairman, CII Himachal Pradesh State Council, said, "The initiative has been launched with an intent to meet the requirement of employing 70 per cent Himachalis by industries based in Himachal.” Charu Mathur, Regional Director, CII Northern Region, said the fair was aimed at providing a platform for the industry for on-site recruitment of quality workforce as well as to offer avenues to the educated unemployed Himachali youth. |
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Govt to provide NSS training in schools
Shimla, September 27 Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal stated here yesterday while presiding the State NSS Advisory Committee. “The Centre has asked to have 15,000 more volunteers besides the existing 71,500 volunteers in various educational institutions all over the state,” he said. Dhumal said the NSS volunteers would be involved in the Total Sanitation Programme from October 2. The Chief Minister said we must channelise the energy of the youth in a constructive manner so that they can be made responsible citizens. The NSS has planted 30,000 saplings within this year. He also stressed the need to revise the training schedule of the NSS keeping in view the emerging requirements for social service and disaster management. He said all three universities and Nehru Yuvak Kendras must also be involved in the NSS activities. |
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Aid for Bihar flood victims
Shimla, September 27 The truck carrying rice, sugar, cereals, blankets, clothes, tents and utensils was flagged off by Sheela Dhumal, chairperson, today. She said all possible assistance would be provided to the sufferers of Bihar floods and a centre had been set up here for the purpose. The branch would now be holding blood donation camps along with other multipurpose camps on a monthly basis, she added. |
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CM flags off rally
Shimla, September 27 Dhumal here today flagged off the Hercules Mountain Biking Himachal from Hotel Peterhoff. The event, coinciding with the World Tourism Day, is jointly being organised by the state tourism, Hercules Cycles and the Himalayan Adventure Sports and Tourism Promotion Association. “Participants of such adventurous events like mountain biking rally can prove to be the true ambassadors of the state tourism and motivate people from all walks of life to visit the state for an altogether different experiences,” he said. |
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World Tourism Day observed
Manali, September 27 A large number of domestic and foreign tourists, including all tourism related organisations in the town, took part in this celebration to make it a fanfare event. The tourists were presented with garlands and traditional Kullu caps. A colourful traditional folk dance, with local artistes, was also presented by the Bhuvneshvery Sanskritik dal of Bashing village.
— OC |
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Two get RI
Sundernagar, September 27 They were sentenced to five years rigorous imprisonment under Section 325 of IPC and to pay a fine of Rs 5,000 and in default payment of fine the convicts have to further undergo simple imprisonment for two months. As per the case of prosecution, the convicts, along with three other persons, kidnapped Sunil Kumar on the night of July 13, 2004, from Tatahar in a car when he was on his way to home and beat him merciless. |
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