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Meeting of Finance Ministers
Virbhadra’s portfolio; supporters cheer, rivals mum
BJP wins 4 block committee seats
NHAI to build 2 tunnels, 3 bypasses in state
MCI appoints dead Prof on inspection panel
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Eyebrows raised over centralised purchases under NRHM
Europe may sip Kangra tea soon
Baby boy delivered in ambulance
Deodar felled
Rs 356 cr Central grant for rural areas
Move to divide power engineers opposed
‘State needs gender responsive budget’
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Meeting of Finance Ministers
New Delhi, January 19 Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal made the demands while speaking at a pre-budget meeting of Finance Ministers of the states in New Delhi today. Dhumal said the study group for special category states was to submit its report by December 31, 2010, however, its term had been extended to March 31. He requested the Union Government to immediately intervene in this matter and sanction the special financial package to the state. Dhumal also requested the Union Government to sanction an united special plan assistance of Rs 1500 crore to fund State Annual Plan 2011-12 by making a provision in the proposed budgetary support to the Planning Commission in the next finance budget. Dhumal requested the Union Government to grant sanction to levy generation tax of 10 paise per unit on hydro-power generation in the state in view of the recommendations of C Rangarajan Committee, as this would generate Rs 250 crore as revenue. On the industrial incentive package that ended in March 2010, Dhumal said its curtailment had adversely affected the industrial growth in the state. He stressed the need to formulate both short and long term reforms in marketing areas of the agriculture sector. He said the Union Government takes ad hoc decisions relating to putting restrictions on the imports and exports of agriculture committees and their future trading in commodity exchange and asked for immediate remedial measurers to check inflation. Dhumal also requested the Union Government to provide budgetary support for 63 km-long Bhanupalli-Bilaspur-Beri railway line as its cost at present has escalated to Rs 2,964 crore from the original estimate of Rs 1046 crore due to delay in the execution for want of adequate resources to the railways. He asked the Union Government to develop railway link to Leh via Manali and declare it as a project of national importance on strategic considerations to ensure reliable timely supplies to armed forces in Leh-Ladakh region and said recent happenings on Sino-Indian border in Leh Ladakh region has made the realization of importance of this project. He said the 498 km long line has been assessed at Rs 22831 crore in survey recently conducted by railway and asked the Union Government to make budgetary provision to start the work on the project. |
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Virbhadra’s portfolio; supporters cheer, rivals mum
Mandi, January 19 Supporters of Virbhadra Singh said Virbhadra Singh will now bring in more, micro, small and medium scale industries to the state as it has vast potential for industrial growth. President of Kisan Kheti Congress sangh Surinderpal Singh, former MILKFED chairman Chet Ram Thakur, former president Mandi Municipal Council Pushp Raj and spokesperson of Kisan Kheti Sangh, Tarrun Pathak, today said instead of being dropped Virbhadra Singh has been entrusted to take care of a sector which is more relevant for the state. They alleged the Mandi MP did not get the cooperation from the state government for bringing in steel processing units. His new portfolio will benefit the state, they added. They said Virbhadra would bring in industrial package for the state. Virbhadra now has a chance to do something for the central zone of Mandi as it has no industrial units, they said. There was no reaction from the DCC and other Congressmen from the region. |
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BJP wins 4 block committee seats
Solan, January 19 The BJP won the Kandaghat Block Development Committee seat today with Nand Ram declared winner for the post of president as he defeated Congress supported Prakash Kumar as he bagged eight of the 15 votes. Nand Ram Verma won the post of vice-president by defeating the Narinder Kumar of the Congress by a similar margin. Health and Ayurveda Minister Dr Rajiv Bindal condemned the Congress for using pressure tactics to sway its candidate for the Kandaghat Block Development Committee. |
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NHAI to build 2 tunnels, 3 bypasses in state
