Dehradun, August 31
Union Planning Commission on Monday approved Annual Plan outlay of Rs 5,574.70 crore for the financial year 2009-10. Thus, the increase in the Annual Plan is Rs 799.70 crore. Under it, 49.58 per cent is allocated for sectors related to infrastructure, 32.10 per cent for social infrastructure/social welfare, 11.82 per cent for agriculture and 6.48 per cent is allocated for the rural development. Out of total outlay, Rs 2,657.73 crore is resource-linked outlay, including an outlay of Rs 1,152.50 crore for EAPs.

Annual Plan outlay 2009-10 for the state was finalised after the meeting of Chief Minister Dr Ramesh Pokhariyal Nishank with Central Planning Commission vice chairman Dr Montek Singh Ahluwalia.

Dr Alhuwalia said the state had witnessed unprecedented growth in certain sectors, which was highly commendable. While assuring all assistance to the state, Dr Alhuwalia suggested introduction of Public Private Partnership mode at various sectors for speedy development of the region.

He also suggested rendering priority to permanent constructions as part of Mahakumbh preparations at Haridwar.

In his address, on the occasion of Annual Plan 2009-10 in Planning Commission at New Delhi, the Chief Minister has focused on the development of infrastructure of roads and bridges, potable water, education, irrigation and energy. Keeping in view of the difficult geographical terrain of the state, the Chief Minister underlined the need for separate policy for hill states, so that conservation of its forest potential, including animal, herbs and endangered trees could be ensured.

He, in particular, demanded special assistance for the hill state on part of the Union Planning Commission. He also said the state government was doing all what was necessary to conserve the forest wealth. The Chief Minister demanded special amount from the Centre in lieu of its forests that help in the betterment of the environment in the country.

Referring to women’s empowerment, the Chief Minister said the state government was undertaking all efforts to ensure participation of women in the development activities. He said the state was providing 50 per cent reservation for women in panchyats.

He also expressed gratitude to the Centre towards providing 400 crore of central assistance towards successful conduct of Mahakumbh arrangements. He also appealed for speedy start of construction works for AIIMS at Rishikesh and another Rs 100 crore for Ayurvedic University. Dr Nishank yet again demanded increasing the limit of industrial package for the state till 2020.

He highlighted the need of skill development through upgrading ITIs and polytechniques, bridge course in collaboration with industrial associations and the private sector.

As the state is disaster-prone state, where cloudburst and landslides were rampant, he also called for schemes to deal with soil erosion, degrading hills slopes, landslides, melting glaciers, erratic weather patterns for environmental protections. The state is endowed with 65 per cent forest cover and is contributing for conservation of environment in the country, he opined and asked for its compensation. An amount of Rs 700 crore under the Compensatory Afforestation Management Planning should be given to the state.

Dr Nishank said Atal Adarsh Gram Yojna, State River Conservation Authority, Devbhoomi Muskan Yojna, Ayush Gram Yojna, Pt Deen Dayal Upadhyaya 108 Medical Services and project for improvement of power transmission in 31 cities were being undertaken for the welfare of people. He expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister and Planning Commission for sanctioning additional central assistance of Rs 400 crore for Kumbh 2010. The Chief Minister also urged special grant of Rs 100 crore for harnessing herbs of Uttarakhand and making it Ayush state and establishment of Ayurved University, Rs 1,000 crore special grant for infrastructure development and meet out financial burden owing to the implementing recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission. He reiterated in the meeting that limit of special industrial package should be extended to 2020. Besides, he urged the Union government that pension amount to the tune of Rs 4,340 crore, pending with Uttar Pradesh should be given to Uttarakhand.

Dr Nishank said despite all constraints, the state had been successful in meeting the target of 6.8 per cent growth in GSDP that was set up by the Planning for the 10th Five Year Plan. He expressed confidence that the state would continue with greater pace and zeal to achieve the target of 9.9 per cent growth in GSDP during the 11th Five Year Plan.

Recognising contribution of women folk in economic development of the state, the Chief Minister said gender budgeting had been incorporated and Gaura Devi Kanya Dhan Yojna had been introduced to ensure women empowerment.

Owing to the special industrial package, the Chief Minister said new industrial estates in Haridwar, Pantnagar and Sitarganj had been developed and private sector was also being promoted to establish industrial estates. He informed that the state government was looking forward to other means of transport and had an integrated programme for establishing a web of roads, airstrips, helipads and ropeways.

Dr Nishank said that 3,140 MW out of more than 25,000 MW hydropower potential had been harnessed in the state so far. He added that current energy demand was approximately 7,600 MU which at 14 per cent per annum growth would be 10,000 MU by 2011.

