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Meltdown effect reaches Himachal
High security around dams troubling villagers
89 pc households provided with credit facility
Prerna Fallout |
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Decision to field Madan divides state Cong
UPA failed on all fronts, says Dhumal
Rain brings down temperature
HPU told to hold MDS counselling on April 8
Students’ body threatens agitation
Ragging death: Team visits medical college
Cricketer to seek support from Virbhadra
Probe into non-availability of ration ordered
Court extends remand till April 8
Patwari caught taking bribe
Fraud alleged
Nigerian held
Review meeting held
Clarification
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Meltdown effect reaches Himachal Shimla, March 27 While the VAT collections registered a growth of 14 per cent, 3 per cent lower than projected, the CST plummeted by an alarming 26 per cent during the month. The total VAT collections by the end of February amounted to Rs 1734 crore as against the target of Rs 1780 crore. The trend clearly indicates that the VAT collections for the current financial year will fall well short of the target of Rs 1976 crore. The overall decline from the projected figure for the full year is likely to range between 3 and 4 per cent, which means a shortfall of Rs 65 crore to Rs 75 crore. The manufacturing sector is bearing the brunt of the economic slowdown. A quick survey, covering over 700 units, conducted by the excise department has revealed a decline in turnover ranging from 10 to 20 per cent. The textile sector has been the worst-hit, followed by the pharmaceutical industry, though no sector has been left unaffected. The tax remittances have also declined in the same proportion. As bulk of the products manufactured within the state are supplied to other states, the huge decline of 26 per cent in CST in a single month points towards the industry slipping into a real crisis. Apparently the stimuli provided in the shape of reduction in road tax from Rs 4.50 to Rs 3 per tonne has not helped the textile industry much, though the tax collections had come down by over Rs 1.5 crore as a result. Last year the tax increased by over 17 per cent but this year the growth is likely to be around 14 per cent. An earlier survey of dealers had revealed that the average turnover decreased by 8 to 9 per cent.
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High security around dams troubling villagers
Dharamsala, March 27 Large numbers of villages are located around the Gobind Sagar lake behind the Bhakra Dam that is spread across an area of about 88 sq km. Most of these villages fall in Una and Bilaspur districts. Passing over the dam is lifeline to many villages. The villagers have to cross the dam to reach nearby towns for going to work or fetching articles of daily need. However, after the recent heightened security, the security forces at the Bhakra Dam have banned crossing the dam for common local villagers. The villagers have to now take about 4-km long route to reach the main road. The villagers alleged that most of the buses come on the main route and they now have to travel on foot for kilometres to get the bus. Moreover, plying in the dam areas has been banned after 4 pm. This also applies to locals who now have to return to their homes thus restricting their movements. The villagers alleged that they have lost most of their lands to construction of dams. Even the compensatory lands given to them in Rajasthan have also been encroached upon. Now, they have been made hostage for their own houses by the local security officials. Citing an example a local told The Tribune that yesterday evening he was carrying a garlic bag brought from nearby town to sell at his shop. However, the cops stopped him and did not allow him to carry the bag. We are being treated as strangers in our own homes. Even employees of the Bhakra Dam are not being spared by the cops deputed. The senior police officials in Una district said the security had been heightened due to intelligence inputs regarding threats from Pakistan-based terrorist groups. They, however, blamed the Punjab Police for creating problems for common people residing in areas adjoining the Bhakra Dam. The police officials of Punjab are unnecessarily creating hype. The security could also be tightened around vital installations without putting common people into trouble, they said. The security is also marring the industry that has come up near the Bhakra Dam. The state government has developed Golthai industrial area near the dam. The industrial units that have come up in the area have provided direct and indirect job opportunities to locals. The security is now creating trouble for industries and labourers working there. The villagers are taking up the matter of unnecessary trouble they are being put into with the politicians contesting the elections. The matter is likely to generate heat in the coming election days. |
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89 pc households provided with credit facility
Shimla, March 27 Stating this while inaugurating the state-level bankers meeting here today Chief Secretary Asha Swaroop said the banks had already provided credit facility to 89 per cent of the households up to February. She expressed confidence that the target of 100 per cent credit inclusion would be achieved within the first quarter of the next financial year. She complimented the banks for maintaining the credit flow despite recessionary trends and called for supplementing the measures taken by the Centre and the state government to provide stimuli to various sectors. She said an annual credit plan of Rs 5,350 crore had been proposed by banks for the year 2009-10 which was 26 per cent higher than the current financial year. She advised bankers to focus on lending for expansion of small retail business and growth of new retailers. She expected tourist arrivals to cross 1 crore mark which would generate significant business and employment opportunities in the retail sector. Executive director of UCO Bank BM Mittal informed that banks had disbursed a total credit of Rs 3,352.31 crore up to December last and achieved 79.25 per cent of the target for the year. The disbursement in the agriculture sector was Rs 997 crore, small-scale sector Rs 322.46 crore and service sector Rs 1,165 crore. The total banking business in the state increased to Rs 39,506 crore, with deposits amounting to Rs 26,659 crore and advances at Rs 12,847 crore. The credit deposit ratio stood at 55.17 per cent. |
