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Closure of mines dominates question hour
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Mine Blowing- III
CAG report blames thermal plant delay on govt
Finally, dera followers relent
Dabwali fire-hit hold protest
Help uplift economy, Guv to farm scientists
Cong men on varsity boards
Major Dimple Singla moves AFT
Convict escapes from hospital
HC wants dist admn to rein in khaps
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Revenue deficit soars
New Initiatives Opposition not pleased The Budget documents bankruptcy of the state. It does not add pace to development. Capt Yadav has merely gone through a formality in presenting it — OP
Chautala, INLD It’s disappointing. The surcharge on VAT will push the prices further. By bringing in the private sector in infrastructure, the government plans to make the people to pay even for basic amenities — KP
Gurjar, BJP
Chandigarh, March 10 The revenue deficit has gone up from Rs 3662.25 This hike is mainly on account of the impact of the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations. The annual pay increase impact for the next fiscal is Rs 2600 crore, while the arrears of pay and pension would amount to Rs 1,570 crore. The hike in pensions as a pre-election sop last year has meant an additional burden of Rs 1,300 crore on the exchequer. Besides, the state lost
Rs 300 crore in stamp duty and Rs 300 crore with the ban on mining. With the real estate sector looking up, the state hopes to recover some of the losses. The sole solace for the government has been an increase in excise and VAT collections, which are up by 21 per cent (from Rs 8682.41 crore last year to Rs 10,588.61 crore this year). “By increasing the VAT rate (from 4 per cent to 5 per cent), we will get an additional Rs 250 crore. “With the Government of India raising revenue sharing with states from 30 per cent to 32 per cent, we will get Rs 19,000 crore in five years as compared to Rs 8,000 crore received last time. “The state will also mop up an additional Rs 300 crore by imposing the surcharge on VAT,” said the Finance Minister. “The state will also earn an additional Rs 200 crore from hike in renewal licence fee for liquor vends. These measures will ensure the deficit will not increase further,” he said with an air of confidence. While the state is expected to earn Rs 30,085.98 crore in revenue in the next fiscal, the deficit is projected to be Rs 845.82 crore. Answering a question at the press conference after the budget, the minister said the surcharge on VAT for local bodies would be a substitute for octroi, which was abolished some time back. |
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Closure of mines dominates question hour
Chandigarh, March 10 It was full house with the suspension of members of the Opposition benches revoked. The proceedings began with a question by Sampat Singh on the number of quarries in the state and the revenue collected from them. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Randeep Singh Surjewala said against 294 quarries in 2005-06, their number had fallen to 196 in 2009-10 while the total revenue from minerals and stone quarries had increased in the same period. Stating that mining had been stopped since February 28, 2010, owing to a case pending in the Supreme Court, he said a restoration and rehabilitation plan would be ready by March 31. With mining closed, it was natural that prices would go up, he added. On the fate of labour which had been rendered jobless, Surjewala said information on the matter was not readily available. To a question on a proposal to allocate funds for the upkeep of war memorials, Sujewala said the government had sufficient funds available for the same. To this Col Raghbir Singh said the war memorial in Bhiwani was poorly kept, prompting the minister to add that representatives across the state should feel free to send designs, choice of material to be used and expansion plans for a war memorial anywhere in the state. “We recognise the sacrifice of our soldiers and, on behalf of the CM, assure the House that there will be no dearth of funds,” he said.BJP legislator Anil Vij said the CM had announced a memorial in Ambala cantonment which was yet to see the light of day. At this, CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda said the government was alive to the sacrifices of the unsung heroes of the revolt and would honour its promise. On illegally occupied Wakf Board properties, Surjewala said the government had ordered a fresh survey to identify all such property in the state and would take action against any official found wanting in performing his duty. Members pointed out that there was inadequate space for the graveyards. To a question on crime against women cases and female foeticide, the government provided data showing that the former was up from 3,391 in 2001 to 5,415 in 2009, and the latter from 26 to 44 in the same period.Later, the government brought a resolution converting the non-official day into official, inviting vociferous protest from the Opposition. Surjewala claimed that the INLD during its term had never had a non-official day. “Though our government has set aside a day for the purpose, it is being modified because we have received no resolutions,” he said, prompting the INLD and later the BJP to stage a walkout, even as the treasury benches thumped their tables as Capt Ajay Yadav began his Budget speech. |
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Mine Blowing- III
