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Poll Games
Contract of 123 JEs extended
Doctors’ perks up by 30 pc
Dehradun, February 23
Continuing with its appeasement policy, the Uttarakhand government yesterday handed out major sops for medical professionals and engineers of the state. The state cabinet gave nod to the extension of the contract term of JE’s in the PWD.

Congress forms IT cell
Dehradun, February 23
To make the party rank and file tech savvy and to reach out to the masses in a better way, the Uttarakhand Congress today constituted the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Cell.

Lecturers seek regular jobs
Dehradun, February 23
Seeking regular scales, the visiting faculty and contractual lecturers at various colleges of Uttarakhand today observed a fast at Gandhi Park here.

Visiting and contractual lecturers observe fast at the Gandhi Park in Dehradun on Monday. Visiting and contractual lecturers observe fast at the Gandhi Park in Dehradun on Monday. A Tribune photograph

EARLIER STORIES

	CM gets generous with sops February 23, 2009
	Strike off, buses back on road February 22, 2009
	Govt staff go on indefinite strike February 21, 2009
	20,000 govt employees boycott work February 20, 2009
	Immolation bid by teachers’ union head February 19, 2009
	Errant petrol stations to face legal action February 18, 2009
	Passport office vandalised, Cong leader booked February 17, 2009
	MLA’s wife may upset BJP calculations February 16, 2009
	NGO plants 300 saplings on V-Day February 15, 2009
	Rly budget leaves state high and dry February 14, 2009