Haridwar, August 31
Although the Centre have approved Rs 400 cr for Kumbh Mela today, Leader of the Opposition in Uttarakhand legislative assembly Harak Singh Rawat has sought reasons behind the delay when as little as four months were left for the Maha Kumbh Mela.

Seeking a reply from Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank in this regard, Harak Singh alleged that the BJP-led state government had wasted two-and-a-half years in analysing that they need Central assistance.

“Was the government oblivious to the magnitude of the Maha Kumbh-related works for past two years?” questioned Rawat.

“The deadline for the Maha Kumbh-related works is October 31 and it is unlikely that bridges, highways, overbridges or other permanent nature works can be carried out in such a short period of time. Now, misuse of funds is on the cards,” he alleged.

Harak Singh, who is a legislator from Khirshu, said he would be meeting the finance minister and Planning Commission officers soon and request them to set up a monitoring committee to oversee the spending of Kumbh-related funds as well as the quality of work done.

“When works have not sustained even two months, how can they for the next eight, and when crores will visit the city?” said Rawat.

On the statewide agitation to be launched by the Congress from tomorrow onwards, Harak Singh said despite BJP changing the face of its Chief Minister lawlessness, corruption and police atrocities are on the rise.

Haridwar, August 31
To ensure a peaceful Maha Kumbh Mela, which begins in January 2010, officials from Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi held a high-level meeting here today, which was chaired by Director General of Police, Uttarakhand, Subash Joshi.

Various issues, including security, traffic, intelligence, communication, logisitics, mutual collaboration etc, were discussed during the meeting.

However, the major issue was that of security in wake of several terrorist attacks across the country in the recent past.

With Uttarakhand police having a shortage of manpower, personnel were sought from the neighbouring states, especially Uttar Pradesh. The DGP has also demanded 100 companies of paramilitary forces from the Central government.

Help is also being sought from Delhi police, especially the steps taken to ensure peaceful conduct of the Commonwealth Games scheduled to be held in the national capital from March next year.

“The expertise of Delhi police will be helpful in ensuring proper security arrangements for the Maha Kumbh Mela,” said Joshi.

All the states also agreed to have a common communication network so that no untoward incident occurs during the event.

Besides, the traffic situation was discussed at length, as this time the rush of vehicles is expected to be huge. Help of neighbouring states was also sought in this regard. In addition, provision of other basic amenities to people was also discussed.

The meeting was attended by Special Commissioner of Police (Intelligence), Delhi, BS Barar, DIG, Himachal Pradesh, Venu Gopal, DIG, Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, PK Srivastava, SSP Yamuna Nagar, Haryana, Vikas Arora, Special Task Force (STF) ASP Jagdish Sharma, Commandant Rapid Action Force Jitendra Srivastava, Divisional Regional Chairman, Moradabad, Ramesh Chandra and Deputy Director, Intelligence Bureau, Jag Mohan.

Dehradun, August 31
The Nainital police has arrested three persons - Kishore Singh, Deepak Arya and Jeevan Singh - who were allegedly involved in arson and violence at the at Kaladhungi police station. A team under ASP Ashok Bhatt is carrying out investigations in this regard.

They were presented in the court of CJM at Nainital today along with the fourth alleged accused Mukesh Pant, who was arrested yesterday.

Ashok Kumar, IG Police, Kumaon, informed that nine persons have been arrested till now and more arrests are likely. Meanwhile, Nainital MP KC Singh Baba and Almora Pitthoragarh MP Pradeep Tamta have demanded a CBI probe into the case.

Dehradun, August 31
The health department is contemplating an increase in user charges in all the government hospitals of the state in the coming few days.

The hospitals had last seen a major hike in user charges in the year 2000.

The proposed hike in the user charges is expected to increase the earnings of the government hospitals that are trying to grapple with the large influx of patients and the demand to provide better facilities to them

The DG Health Dr PL Joshi said that the recommendations for a proposed hike would be sent to the government for further action.

She said that the patients falling in the Above Poverty Line category (APL) will have to pay little more while the patients falling in Below the Poverty line Category (BPL) would continue to get free facilities. The hike is proposed in different stages of the treatment and care of the patients.

Sources said that the DG is in favour of increasing the user charges by 15-20 per cent and the assessment would be made keeping in view the prevailing market conditions.

“The user charges in all the government hospitals were revised way back in the year 2000.

“The operation charges are pegged at Rs 200, while in the private hospitals the cost is Rs 1,000 and above,” said Dr RK Pant, CMS Doon Hospital.

The government hospitals charge Rs 2 for physiological examination, which is now expected to be raised to Rs 3. The hospital authorities are also expected to end the free food service that was given to APL category patients as well.

Dehradun, August 31
Due to the acute shortage of medical staff, the working doctors and staff nurses in the government hospitals are overburdened with work said the DG Health Dr PL Joshi.

