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Power scheme for farmers runs into rough weather
10 pc industrial plots to be reserved for NRIs
Unclaimed wheat bags belong to HAFED, says police
Restore pay parity: Engineers
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Change criterion for recruitment to Army: MP
State likely to achieve wheat target
Rs 4.5 crore for a new-look Yamunanagar
Man booked for polygamy
Wife, paramour booked for murder bid
Soon, new policy for paramedical staff
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Power scheme for farmers runs into rough weather
Chandigarh, January 9 Under the scheme, low-tension lines were to be replaced with high-tension lines and the farmers to be provided individual transformers free of cost for better power supply. The scheme was aimed at bringing down the high line losses in which every unit of power was metered, minimising the possibility of theft. However, against a target of installing 3 lakh transformers in the 10 circles of the Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam, only 84,832 transformers have so far been energised. Here, too, while the farmers are reaping the benefit of regular supply, the utitilies, even after spending over Rs 1 lakh on the installation of transformers, are not getting the returns envisaged under the scheme. According to sources, only 30 per cent of farmers with individual transformers are paying metered bills while the rest are getting away by paying flat rates. Thanks to the specialised meters installed with such transformers, meter-reading has become a bane for the power nigam which does not have enough meter-reading equipment. Of the 10 circles in the nigam, work on the scheme was initiated in Kurukshetra where 23,275 transformers were energised. There are 8,775, 50, 727 and 2,055 beneficiaries in Kaithal, Karnal and Rohtak, respectively. The scheme was introduced by the Hooda government during its previous term and work on the same was suspended following the imposition of the code of conduct. Even after the Congress government came back to power, the scheme remained shelved with the power department debating the high cost of the scheme which had made it
“unattractive” in its present form. The department, in the past few months, carried out a number of studies to dwell on the feasibility of the scheme as also to get a feedback on whether it had delivered on the parameters it was expected to. A committee of three managing directors of the department was
constituted subsequently. The committee is learnt to have given suggestions to lower specifications in order to reduce costs. The committee has noted the scheme in the state is a modified version of a similar model in the state of Andhra Pradesh. It has said instead of providing every farmer a transformer, the cost of the scheme may be brought down by allotting three connections per transformer for better techno-economic viability. The MDs’ committee has strongly made out a case for allotting all new agricultural tubewell connections on the Andhra model, mentioning that at least three connections from one transformer be given with adoptable specifications. It has also suggested that the low tension line be limited to 200 meters for each connection. The committee has said this would make the scheme “viable partly, taking care of the line losses without burdening the
utilities”. |
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10 pc industrial plots to be reserved for NRIs
Chandigarh, January 9 Stating this here today, a spokesman of Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC) said in case of plots for NRIs, the entire amount towards the price of the plot would have to be remitted through non-resident external rupee (NRE) account of the applicant or in remittances from abroad or foreign exchange. In the case of FDI, at least 33 per cent of the project cost is required to come from the FDI route. However, the 10 per cent limit would not preclude allotment of plots in the FDI category as a part of the general scheme of
allotment. He said preferential allotment up to 2 per cent of the industrial plots or sheds in each estate had been prescribed by the government for allotment to persons with disabilities. The government had also prescribed a differential rate of interest on installments for this category. However, in case no application was available from the eligible category, the un-allotted plots might be utilised under the general category. He said while allotting plots, preference would be accorded to prestigious projects involving a capital investment of Rs 10 crore, 20 crore and 30 crore and above; projects involving creation of ancillaries and large employment opportunities; existing industrial units for meeting their expansion or re-location requirements; projects involving introduction of state-of-the-art or new technology and new investments by promoters with established credentials or experience. Ex-servicemen, women entrepreneurs, unemployed engineering graduates, polytechnic or ITI- trained candidates and entrepreneurs with exceptional skills would also be given preference. He said the allotment of industrial plots would be governed on an on-going basis in respect of mega projects involving a fixed capital investment (land, building, machinery and other fixed assets) of Rs 100 crore and above, or projects involving employment to more than 500 persons and serving as anchor units for proliferation of ancillaries. |
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Unclaimed wheat bags belong to HAFED, says police
Sirsa, January 9 Nehra said the police had launched a hunt for truck driver Kala Singh, a resident of the local Khaipur area, and the guilty officials would be put behind bars soon. The Tribune had caried a report “Unclaimed wheat pointer to bigger scam” in its columns dated January 9, 2011. The police, on a tipoff, had intercepted the truck carrying the foodgrain, on January 3. Though the wheat bags bore the mark of HAFED, the latter had denied that these belonged to the marketing federation. Amar Singh and Hari Singh,residents of Makhosarani in Chopta block in this district, are joint owners of the truck. They maintain that the driver, Kala Singh, alone can reveal as to who had booked the truck for transportation. Nehra said the police had registered a case of 420, 409 and 120-B (cheating, breach of trust by a public servant and criminal conspiracy). Gurjant Singh, District Manager, HAFED, reiterated that the wheat bags did not belong to his agency and that he had got the stock at the Kalanwali storehouse verified. However, he did not have clue on the number of bags stacked there. Chander Kant, working at the storehouse, said he had been out for the past some days. He said there was an estimated 7.80 lakh of foodgrain at the storehouse. Sources said the police had acted on a tipoff by a “disgruntled” official of the agency and claimed that large- scale siphoning of foodgrains from government agencies had hitherto gone unnoticed. “Small quantities of wheat pilfered from lakhs of bags stacked in the storehouses has been a general practice,” they maintained. HAFED has its storehouses at 21 locations in the district. |