Chandigarh, March 10 It had asked the Haryana mines department to get environment impact assessment report (EIAR) prepared from the expert appraisal committee (EAC) of the MOEF by then. Many had felt at that time that the department had failed to inform the court of the correct status of the appraisal committee, a regulatory authority, which could not prepare an assessment report. The state should have emphatically explained to the court that it was the project proponent (mining contractor)who could effectively get the report prepared under the 2006 notification. The contractor would get a mining plan prepared, and on the basis of the likely affect on ecology by the mining operation to be undertaken, the environment impact assessment report was to be prepared for approval by the appraisal committee. Subsequent events proved these apprehensions to be true. As per the court directions, the mines department approached the appraisal committee with the terms of reference running into about 1,200 pages in the first week of September last and apprised it of the court orders. The committee took the stand that since it was a regulatory authority, it could not be asked to prepare the impact assessment report. The appraisal committee wanted the department to file a review petition before the High Court. It was mollified only when told by the department that it was not competent to file a review before the court as far as directions to the committee were concerned. Ultimately, the committee returned the department’s proposal with the advice that instead of being based on the entire district, the proposal should be on a village-wise basis. It also said since it was the competent authority under the 2006 notification for approval of the appraisal report, preparation of the same by it would lead to a conflict of interests.ow the state and the Ministry of Environment and Forests both have moved the High Court for clarification/ modification of its earlier order. While Haryana wants that it be allowed to get the appraisal report prepared at its level, the ministry wants the appraisal panel to be relieved of the onus of preparing the assessment report. The state also wants that since it would take some time to prepare the assessment report, the mining may be allowed without the same up to March 31, 2011.Meanwhile, one Deepak Kumar has challenged the competence of the High Court to allow mining without environment clearance up to February 28, 2010, before the Supreme Court. He has also moved the High Court, praying not to extend the time for mining without environment clearance. In view of these legal wrangles, there seems to be no early respite for the end user, who has to pay dearly, and for the labourers, which have lost
livelihood. — To be concluded |
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CAG report blames thermal plant delay on govt
Yamunanagar, March 10 Unit-1 and unit-2 of the Yamunanagar thermal plant were scheduled to be commissioned in March 2007 and June 2007, respectively. However, the commercial operations started on April 14, 2008, and June 24, 2008. Ironically, recently the Union Ministry of Power had awarded a “golden shield” to the thermal plant for its early completion. While pointing out the huge loss caused due to the delay in the commissioning of the project, the CAG report, released this week, highlighted that there was a delay of 382 days and 361 days, respectively, in the commercial operations of the units. The delay has resulted in a generation loss of 22,003 lakh units and 20,793 lakh units from unit-1 and unit-2, respectively. The power utility had to purchase 11,358 lakh units on a short-term basis at an average rate of Rs 6.22 per unit
amounting to Rs 622 core. The overdrawl from the northern grid amounted to an astounding Rs 498 crore at an average rate of Rs 3.73
per unit. |
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Finally, dera followers relent
Sirsa, March 10 Savitri’s husband and the dera followers had alleged that she took the extreme step as she was distressed over the arrest of her “innocent” teacher son Jagdish following incidents of arson on February 27. They had alleged that the villagers had met the SP vouching for the innocence of Jagdish, the sole breadwinner for the family, but the police refused to relent. The charge was, however, denied by SP Satinder Kumar Gupta. The dera followers, who had assembled in the village, soon after Savitri committed suicide, refused to let the body be taken to the general hospital for postmortem till Jagdish was released. The police somehow managed to bring the body to the local general hospital at 3 am today, but the victim’s kin and followers of the dera refused to allow the postmortem of the body till her son was released from jail, where he is locked in judicial custody. A series of meetings of police officers with the dera followers failed to show any result. The matter was finally resolved in the evening today at a meeting of the 25-member committee of the dera with Deputy Commissioner Yudhbir Singh Khyalia and the SP. Both officers assured the dera followers that a fair investigation into the case would be done and Jagdish would be released, if found innocent. Meanwhile, a local court granted interim bail to Jagdish till March 14 and he was released from the jail to perform last rites of his mother. The body was eventually taken to the victim’s village for cremation after a postmortem in the evening. |
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English paper leaked; cancelled
Bhiwani, March 10 Brar said the office had received complaints regarding leakage of English paper today and inquiry teams were sent to various places to confirm the complaints. The board has lodged a complaint with the police and ordered a high-level enquiry under the headship of the deputy secretary. The board will take stern action against the guilty, said Brar, adding the examination of English (Core) paper had been re-scheduled on March 30. Students protest
KARNAL: Hundreds of students appearing in Class XII examination of the Haryana School Education Board staged angry demonstration at railway road here to protest against the cancellation of English paper. Following the reports of leak, the paper was cancelled in all 53 centres of the district, affecting around 14,000 students. The students had appeared in the Maths paper in the morning session and were bracing up for the second paper but at 2.30 pm. The superintendent of the board in Karnal, Satpal Chauhan, said a direction about cancellation of the paper from the head office was received at 1.00 pm and the same was passed to all the
