Chandigarh, October 21
After 12 years, the discretionary quota of HUDA plots is back in Haryana.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court had, while quashing the discretionary quota of plots in the 90s, had directed that “the government may frame a policy for allotment of plots to specified class of persons. Allotment under such policy should be made by inviting applications from all those who belong to a particular class.”

Since then no government had framed such a policy in the state as this would have debarred the powers that be from allotting the plots to their favourites.

The state Cabinet today decided to implement the policy for “preferential allotment” of residential plots to those who were domiciled in Haryana and had distinguished themselves in the fields of art, culture, social service, science and technology, judiciary, defence or sports.

Those who would be considered for preferential allotment of residential plots would include recipients of Bharat Ratna or Noble Prize or Ramon Magsaysay Award, recipients of Jnanpeeth award, recipients of Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar award, Chief Justice of India, chiefs of defence forces, medal winners in any event of any sport at the Olympics.

Such an applicant should not own a plot in any urban estate of HUDA either in his own name or in the name of his or her spouse or any dependent children. Those who have been allotted plots either under discretionary quota or the chiefs of the defence forces, who have been allotted plots under the respective reserved category either in their own names or in the names of their spouses or any dependent children by HUDA in any of its urban estates would not be eligible to apply.

Only the serving Chief Justice of India or Chief of the Army Staff, Chief of the Naval Staff or Chief of the Air Staff would be eligible for such allotment. They would be eligible to apply for 14 marla or one kanal plot in any urban estate. Such persons should be a domicile of Haryana and would get this allotment only once in his lifetime.

The plots would be allotted on current rates. Also, such allotment would be made by a draw of lots, if the applicants are more as compared to the number of plots in a particular sector of a particular urban estate. Such allottees would not be allowed to transfer these plots by way of sale or gift before the expiry of five years from the date of allotment.

Such persons would be at liberty to apply for such allotment as and when they acquire eligibility in view of the proposed policy. The Chief Justice of India, Chief of the Army Staff, Chief of the Naval Staff or Chief of the Air Staff would not be eligible for the preferential allotment after they demit their office.

The preferential allotment would be made with the approval of the Chief Minister.

Chandigarh, October 21
The Haryana Cabinet today cleared the way to enable the State Public Service Commission to start making recommendations for various posts, which had earlier been taken out from its purview and given to the Staff Selection Commission (SSC).

l Governor’s discretionary grant up l Chief parliamentary secys, parliamentary secys, too, will have discretionary grants l New pension scheme from January 1

The Cabinet approved the amendment in the Haryana Public Service Commission (limitations of functions) Regulation, 1973, to allot the work of recruitment to Group B post back to the commission. These posts will include even those posts for which the requisition has already been sent to the SSC but have not yet been advertised.

These posts were taken out of the purview of the commission after the Congress government took over in 2005 when the commission was packed by members appointed by the Chautala government. Recently all Chautala-appointed members and the chairman of the commission were suspended following a presidential reference against them to the Supreme Court. The Congress government appointed four new members on August 11, but they were not able to start their work so far because most of the posts had been taken out of the purview of the commission.

Officially, the government said the decision to revert these posts back to the commission was taken to reduce the work load of the SSC.

However, the SSC would complete the recruitment process of the posts, which had already been advertised.

The Cabinet enhanced the discretionary grant of Governor from Rs 1 crore to Rs 1.50 crore per annum from the current financial year in view of “a large number of petitions being received from members of economically weaker sections of society as well as deserving people and institutions for grant of financial assistance.”

The Cabinet also approved the proposal of the development and panchayats department to provide discretionary grant of Rs 25 lakh per year to each chief parliamentary secretary and parliamentary secretary.

It was also decided to enhance the house rent admissible to the SSC chairman from Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 per month if he was not allotted a government house to bring him on a par with chairmen or advisors of boards, corporations and public undertakings and the balance of Rs 3,000 would be paid by the chairman himself.

The Cabinet also approved the proposal of the women and child development department to revise the terms and conditions of the vice-chairperson of the State Commission for Women. Now, an honorarium of Rs 10,000 per month would be admissible to the vice-chairperson. A reimbursement of actual house rent not exceeding Rs15,000 per month would also be given. He would also be entitled to the telephone facility at his office and the residence, but the total number of official calls from the residence telephone would not exceed 3000 per quarter.