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Restore pay parity: Engineers
Panipat, January 9 In a statement here today, Hardip Sangwan, general secretary of the Haryana Power Generation Engineers Association (HPGEA) said there was widespread resentment among power engineers against the poor pay scales at the entry level. He said the engineers had also been denied their due by the Sixth Pay Commission. Assistant engineers, who were in a majority, work around the clock but had been placed in the PB-2 group. On the other hand, accounts officers who worked five-days a week were placed in PB-3 group with a better grade, he argued. He said assistant XENs had been placed in the pay scale of Rs 6,400, while senior accounts officer got Rs 7,600. This discrimination needed to be rectified immediately. Shaliender Dubey, secretary-general, All-India power Engineers Federation, said the entry-level pay scales of engineers were now the lowest in the country. “It seems the management is under the illusion that all work is being done by the accounts department and not engineers,” he said. Dubey requested the state government that their pay parity with the accounts officers be restored immediately. |
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Change criterion for recruitment to Army: MP
Jhajjar, January 9 He was addressing people at a function organised by the All-India Ex-Paramilitary Forces Organisation here yesterday. “By making recruitment on the basis of qualification instead of the population of a state, ample opportunities can be provided to the courageous youth of not only Haryana, but the entire country,” the MP said. Describing Haryana as a land of martyrs, he maintained that history was witness to the fact that whenever the country had felt a need, Haryana’s soldiers had fought valiantly for the protection of their motherland. Speaking on the occasion, Health and Education Minister Geeta Bhukkal said the state had set an example by ensuring a number of benefits to
the soldiers. “The soldiers are being provided a lot of incentives by the state government. A number of relief and welfare schemes are being implemented for the serving and retired soldiers,”
she maintained. |
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State likely to achieve wheat target
Karnal, January 9 The area under wheat in the state has been reduced from 24.72 lakh hectares last year to 24.65 lakh hectares this year, but the yield is expected to be more, wheat experts say. “In case the chilly weather continues for some more time and there is sufficient moisture and intermittent rain, the crop yield is expected to be good,” says Wazir Singh, Agriculture Officer, Karnal. Haryana had set a target of 11.40 million tonnes of wheat last year also, but the actual production was 10.50 million tonnes, but this time it may even cover last year’s shortfall, the experts said. Wheat productivity in Haryana surged from 42.32 quintals per hectare in 2006-07 to a record level of 46.14 quintals in 2008-09. However, it came down sharply to 42.13 quintals in 2009-10. The experts say the prevailing weather conditions are quite favourable for the wheat crop, as the chilly conditions will help in “tillering or multiplication of crop shoots and the field will look densely packed, meaning more grains from the crop”. Another good news for the farmers is that the low temperature also restrains pests from attacking the crop, the experts point out. |
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Rs 4.5 crore for a new-look Yamunanagar
Yamunanagar, January 9
Sangwan said tenders worth Rs 1.26 crore had been called for 30 development projects under which villages under the Yamunanagar Municipal Corporation jurisdiction would witness see development. The process of tenders had been completed in respect of repair of roads in the Model Town area at a cost of Rs 56 lakh.Work on this project would be executed once the weather conditions improved. The road from Gauri Shankar Temple to Parkash Chand in Jagadhari would be recarpeted. The villages where development works had been planned included Udhamgarh ki Majri, Mahavir Colony near Dheermal Dera and Nalagarh ki Majri. |
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Six labourers asphyxiated
Fatehabad, January 9 Naveen (25), Naresh (16), Lakshman (16) and Harish (28), working at Blue Sapphire Hotel in Tohana, were found dead by hotel owner Radhey Sham Garg this morning. Smoke from the fire still emanated from their room. A cot of one of the workers was found burnt. SHO Shiv Kumar Bishnoi reportedly reached there for an on-the-spot inquiry. |
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Man booked for polygamy
Rewari, January 9 Two younger brothers of Hari Prakash, Ravi Kumar and Satish Kumar, both residents of Mahendragarh district, who reportedly became witness to Prakash’s second marriage, have also been booked. Sarita of Manethi village, who got married to Hari Prakash in 2006, was allegedly subjected to cruel treatment for dowry by her in-laws, following which she had been living at her parental house for the past some time. On December 18, 2010, Hari Prakash reportedly entered into a wedlock for the second time with Kirti Parik.
— OC |
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Wife, paramour booked for murder bid
Sonepat, January 9 In his statement to the police, Bhim Singh, serving in the Rajasthan police, said he had come home on leave and on Wednesday night, he became unconscious after having milk offered by his wife. When he regained consciousness, he found his hands and legs tied with a rope. His wife and Sunil then allegedly attacked him with sharp-edged weapons, resulting in serious injuries to him. He was taken to the Civil Hospital where doctors referred him to the PGIMS, Rohtak.
— OC |
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Soon, new policy for paramedical staff
Jhajjar, January 9 The government has also decided to constitute a medical education board to ensure quality education for the paramedical staff. Health Minister Geeta Bhukkal disclosed this while interacting with mediapersons here today.
— OC |
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