	Poll Games Contract of 123 JEs extended Doctors’ perks up by 30 pc Tribune News Service Dehradun, February 23 Continuing with its appeasement policy, the Uttarakhand government yesterday handed out major sops for medical professionals and engineers of the state. The state cabinet gave nod to the extension of the contract term of JE’s in the PWD. The contract of the 123 JE’s was to end in March 2009 but now the cabinet has resolved to extend it by a year. Likewise, doctors have been gifted with more than 30 per cent hike in their emoluments. In another important decision, State Power Development Fund, which was earlier used to fund only power production and distribution activities will now be utilised for all power related works in the state. The government was forced to take this decision after a critical remark by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India. However, no decision pertaining to the demand of giving revised pay scales in accordance with the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission to the employees of around one dozen Corporation’s of the state was taken in the meeting. Meanwhile, Uttarakhand BJP today announced that party would launch a door-to-door campaign from February 25 to March 5 to make the people aware of the achievements of the Khanduri led state government. The BJP state chief Bachi Singh Rawat said under the campaign ‘Ghar-Ghar Jao’, which would be launched in all the 18 organisational districts of the party, the BJP workers would be spread awareness about the people friendly policies and achievements of two-year-old BJP government. Referring to the Vijay Sankalp rally, scheduled to be held on March 8, Rawat said the party office bearers and workers are working day and night to make the rally a huge success.
	Congress forms IT cell Tribune News Service Dehradun, February 23 To make the party rank and file tech savvy and to reach out to the masses in a better way, the Uttarakhand Congress today constituted the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Cell. Making an announcement in this regard here today, the media incharge of the Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) Suryakant Dhasmana said that besides interlinking the entire state unit of the Congress through the Internet, the cell would create a web portal of the state Congress. It would work towards propagating the policies and the campaign of the party in the entire state. Dhasmana also announced that UPCC president Yashpal Arya has appointed Anil Jaggi as the president of the newly constituted ICT Cell of the Congress. Jaggi is an IT expert and is credited with introducing Internet in Dehradun in 1994. Besides being actively associated with the IT sector for the past two decades, Jaggi holds the post of ICT consultant in the HRD ministry. “Our foremost objective will be to sensitise Congress MLAs, MPs, councillors, office-bearers and workers regarding the use of the latest technology related to computers and communication. “The party will be interlinked in entire state through Internet,” said Jaggi adding that a blueprint regarding the functioning of the cell would be released soon. Saying that Uttarakhand Congress would be utilising the services of the cell in the coming Lok Sabha poll campaign in a big way, Dhasmana said that the ICT Cell would be collecting details of the party policies, achievements, programmes, campaigns and they would be made available to the people on a web portal. “Within a month, a full fledged website of the Uttarakhand Congress would be functional. The party will also put the election manifesto on the website,” said Dhasmana.
	Lecturers seek regular jobs Tribune News Service Dehradun, February 23 Seeking regular scales, the visiting faculty and contractual lecturers at various colleges of Uttarakhand today observed a fast at Gandhi Park here. The protesters said that as many as 200 lecturers in 75 degree colleges were imparting education in the capacity of contractual lecturers and visiting faculty. One of the protesters Dr HC Joshi said that they have been holding protests regularly but the concerns have fallen on deaf ears. He said the state government was insensitive towards higher education. Another protester Dr Manoj Pant pointed out that the protesting contractual lecturers fulfilled the criterion laid down by the University Grants Commission and were thus fit for getting regular scales. The lecturers took out a candlelight march in the evening and pledged to continue their protest till their demand was met. Urja Samiti threatens statewide stir The Urja Adhikari Karamchari Sunyukt Samiti today threatened to observe a statewide strike if the government fails to take a positive decision this week on revising pay scales as per recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission, as well as meet their other demands. The samiti members, comprising employees and officers of all the three power corporations of the state, today expressed resentment that no action has been initiated on their demands as assured by the state power secretary during talks with their representatives in November last year. The general secretary of the samiti DP Kukashaal alleged that the authorities were discriminating against them, as they had recently accepted similar demands of government doctors and teachers. He also cited the example of neighbouring Uttar Pradesh where the government has implemented the Pay Commission recommendations in spite of losses being faced by its power corporations. Nikay karmcharis on strike from today Uttarakhand Nikay Karmchari Mahasangh has finally decided to go on an indefinite stir from Tuesday. They have been protesting to get the benefits of Sixth Pay Commission benefits. Municipal Corporation, Mussoorie Dehra Development Authority, Panchayat offices and the Peyjal Nigam are a part of Karmchari Mahasangh and they would be taking part in the strike. “With state government still to response to our demands regarding the sixth pay panel benefits for local body employees, we have decided to go on indefinite stir,” said Bhupendra Singh Rawat state president of Uttarakhand Nikay Karmachari Mahasangh. He said the Mahasangh members had boycotted the work on Feb 16 followed by a dharna at Gandhi Park on the subsequent day. Rawat said while potable water supply would be disrupted due the strike, the corporation vehicle drivers would also be taking part in the stir thus disrupting the sanitation drive.
	Shiva’s devotees throng temples Tribune News Service Haridwar, February 23 Maha Shivratri was celebrated with fervour in the holy city. Thousands thronged temples to worship the Lord Shiva and Parvati. At the Bilkeshwar Mahadev temple, Pashupati Nath Mahadev, Pataleshwar Mahadev, Neeleshwar Mahadev and Kankhal-situated Dakshweshwar Mahadev, Gauri Shankar Mahadev, Barfani Mahadev, Gufani Mahadev, Nageshwar Mahadev and Daridrajan Mahadev, heavy rush and serpentine queues were witnessed. A ‘shobha yatra’, which began from Subash Ghat, was taken on major roads of the city. With Shivratri, ‘kanwariyas’ have left the city after taking the holy water of the Ganga. Dehradun: Maha Shivratri was celebrated with fervour, here today. Shiva temples in the city wore a festive look. The famous ‘Tapkeshwar temple’ of Lord Shiva had the maximum devotees.
	Hide seized Tribune News Service Dehradun, February 23 In a joint operation initiated by Special Task Force (STF) and Wild Life Protection Society of India, a leopard hide was seized in the Barowala area of east Dehradun, last night. As per the plan the task force members acted as customer and tried to struck a deal with two of the poachers hailing from HP. One of them has been identified as Jagat Singh. But before the task members could arrest the two, the poachers got the inkling and managed to flee. However, they left behind the leopard hide.
	Cricket Ever Win defeat Young Boys by 7 wickets Our Correspondent Dehradun, February 23 Ever Win register a seven wickets victory over Young Boys at the ongoing 57th District Cricket League at Survey Stadium, here today. Young Boys’ batsman failed to deliver much as the team was all out for 86 runs in allotted 35 overs. Despite having a fine start, Young Boys could not capitalise on it and kept losing wickets at regular intervals. For Young Boys, Akhilesh was the top scorer with 23 runs. From Ever Win, Prakash and Ankur bagged three wickets in their four overs spell. Ever Win reached the target in just 13 overs with seven wickets in hand. Despite losing two quick wickets in the first two overs, Ever Win team made a strong comeback with the help of Prakash who smashed 66 runs in 39 balls, hitting 12 fours in his inning. Rohit supported him well and made 34 runs contribution. In another match, Bindaas XI got a walkover over Garhwal Rifles after later failed to turn up at the venue for the match.