The Cabinet decided to operationalise from January 1, 2009, the new defined contributory pension scheme for the state government employees appointed in service on or after January 2006. The scheme would be implemented according to the architecture approved and operationalised by the Central government.

The Cabinet also approved a proposal of the finance department to give family pension to an unmarried daughter beyond 25 years of age on a par with widowed or divorced daughters subject to other conditions being fulfilled.

Gurgaon, October 21
The arms licence of Harsimrat Kaur, wife of MP Sukhbir Singh Badal, was not renewed in 2005 by the Gurgaon authorities as claimed by her, an official concerned revealed here today. The officer on condition of anonymity clarified that as per the rules, the arms licence had to be renewed by May 27, 2005, but according to the records in his office, the licence was not renewed on the said date.

“However, the office received an arms renewal application on the name of Harsimrat Badal on September 26, 2008, after a gap of three years and four months, which has been put on hold for sometime now,” he mentioned.

The officer clarified that Harsimrat’s licence has an all-India permit, which meant that she could renew it from anywhere in the country, but for that too she needed an NOC issued by the Gurgaon DM and no such NOC had been issued from the office yet.

The case has taken an interesting turn now as activists are susceptible about how the licence was issued to Harsimrat from Gurgaon in 2005.

Naresh Kadyan, an activist, has put an query under the RTI Act that how could she get an arms licence at the address of a hotel, whereas she was neither a permanent resident or voter of Gurgaon district, nor she was carrying Haryana domicile at the time of her application.

Kadyan has also mentioned that on what grounds Harsimrat was provided the licence, as being the daughter-in-law of Punjab Chief Minister and wife of an MP, she was getting sufficient police protection and security cover on government expenses.

Harsimrat was granted the arms licence on May 28, 2002, on the address of a hotel owned by the Badal family in Udyog Vihar, Gurgaon. The licence was renewed in 2005 on the same address. According to the India Arms Act, the applicant must be a resident of the area from where he or she wants an arms licence.

She had mentioned her address as 443, Phase V, Udyog Vihar, Gurgaon, in her original application and two renewals. A five-star hotel (Trident) stands today on that address.

For the renewal, Harsimrat had attached the papers of land allotment issued by the Haryana State Industries and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC) for industrial plot number 443, UV, Phase V, Gurgaon. The land had been allotted to M/s Orbit Resorts Pvt Limited, which has three directors, Harsimrat, Sukhbir Badal and Sukhbir’s mother Surinder Kaur. While applying for renewal on September 26, 2008, in an application addressed to SDM Jai Singh Sangwan, Harsimrat had stated her address as the area where Hotel Trident stands. The Badals had tied up with the Trident Group to run the hotel.

However, the Lok Sabha Secretariat record mentions two addresses of Sukhbir Singh Badal (MP). His permanent address is house no. 256, Sector 9-C, Chandigarh, and his present address is 12, Safdarjung Road, Delhi.

Karnal, October 21
Haryana Chief Minister B.S.Hooda today warned traders against cheating farmers by selling spurious seeds, fertilisers, pesticides and fungicides and said those indulging in such malpractices for higher profits would be strictly dealt with.

Inaugurating a four-day Rabi Kisan Mela here he thanked the union government for giving basmati status to Pusa 1121 but at the same time demanded the abolition of export tax of Rs 8,000 per tonne on rice. The tax would affect exports and also bring lower returns to the growers, he added.

Hooda said the state government was soon going to declare the new sugarcane price, which would be the highest ever in the country. At present farmers were getting Rs 138 per quintal as the sugarcane price.

Hooda said agriculture was facing new challenges as land holdings were decreasing, the water table was fast depleting and the fertility of land was declining. In spite of this, Haryana with 1.44 per cent of the geographical area achieved the highest ever foodgrain production of 153 lakh tonnes.

This was more than 30 per cent of the total foodgrain production in the country. The state also emerged as the biggest producer of wheat and Pusa 1121. The farmers were getting up to Rs 2,700 per quintal for the Pusa 1121 variety of paddy, he claimed.