centres. |
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Dabwali fire-hit hold protest
Sirsa, March 10 The fire tragedy during the annual function of DAV School in Rajiv Marriage Palace on December 23, 1995, had left of 442 dead and resulted in burn injuries to over 150 others. DAV School, along with Rajiv Marriage Palace, has been jointly and severally held liable to pay 55 per cent of the compensation awarded to the victims by the High Court. The rest 45 per cent is payable by the Haryana government, the DHBVN and the Dabwali Municipal Committee. The government has already sanctioned Rs 21.26 crore towards its own share and that of the DHBVN and the municipal committee, Dabwali, but DAV School has exercised its right to prefer an appeal before the Supreme Court. “The DAV School authorities have been doing injustice to the fire victims for the past 14 years. The school collected huge donations in the name of the tragedy from India and abroad, but has failed to give any account of the funds,” alleged Vinod Bansal, convener of the Dabwali Fire Victims Association. |
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Help uplift economy, Guv to farm scientists
Hisar, March 10 Addressing the faculty after launching a Rs 2.48 crore Commercial and Development Project, the Governor said the rural economy was entirely based on agriculture and it could be improved only by making agriculture more remunerative. He said increased competition after the advent of the World Trade Organisation regime had necessitated that agricultural and rural economies deliver more. Besides, shrinking resources and deteriorating fertility had added to the woes of the Indian rural economy. Pahadia said the rural economy could not be improved by relying on traditional farming practices in India. Scientists should ensure that they developed newer technologies and high-yielding varieties and then delivered these to farmers in a way they could comprehend these for use in their fields. Vice-Chancellor KS Khokhar in his speech hinted at the acute shortage of scientists and financial crunch the university was facing. He enumerated the achievements of the university since its inception and assured the Chancellor that its scientists would keep striving for ameliorating the lot of the farming community. Pahadia also visited the Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology campus where he inaugurated a computer lab and a residential complex. |
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Cong men on varsity boards
Chandigarh, March 10 Earlier elections to the board have been held by consensus. Congress men termed the victory as a “loss of face” for the
INLD. |
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Major Dimple Singla moves AFT
Chandigarh, March 10 She has alleged interference on the part of the then Judge Advocate-General during pre-trial proceedings. While contending procedural infirmities in the entire process, she has also alleged that she was not given adequate opportunity for her defence and the court had not allowed some witnesses to be examined. |
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Convict escapes from hospital
Sirsa, March 10 He was convicted on November 17, 2009, and had been presently serving imprisonment ordered by the court. The accused was admitted to the hospital for a hernia surgery, but he escaped today. The police has registered a case. |
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HC wants dist admn to rein in khaps Chandigarh, March 10 Division Bench of Chief Justice Mukul Mudgal and Justice Jasbir Singh also wants the state to explore the feasibility of invoking the Prevention of Unlawful Activities Act, 1967, in the state. The assertions came during the hearing on a bunch of petitions on the activities of the khap panchayats. As the cases came up today, the Bench made it clear that it wanted the state to take action to ensure prevalence of the law of the land. The Bench, in fact, asked the state Home Secretary to file an affidavit on the feasibility of making the DCs and SPs responsible, and invoking the Act. The Chief Justice verbally asked the state to initiate stringent action against one or two erring panchayats, so it acted as a deterrent. Chief Justice Mudgal added the police officials, armed with the orders, would only find it handy to act. The CJ also clarified that court intervention was necessary in case of panchayats asking the couples to leave, or asking them not to get married. The Bench also took cognisance of the news-reports on marriage between a boy and girl of the same clan being annulled by a panchayat held at Bhiwani. The reports had claimed Haryana’s former CM Hukam Singh was also present at the gathering. The Bench has already taken cognisance of a report, “Khap panchayat annuls yet another marriage”, carried in these columns on January 1. The report on Beniwal Gotra khap panchayat directing the annulment of a marriage solemnised in violation of gotra norms was placed before Chief Justice Mudgal by advocate Navkiran Singh. Haryana has already asserted provisions of the Prevention of Unlawful Activities Act, 1967, are not applicable to khap panchayat orders. Bail to HPSC former chief The Punjab and Haryana High Court confirmed the bail to former chairman of Haryana Public Service Commission KC Bangar and six other former members in a cheating and corruption case registered by the state Vigilance Bureau at Rohtak. The petitioners, Bangar, Jagdish Rai, Mohinder Singh Shastri, Suresh Kumar, Dayal Singh and Pradeep Chaudhary - now MLA from Kalka constituency of Haryana Vidhan Sabha - had earlier been granted interim anticipatory bail.The petitioners, through Punjab Advocate-General Hardev Singh Mattewal and advocate Inder Pal Goyat argued the petitioners had been implicated by the present regime due to political reasons since they had been appointed during the previous INLD regime.
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