Mandi, January 19 According to the draft feasibility report, NHAI also moots a four-laning project on the National Highway-21. The project will reduce the distance between Chandigarh and Manali by 40 kms. According to the report, traffic congestion on the stretch of the NH-21 between Kiratur and Mandi matches the norms for the four-laning project. The Mandi-Manali stretch, however, does not fulfil the norms for four-laning. A 400-meter tunnel will be built at between Saauli Khad and Suketi Bridge in Mandi. The NHAI also proposes to construct a bridge across Bhakhra dam from Nauni, 10 km short of Bilaspur town. The bridge will link it to the Hamirpur-Shimla Highway-88. NHAI project director Satish Kaul said the Nauni Bridge, Sundernagar and the Ner Chowk Bypass and the two tunnels of Swarghat and Mandi will reduce the distance between Kiratpur and Manali highway by 40 kms. The two tunnels and three bypasses will reduce traffic congestion in Bilaspur, Sundermnagar, Ner Chowk and Mandi,” he added. Kaul said the cement carrying trucks from Barmana, Bagha and Darlaghat will join the NH-21 from Barmana and Nauni. “The Kiratpur-Mandi stretch of the highway is being proposed for the four-laning of the highway considering the increase in traffic movement on this part of the highway for the next
20 years.” |
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MCI appoints dead Prof on inspection panel
Kangra, January 19 The inspectors had been appointed for inspection of 15 departments of the college to assess feasibility of starting postgraduate courses of MD and MS. The MCI had appointed the inspectors on January 5. Dr Madhu Handa, Assistant Secretary, MCI, was informed by the Medical college authorities that the inspectors included Dr Y Venkateshwarlu, Prof Department of Pharmacology, Guntur Medical College, Guntur, who passed away last year. Also on the list, Dr Venkatswaararao, Prof of the Department of Ophthalmology, Guntur Medical College, Kannavrithota, retired a year ago. Those others who refused to conduct the inspection include Prof Naresh Kumar Panda, ENT, PGIMER, Chandigarh, Prof G Subba Rao, Surgery, Guntur Medical College, Guntur, Prof DK Taneja, Community Medicine, Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi and Prof Kiran Aggrawal, Pathology Department, Lady Harding Medical College, New Delhi. Some others like Prof Sudhir Kapoor, Orthopaedics, Lady Hardings Medical College, New Delhi, were not informed about their appointment on the panel. Kapoor said, “I have not been communicated about my appointment. I will talk to the MCI authorities in this regard tomorrow.” The causal approach adopted by the Medical Council of India in appointing the assessors has, however, given a new lease of life to some of the departments, which were short of faculty. |
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Eyebrows raised over centralised purchases under NRHM
Dharamsala, January 19
These centres are given an amount of about Rs 43 lakh per annum for the purpose. As per the directions under the NRHM, the Village Health and Sanitation Committees are authorised to spend the said money at health sub-centre level. Earlier, the amount was being transferred to the said village committee and was spent at their level. However, last year the district health authorities made centralised purchase for all health sub-centres. The material was purchased and sent to block health centres. However, many Village Health and Sanitation Committees have refused to accept the centralised purchased material. They alleged that the material purchased was not as per their requirements. Doubts have also been raised regarding the modus operandi used for making purchases. The Tribune has a copy of bill according to which surgical material was purchased for the Kathog health sub-centre from Himachal Emporium 3, the Mall, Kangra. However, no such emporium or Mall road exists in Kangra. The material was also purchased at higher rates than the market. As per the bill, scissors (medium) was purchased at a cost of Rs 384 per piece whereas its market price was about Rs 125 per piece. A stethoscope was purchased at a cost of Rs 216 per piece where as its market price was Rs 100 per piece. Some items like flower pots (medium) with tray were also purchased that otherwise cannot be purchased under the NRHM guidelines. Tooth forceps had also been purchased despite the fact that no dental doctor had been posted in the health sub-centres. Chief Medical Officer of Kangra district Dr Kultar Singh Dogra said central purchases had been made to bring about uniformity in all health sub-centres of the district. When asked why not prior sanction of the Village Health and Sanitation Committee was taken before making purchases, Dr Dogra said the committee was free to accept or reject the material being provided to them. About the purchases of medical and surgical equipment being made through the HP State Handicrafts and Handloom Corporation, Dr Dogra said these were being made due to the directions from the government. The corporations are going in loss and the state government has directed to route our purchases through them so that the salaries of their employees are paid, he said. The sources said purchases of material like medicine and computers under the NRHM was being made through Himachal Furniture Corporation Ltd, Bilaspur. The basic job of the corporation is manufacturing and sale of furniture. Dr Dogra said material like medicines and computers were being purchased from the Furniture Corporation on the government directions. The sources said the middlemen had entered the purchase route of the Health Department. They were allegedly routing their supplies at higher rates to the Health Department through the government corporations that otherwise had no experience in dealing with the products. Director, NRHM, Himachal, Rakesh Kanwar has given a clean chit to the Kangra CMO in the case. He said after an inquiry we found that the CMO had tried to facilitate the process of purchase by the Village Health and Sanitation Committees. The village committees had not been forced for making purchases. About purchases from the Furniture Corporation and Handloom Corporation, the director said there were directions from the Union Government to purchase material through the public sector units. However, it was strange that the material was being purchased at higher rates from the corporations that had no expertise in the health field. |