Hooda advised farmers to take up mixed farming and besides foodgrains also grow crops like sugarcane and pulses. They should select suitable crops for mixed farming, go in for the right pesticides and seeds and use vermi compost as far as possible, he added.

Describing agriculture as the primary sector for the growth of the rural areas, the Chief Minister said the budget for agriculture had been raised from Rs 142 crore in 2005-06 to Rs 298 crore in 2008-09 and all efforts were being made to give a boost to farm production and productivity.

The government was giving a subsidy of Rs 500 per quintal on wheat seed, Rs 1,200 per quintal on oilseeds and pulses and 50 per cent subsidy on sprinkler irrigation sets.

Earlier the Chief Minister went around the mela. As many as 102 stalls and a large exhibition of agricultural implements have been put up at the mela.

The Chief Minister also honoured 12 progressive farmers for achievements in various agricultural activities.

Rohtak, October 21
The farmers engaged in contract farming projects with Hafed will now get facilities like health (medical) insurance, crop insurance, soil and water testing, besides a higher price for their produce. This was disclosed by Hafed managing director Sudhir Rajpal while addressing a seminar on contract farming at Kurukshetra today.

The seminar was organised by the Hafed authorities of Kurukshetra, Karnal, Kaithal and other neigbouring districts in association with the Sristi Gyan Kendra, a Rohtak-based NGO.

Talking to The Tribune later today, Sristi Gyan Kendra CEO Kamal Jeet said the participants at the seminar included contract farmers and progressive agriculturists engaged in organic farming and other such ventures, besides senior Hafed officials and NGO volunteers.

Addressing the gathering, Rajpal announced that the farmers who had signed paddy contract with Hafed would get a rate Rs 100 per quintal higher than the prevailing market rate on the day they bring their produce.

“The farmers who have signed contract with Hafed for the second consecutive year will get a price Rs 120 per quintal higher than the market price,” he added.

The Hafed MD further disclosed that the contract farmers would get facilities like soil and water testing, crop insurance and medical insurance for family members. Hafed would pay half of the medical insurance premium amount, he revealed.

Besides, the authorities also unveiled a scheme in which five farmers, who have been regularly signing contract with Hafed, would get motorcycles through a draw of lots.

“The underlying idea behind the incentives is to ensure the welfare of farmers, apart from attracting them towards contract farming,” Rajpal said, adding that, it would serve the twin purpose of benefiting the farmers and getting good-quality produce for Hafed.

An interactive session was also organised on the occasion, during which the farmers apprised the top Hafed officials of the problems they had to face in the field.

Chandigarh, October 21
The Haryana Cabinet, which met here today under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, has extended another concession to the families of those employees of boards, corporations and public sector undertakings who were retrenched during the INLD regime.

The Cabinet decided that now Rs 2.50 lakh would also be provided to the families of those retrenched employees who were found eligible for re-employment and were issued appointment letters but they died before they could join duty. The government would also give Rs 1 lakh each to the families of those retrenched employees who were over 55 years of age and less than 58 years, but died before the re-employment policy framed by the Hooda government came into force on May 18, 2006.

It also approved an amendment to the Haryana Civil Service (Executive Branch) Rules, 2008, to make recruitment to the Haryana Civil Service (Executive Branch) and Allied Services through a combined examination.

The Cabinet also gave ex post facto approval to the announcement made by the Chief Minister regarding the allotment of 100 sq yd residential plots free of cost to families belonging to the Backward Classes (Category A) on a par with the Scheduled Castes families.

It was decided to raise the qualifications for the post of peon in the animal husbandry and dairying department from middle to matriculation with Hindi and Sanskrit. Similarly, the qualification for the post of water carrier or bull attendant (now animal attendant) now would be matriculation with Hindi and Sanskrit along with training in dairying, poultry and pig breeding. The qualifications for the post of sweeper and chowkidar (HQ), sweeper-cum-chowkidar, sweeper-cum-mali, sweeper-cum- postmortem attendant, sweeper-cum-coalman and watchman (field staff) would be middle with Hindi.