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Prerna Fallout
Shimla, March 27 Detailed reports of 10 of the 19 NGOs working in the sphere of disability have been sent to the department, which had fixed March 25 as the deadline for all deputy commissioners to furnish such information. In the case of remaining NGOs too, the respective DCs have inspected the institutes and their reports are expected by tomorrow. The department after going through the reports sent in by the DCs will forward its observation, pointing out the shortcomings, if any, to the Principal Secretary, Social Justice and Empowerment. “It is on the basis of this that we would be issuing show-cause notices to those NGOs who are found to be falling short in meeting the laid down norms under the law,” said Subhashish Panda, Director, Social Justice and Empowerment. He admitted that the department would not hesitate in cancelling the registration of such NGOs who were not meeting the laid down norms. “It is only in case of trivial issues that they could be given an opportunity to overcome these deficiencies otherwise we have decided to be very strict in ensuring that everything is in place,” he said, sounding a note of caution. With the Prerna incident where six deaf and dumb girl inmates were allegedly raped by their own teachers serving as a wake-up call, the government cancelled the registration of the Prerna institute under the PWD Act, given last year in November. In fact, the other NGO run by Prerna in Bilaspur distirct has also been issued a show-cause notice after several shortcomings were noticed. The department has sought details of all other NGOs working in the sphere of education, health, environment or other areas so that it has complete information about their functioning. |
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Decision to field Madan divides state Cong
Shimla, March 27 In a letter to the Pradesh Congress Committee chief Kaul Singh he has suggested to initiate disciplinary action against the partymen who were making all sorts of allegations against senior party leaders in the media and even casting aspersions on their loyalty to the party. Such blatant act of indiscipline on the eve of Lok Sabha polls could affect the party’s prospects. The party must put up a united fight to defeat the BJP in its stronghold. He said Madan Lal was a strong candidate and the massive response he was getting from people provided a clear indication that he could wrest the seat from the BJP. As far as he was concerned he had backed Sunil Sharma for the ticket but now that candidature of Madan Lal had been announced he would work for him. Sukhwinder alleged that Chief Minister P.K.Dhumal was indulging in “double speak” to mislead the electorate regarding the mega projects and development schemes sanctioned by the UPA regime to the hill state. He thanked the UPA government in the Vidhan Sabha for giving nod to Bhanupali-Bilaspur rail project, a central university , an IIT and other such projects but now when election were round the corner he was making discrimination by the UPA regime an election issue. |
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UPA failed on all fronts, says Dhumal
Kullu, March 27 He said the Congress had faced divorces of the CPM, BSP, SP, Rashtriya Janata Dal, and Lok Jan Shakti in the UPA. The people of the country would have to decide whether they needed “strong government” or “feeble government” he added. Dhumal, while referring to the CII disclosure, said more than 15 lakh people had gone unemployed in India in the present economic recession and the figures would touch 5 crore by the end of this year. He boasted that the state government had provided employment scopes for 26,000 unemployed and given employment to 12,000 persons in its short time while the previous Congress government had provided employment to only 3,386 persons in five years. He ridiculed announcements of the Congress leaders of “talking development” for the votes, but said the people of the state know corruption and scandals during the Virbhadra Singh regime. All these things have changed the thinking of Himachali people and that was why the Congress lost. Later, Dhumal addressed a workers’ meeting at Dhalpur Maidan calling upon them to prove their worth and bring historical win to the BJP candidate from the Mandi parliamentary constituency. |
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Rain brings down temperature
Shimla, March 27 While the minimum temperature recorded in Shimla today was 7.6°C, the maximum was recorded at 13.1°C. With the mercury soaring to almost 22.8°C in February, it is now that the locals as well as tourists are getting the feel of winter. Above all it is the fruit growers and farmers who are heaving a sigh of relief because of the frequent spells of rain. A light rainfall was experienced in the town today afternoon with the sky remaining overcast for most part of the day. Despite March coming to an end, people are seen wrapped in shawls, coats and jackets. In fact, tourists arriving here in summer clothing can be seen shopping for woollens the moment they arrive in the town. “The prevailing weather conditions will continue for the next three-four days as the Western Disturbance (WD) persists over North Pakistan and neighbourhood as an upper air system,” informed, Manmohan Singh, director of the local Meteorological Centre. He said the forecast for the next two days was light to moderate rainfall in the lower and mid hills while snow at many places in the higher reaches. He said normally the temperature should have been above 17°C at this time of the year but the WD was responsible for the rain resulting in dip in temperature. He added that the precipitation activity is likely to continue till March 31. |
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HPU told to hold MDS counselling on April 8