While reviewing the facilities a the Ram Nagar Government Hospital, she said that effort is on to employ more doctors and nurses even on contractual basis to tide over the crisis.

To lessen the burden on the medical staff deployed at the Ramnagar Government Hospital, she called upon the CMO to attach some more staff nurses.

The DG also visited the different wards and medicine store of the hospital.

She instructed the hospital officials to maintain cleanliness and carry repair work in the premises.

On previous occasion the DG had undertaken surprise inspection at the hospital.

Dehradun, August 31
Residents of the area around Chakrata, which a part of Dehradun district and also known as the Jaunsar Babar region, are facing huge difficulties due to utter lack of basic amenities in the region.

Interestingly, byelection in the adjoining Vikasnagar assembly segment is scheduled for September 10 and political leaders promising everything to the voters.

The formation of Uttarakhand as a separate state has brought about changes, but certainly not as desired. A drive up the mountains from Kalsi reveals what is wrong in the area.

The road is a treacherous stretch marked by run-down bridges and absence of parapets, which is a grim reminder of the total lack of basic amenities in the area.

To begin with, the villagers complain that from the small hamlet of Sahiya, located midway between Kalsi and Chakrata, there is no public transport service to the villages on the Kuwanu-Minas-Tiyuni road. Small four-wheelers serve as the lifeline, with people perched precariously on their rooftops.

“There is no drinking water in my village and very often we are compelled to hire tankers to fetch water from river Yamuna located 25 kilometres away,” said Mohan Singh of Deo Danda. The story is no better in the adjoining villages.

The healthcare scenario is no better. Besides small centres at Sahiya and Chakrata, villagers prefer taking patients downhill to Vikasnagar located at a distance of 55 kilometres.

“It is not that health centres do not exist in the area, but these are minus doctors and infrastructure,” said another villager.

One can gauge the problems of the people here by the fact that beyond Vikasnagar, there is no petrol pump for at least 100 kilometers.

“There is no electricity in my village and cooking gas is unheard of. To reach my house, one has to walk three kilometres from the main road. You can imagine our plight if any family member falls ill. The distance to Vikasnagar is as much as 80 kilometers from my house,” said a government employee from Kunain village.

And as far as the aspirations of villagers here are concerned, it is just basics amenities. Bigger issues national importance are a far cry!

Pitthoragarh, August 31
Late and untimely rains in the country may not solve the looming drought like situation, but the state wants to make most of it.

“Though delayed, we want to use these rains to increase our groundwater level for the next year to avert the drinking water crisis caused by drying of traditional sources,’’ said Prakash Pant, Minister for Drinking Water. “We have already started this scheme in the rural areas,” said the minister.

The state has 39,967 habitations in 16,623 villages and out of these, 20,355 habitations are fully covered with drinking water while 35 per cent partially covered and 12 per cent not covered at all.

“We are taking up not covered and partially covered habitation under the Rajiv Gandhi Payjal Mission, which has been assigned this work under an MoU signed by the Government of India and the World Bank on August 7, 2006,” said the minister.

Pant accepted that the traditional water sources in the rural areas are drying out fast for the past three years. “Due to this we cannot meet the 135 litre per capita in the urban areas and 75 litre per capita in the rural areas, the drinking water consumption standards set by the Government of India,” the minister added.

“The state government wants to increase the groundwater level in the state by penetrating roof water during rains in to the ground. This scheme besides the river bank filtration scheme, in which only surface water will be left for lifting and the river deep water could penetrate into ground,” said the minister.

The state government will provide an amount of Rs 23,000 to Rs 35,000 to each such scheme in which ground pit near the house will absorb the rain water collected at the roof of the house. “We have started this scheme in 251 area where the drinking water crisis has mainly caused by drying up of traditional water sources,” said the minister.

Dehradun, August 31
Thanking Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi for clearing the IIM for Uttarakhand, state Congress Committee president Yashpal Arya said it should be established in Kumaon.

In a press note, the state Congress chief said Garhwal region had singularly been the beneficiary of the central government largesse in the past.

“HNB Garhwal University in Srinagar has been granted central university status while Pauri has been selected for setting up National Indian Institute of Technology (NIIT), but no such announcement has been made for the Kumaon region,” he noted.

Dehradun, August 31
Whether its Ekta Kapoor, the queen of television soaps, flaunting her gems all over or actress Shilpa Shetty wearing a big emerald ring in her small finger, gems have become an integral part of everyone’s life.

With the increased levels of stress, competition and health issues belief in cosmic science and gemology has increased manifold.

Here in the city also anybody from a college going to a middle aged professional everybody wants to excel in life and for that they take help of their birthstones and gems.

From small jewellery stores located in every nook and corner to high-end jewellery stores in posh areas of the city, each and everyone has array of gems in varied variety.