The Cabinet enhanced the academic qualifications for direct recruitment to the post of pharmacist, from matriculation with physics and chemistry to 10 plus 2 with physics and chemistry. This decision was taken on a representation by the Haryana State Pharmacists Association.

Chandigarh, October 21
The Cabinet today agreed to amend the Haryana VAT Rules, 2003, to expand the scope of the scheme of interest-free loans under the Industrial Policy, 2005.

Now mega units coming up in backward areas will be entitled to convert 50 per cent of VAT paid by them into an interest-free loan (IFL) for seven years from the date of commercial production. It will be repayable after five years from the date of grant of the loan. Small-scale industrial units coming up in backward areas would get a similar benefit for five years from the date of commercial production and it would be repayable after five years from the date of grant of the IFL. Food-processing units coming up anywhere in the state would get a similar benefit of conversion of 75 per cent of VAT paid into an IFL for five years from the date of commercial production and it would be repayable after five years from the date of the grant of loan.

The Cabinet decided to reduce the rate of central sales tax (CST) on the inter-state sales of Maruti vehicles from 2 per cent to 1 per cent to provide them a level playing field in the market. This reduction would be effective from November 1, 2008. With this, the buyers of Maruti vehicles would be benefited to the tune of Rs 140 crore for the remaining period of the current financial year. The benefit would be Rs 200 crore per annum for the subsequent years. All-India adviser to Maruti-Suzuki S.S. Sodhi welcomed the decision.

It also decided to reduce the rate of tax on barley sprout from 12.5 per cent to 4 per cent. The rate of VAT on earthmoving equipment sold to state and central government departments and union territories, public sector undertakings and municipal bodies would be reduced from 12.5 per cent to 4 per cent.

The Cabinet approved the proposal of the Silani Kesho panchayat to lease its land measuring 23 acres 13 marlas at a concessional rate of Rs 3 lakh per year, with a provision of 5 per cent annual increase, to the Shri Krishna Drishti Educational Society, being headed by noted cricketer Virender Sehwag, for setting up an integrated sports academy and school in Jhajjar district.

Chandigarh, October 21
Discrimination in development acts as a catalyst in accelerating social and cultural divides leading to socio-economic imbalances. There cannot be an example than a case study of Gurgaon and Mewat.

A recent study aimed at characterising the soil-water resource degradation in rural areas of Gurgaon and Mewat districts finds them two economically contrasting areas in the National Capital Region (NCR). Even otherwise, they are two different worlds.

If Gurgaon is being projected not only as a new face of Haryana but also of India, then Mewat reflects one of the neglected or backward areas in the NCR. If Gurgaon abounds in crime that is more western - shootout in a public school early this year for example - Mewat and other backward areas in Haryana are still reeling under the tribal and caste-dominated khap (panchayat) laws.

Interestingly, inter-caste marriages, solemnised either through Internet or chat lines or in rural and backward Haryana, have been subjects of animated debates in the recent past. While Internet marriages may be taking place in Gurgaon or Panchkula, inter-caste marriages, though not frequent, happen in rural Haryana. Connotations may be different but the basic issue remains the same. It is where Gurgaon, Faridabad or Panchkula stand out from the rest of the state.

Since last year, Gurgaon has the police commissionerate system. Besides conventional or traditional crime in Haryana, Gurgaon and other economically rapidly developing cities like Faridabad, Panipat and Panchkula have been witnessing a new wave of modern day crimes that extends beyond white-collar crime and has undisputed linkage with the cyber crime world. Mafias and underworld gangsters are more active in Gurgaon district than in Jhajjar, Jind or Ballabhgarh like areas to prove the corollary of crime changes with economic enrichment of an area.

It is not only crime but also the lifestyle that changes with economic prosperity. Haryana is thus the state, which at times finds itself in conflict between conventional, traditional and conservative rural society on one hand and on the other apes new generation of metro cities like Gurgaon.

Development in pockets has also encouraged yet another type of crime - the land or property grab - which is again more pronounced in Gurgaon, Faridabad and Panchkula districts than elsewhere. Recently, an orthopaedic surgeon from Germany (of Indian origin - from a peripheral town of Ambala) had decided to retire from practice and settle down in Panchkula with his German wife.