Shimla, March 27 Justice Deepak Gupta and Justice VK Ahuja observed that after considering relevant records produced by the parties and the opinion of the expert committee it is clear that both option “A” and “B” are correct, the key answer to question number 40 and 74 is hereby deleted, as all key answers are incorrect. The key answer of question number 84 is changed as per the opinion of the expert. This order came on petition filed by Priyanka and Nivedita Rewal that the three questions in the entrance examination of the MDS course had wrong key answers. In its earlier order the court directed to have an expert opinion and the experts opined that the key answers to one question was wrong and the other two were correct. These questions were question number 40, 74, 84. The examiner mentioned that in question number 74 there was printing mistake. The court had called the expert committee member in the court who submitted that the answer of question number 40 may be wrong. In these circumstances the case was referred to another committee. The court had directed the committee to give its report to the counsel of university on March 25 in sealed cover. The report was opened in the court and the expert opined that the question is not happily worded therefore both options A and B are correct. |
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Students’ body threatens agitation
Shimla, March 27 Addressing a press conference here today, SCA president Shikha Chauhan said rather than looking into the allegations levelled with regard to the Legal Studies Institute, the authorities merely performed a token inquiry. “Firstly all members of the committee which probed the allegations are from the same party and moreover they completed their inquiry in one day, which is simply impossible,” she said. She said the authorities were trying to crush the voice of the students as action was being taken against those involved in peaceful democratic protests. “The authorities are hell-bent upon rusticating two students Naresh Sarwal and Munish Sharma from the HPU as they have asked to file their reply within a week,” she said. She warned that the SCA would not take this kind of treatment from the authorities and would launch an agitation if an attempt was made to crush the voice of students. “She said the SCA will hold a massive rally on March 28 to press for the various student-related demands it has been raising for the past some time,” she said. |
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Ragging death: Team visits medical college
Kangra, March 27 The team, comprising principal of the IGMC, Shimla, Prof Surender Kashap, dean of colleges Prof OC Sood, and dean and chairman, Law, Prof Suresh Kapoor, told mediapersons that it was constituted by the Vice-Chancellor of HP University to find out facts regarding the ragging incident here. They said though the guidelines laid down by the university had been implemented by the college in letter and spirit, an anti-ragging squad was not formulated. |
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Cricketer to seek support from Virbhadra
Una, March 27 He was accompanied by about 200 Congress workers, including former ministers Thakur Ram Lal and Kuldeep Kumar, state media in charge and MLA Santoshgarh constituency Mukesh Agnihotri and MLA Chintapurni constituency Rakesh Kalia, besides office-bearers of the district Congress Committee, Una. While addressing mediapersons he said it is his first meet with the Press as a political leader. Answering a question he said he had been given the responsibility to contest from the Hamirpur parliamentary constituency. He said he would also seek active support of former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and Thakur Kaul Singh. He said he intends to meet all those Congress leaders and resolve differences regarding ticket allotment to him. He said as far as he is concerned he had received a very warm welcome in Hamirpur and Una district. |
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Probe into non-availability of ration ordered
Chamba, March 27 The district controller said a food inspector had been deputed to conduct the inquiry into the matter, adding that after the inquiry report was received, action would be taken against those found guilty. He, however, maintained that timely supply of foodstuffs was being made to all government depots operating in the district. |
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Court extends remand till April 8
Shimla, March 27 The police had arrested principal Vijay, Amarjit, Vinod and Dinesh, all teachers of the institute run by the Prerna Welfare Association, after six girls, including four minors, had accused the four of alleged rape. It is for the second time that the court has extended the remand of the accused. The police has interrogated them about the allegations levelled against them. In fact, one of them while admitting his proximity to one of the girls told the police that he had intended to marry the 21-year-old girl. |
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Patwari caught taking bribe
Shimla, March 27 Vigilance SP Daljeet Thakur said a complaint in this regard was received from one Ishwar Dass of Talu village, near
Nahan, in which he stated that he had purchased three bighas of land in 2007, but the mutation process was yet to be completed. The complainant said the
patwari, Mohan Dutt, had allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 500. The patwari has been arrested and booked under Section 7 and 13 (1) (d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. |
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Fraud alleged
Mandi, March 27 According to a complaint filed by her, she met Rajbibi on March 12, who promised her that she would marry her to Fakrudin, Bibi’s brother. But they treat her like a servant and beat her up till she escaped from their clutches. The police has registered a case against the accused. |
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Nigerian held
Mandi, March 27 According to the police, during patrolling it found that he was walking towards the Mandi side from Pandoh. The police suspected him and examined his documents. His passport was valid up to March 2010, but his visa issued by the High Commission of India on April 28, 2008, had expired on June 5, 2008.
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Review meeting held
Hamirpur, March 27 He directed all officers to act in impartial and sensitive manner in the coming elections. Khachi said as per the revision of electoral rolls till March 21, 10,29,714 voters had been registered in the constituency.
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Clarification
Dharamsala, March 27 |
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