Yellow sapphire, blue sapphire, emerald, ruby, cat’s eye, pearl, coral along with diamonds are some of the common stones worn to pacify the negative energies, in return inducing positive ones and assuring people a quick relief from their miseries. “I wear pearl as it help in controlling temper,” said Ashish, student.

With number of books available on cosmic science and institutes providing professional degrees in palmistry, reiki, numerology, gemology and tarot card reading, the demand for stones has steadily increased from past couple of years.

“The history of gemology dates back to the times of kings and queens and since then people started associating with the gems.

“Not only in India but in abroad also people are fond of wearing gems, and with so much awareness and competition now a days people are becoming more inclined towards such beliefs,” said Amit, jeweller.

Every stone represents a particular planet and is worn on a particular day under the guidance of a priest. Where a yellow sapphire is worn for prosperity and knowledge, pearl is worn to minimise anger and bring in peace. In the same way rest of the stones also have a different effect on the mind and body of the person.

“Type of gem and its weight differs from person to person and people buy these as per their need. Price also differs according to the size and clarity of the gem. It starts from Rs 200 and goes beyond lakhs,” said Vipin Jain, a jeweller.

On one hand where gems play a crucial role in providing mental, physical and physiological peace, but if worn in wrong finger or without prior consultation, these can even have a negative effect.

“One should purchase gems only after a consultation of an astrologer. And it should be buyed from a reliable and a authorised jeweller” said Amit.

Dehradun, August 31
Several hotel projects proposed to come up in the state have either been delayed or put on the back burner due to the economic slowdown.

In a clear indication, Emaar MGF consortium and Inter Continental Hotel, which had jointly won the bid for constructing a five star hotel in Dehradun entailing a cost of Rs 75 crore, have not even started the construction, an official of the state industrial development department said.

Another five star hotel, being set up with an investment of Rs 100 crore and was slated to come up in Rudrapur has been delayed, he added.

Although, the company had initially claimed that it would complete the project quickly.

Similarly, the project of ace shooter Abhinav Bindra in Dehradun is also not taking off due to administrative delays and recession.

The government has also given permission to Bharat Hotels for constructing a five star hotel near Rishikesh. But no activity has started yet, the official said. — PTI

Dehradun, August 31
Maharana Pratap Sports College (MPSC) team lifted the Hockey Championship Trophy organised by District Sports Office here today.

At the final they defeated FRI team by 5-0, Aman was the star performer for the team with fours.

MPSC team was outstanding in its performance on the final day. The team completely dominated the proceedings to give their opponent little chance to get a foothold in the match. In the first half MPSC team took a crucial lead of 2-0.

FRI team conceded its first setback in the 7th minute of the match.

It was MPSC team forward Aman, who gave his team the initial lead.

Thereafter, in the 22nd minute the team struck again through Prabhakar taking a 2-0 lead that it maintained throughout the first half.

In the second half MPSC team was more aggressive. Aman completed his hat-trick in the second half.

Aman scored his second goal in the 36th minute. Barely two minutes later Aman made a solo run to score his hat-trick leaving MPSC team completely demoralised. But MPSC team scoring did spot here.

Aman’s stick work proved good for FRI defenders and he scored his fourth goal in the 39th minute of the match. In the end it was an easy victory for MPSC team who won the match by 5-0.

Dehradun, August 31
Akranta and Shivalik teams played goalless draw at the District Football League here today.

Akranta, which is rated among one of the best teams, failed to click today against the considerably younger side.

The teams made repeated attempts to score a goal in the first half, but poor finishing denied them the chance to score.

Akranta team came close to scoring a goal in the 10th minute. In the 15th minute, it was on the attack again. Shivalik team remained on the defence in the first half.

In the second half, Akranta team dominated the game right form the beginning but failed to score.

In the second match between Sports College and Nagar Nigam teams, none of the team managed to scored a goal.

The Sports College team showed great skill but could not give a good finish to their moves. On the other hand Nagar Nigam team forward failed to score and the match ended in a goalless draw.

Dehradun, August 31
Skating Talent Hunt Samiti to organise first open talent hunt 2009 in Dehradun from mid September to select talented players and prepare them for various skating events organised through out the country.

Addressing a press conference, samiti president Shiv Pianuily said: “The sport has immense talent, one just need to bring it on the surface.

“For this purpose four association of Dehradun have come together.

Students form four year to 18 years could participate in the talent hunt.

“The selected 15 players will undergo 30-day rigours training.

The selected players will be imparted training in speed skating, artistic skating and figure skating”.

He said forms for the hunt programme would be made available at Crony Skating World and in schools also.

Present on the occasion were director of Doon Sporting Vijay Negi, director of Doon Sporting Academy Ajeet Nutiyal, general secretary of samiti Pankaj Bharatwaj and others.