This doctor, Joginder Singh, had been volunteering himself to be the medical officer of the Indian hockey team whenever it played in any international tournament in Europe or North America for the past more than two decades. He would bring his own medicines and stay with the contingent at his own expenses. He is known to be close to Patiala family (Randhir Singh, secretary-general, Indian Olympic Association) as well as super cop K.P.S. Gill as the president of the Indian Hockey Confederation.

However, even after more than a year’s struggle, Joginder and his wife, could neither get the police help nor any legal reprieve to live in their own home as one of the occupants or “tenant” of the house about whom Joginder claims ignorance claims to wield a lot of influence both in the Haryana police as well as the ruling Congress party. He says he is not the only one. There are many others like him who have been running from pillar to post to get their own properties restored in Panchkula, Gurgaon and Faridabad.

“We thought these are good areas to settle down in India because of their proximity to the capitals, better air and rail connectivity and availability of additional facilities like golf clubs, healthcare and security. Unfortunately, security is one area which has been a great disappointment,” adds Dr Joginder Singh.

It is selected development that is responsible for wide variations in the prices of real estate. For one kanal of land in Gurgaon or Panchkula, you can buy several acres in Jind or Jhajjar, but who cares for Jind or Jhajjar.

(Concluded)

Sirsa, October 21
Girls residing in the Kalpana Chawla hostel of Chaudhary Devi Lal University today locked up the hostel mess and refused to take lunch alleging sub-standard quality of food.

They announced that they would remain on hunger strike till the mess contractor was changed and better quality food was served.

Alleging abysmal living conditions in the hostel, the students accused the university authorities of neglecting the hostel. They alleged that the authorities had not even provided proper furniture, television, sufficient water and other basic amenities.

Hostel warden Rani Devi has tendered her resignation to chief warden Vikram Singh citing failure of the university authorities to pay heed to her frequent requests for looking into the problem of girls. Mess contractor Yogesh Sharma has, however, alleged that he has been made a scapegoat of infighting of university teachers and maintained that there was nothing wrong in the food served by him.

The girls living in the hostel today boycotted lunch alleging poor quality food and locked up the mess after asking the mess staff to leave.

“The food supplied in the mess is of poor quality and often insects are found in rice and dal,” alleged Monika, a student of MA (final year).

Sonia, a student of LLB (final year), alleged that they have been complaining about the poor quality food for the past two and a half months, but to no avail.

The hostel warden said: “A detailed letter in this regard was given to the authorities concerned on October 17 and I was assured that the matter will be sorted out in the meeting of the hostels’ committee on October 21.” She further said: “In the meeting, I raised the matter before the chief warden, but he too sided with the contractor.”

Yogesh Sharma, contractor of the mess, however, said he had been serving meals to students of Mata Harki Devi Hostel, Lala Lajpat Rai Hostel and Sardar Patel Hostel too, besides the Kalpana Chawla hostel.

He said none of the students of the other three hostels had ever complained about the quality of food.

The chief warden, while confirming the resignation of Dr Rani Devi, said several demands of students like television and furniture had been acceded in the meeting held in the afternoon today.

Panipat, October 21
A late night drinking party between two neighbours turned sour and ended up in the death of one of them. Jile Ram, a resident of Raj Nagar locality, became the victim of a confrontation over a trivial issue and was allegedly killed by his neighbour Naresh.

Jile Ram and Naresh met each other at the latter’s house late last night and started consuming liquor. However, soon the party turned violent as the duo started quarrelling that eventually turned bloody. According to the family members of the deceased, the duo had been having some disputes but they had hardly thought that these would result his death.

They alleged Naresh, son of Prem Singh, and a resident of the same locality, along with one of his relatives Poonam and some other associates killed Jile Ram and thrown him near the railway tracks.

According to the police, the body of the deceased bore some injuries marks that appeared to have been caused by some sharp-edged weapons. Besides, there were signs that the deceased had been shot at. The police, however, said the real cause of the death could only be ascertained after a postmortem. Later, the body of the deceased was shifted to the mortuary of the civil hospital. The police registered a case against Naresh, Poonam and some unidentified persons.

Meanwhile, some relatives and friends of Jile Ram blocked the Gohana road and the NH 1, demanding suitable action against the accused.