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Europe may sip Kangra tea soon
With the area under tea shrinking and many planters giving up its cultivation over the years, the production too has declined to half in the last one decade. Notwithstanding the grim scenario, the State Council for Science, Technology and Environment has moved the case for registration of Kangra tea with the European Commission so that it can make to foreign shores. In fact, Kangra tea was the first product from Himachal to have been registered under the Geographical Indications (GI) Act to ensure that no other tea was sold under its name. “The council had moved the case for registration of Kangra tea with the European Commission earlier and now we are pursuing the matter again so that it can get international recognition for its unique flavour and colour,” said Alka Sharma, coordinator of the Patent Information Centre in the council. The council feels that registration of Kangra tea with the European Commission will not only open up foreign markets and solve the marketing problem but also fetch handsome returns to the growers. Being a labour intensive crop, a major problem being faced is of work force and, moreover, there is a need for re-plantation as the bushes are too old and give very poor yield. The yield of Kangra tea during 2010 was 9.1 lakh kg as compared to an all-time high of over 17 lakh kg in 1998. “At least half of the tea plantations are lying abandoned and neglected which is the main reason for decline in production to almost half,” said an official. Another disadvantage is that there are fragmented individual holdings as compared to huge plantations in Assam owned and run by companies. Kangra tea was introduced in the Palampur area of Himachal by the British in 1852 and there are about 3,670 planters. A total of 2,312 hectares is at present under tea cultivation in the Palampur and Jogindernagar areas but many gardens are lying abandoned as it is no longer a profitable business. As compared to Darjeeling tea, Kangra tea barely fetches Rs 160 per kg. The Tea Board of India (TBI) has given certain incentives to the growers but the industry has still not got the much wanted fillip. The TBI provides Rs 23,000 per hectare for rejuvenation of the Kangra tea. Kangra tea is an orthodox variety where the entire leaf is used as compared to the cut tea curl (CTC) variety like the Darjeeling one. |
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Sambar rescued from BBMB canal
Sundernagar, January 19 According to president of the Road Safety Club Rajinder Bhandari, some youth spotted the sambar into the canal this afternoon and the information was passed on to various authorities, including the Fire Brigade. The sambar was taken out of the canal and handed over to the forest officials. He said it took nearly half-an-hour to rescue the injured animal. Such incidents take place as the BBMB authorities have not fenced about 11 km canal. In the past, the district administration had asked the BBMB authorities to fence the canal but no action had been taken by them so far. According to Sundernagar DFO VK Babu, the sambar was given first aid and set-free in the nearby forests at the DPF Tramber. Another dies
in Chamba
Chamba: A male sambar which was sighted in the remote Chanju forests of Churah sub-division in the district yesterday died on the way to a veterinary hospital here last night. A report said the animal was sighted at Kapadi in Chanju forest ranges near Nakrod police post yesterday. It got wounded as some poachers shot at it. However, the poachers escaped from the sight. The police officials chased the lame animal and caught it. The post-mortem report of the animal has been sent for analysis to ascertain whether it was a Kashmir stag or any other species. A case under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, has been registered. Chamba DFO Anil Vaidya said the preliminary investigations revealed that it was a ‘cervus unicolor’, locally known as
sambar. |
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Baby boy delivered in ambulance
Shimla, January 19 “The baby was delivered in the ambulance when a woman was on her way to a hospital in Shimla last evening. The delivery was conducted by an emergency medical technician (EMT),” a spokesperson for the GVK-EMRI (Emergency Management Research Institute), a Hyderabad-based company hired by the government to run the ambulance service, said. The state has tied up with the GVK-EMRI under a public-private partnership mode to run the ambulance service in the state. The project is jointly funded by the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and the state government. He said the ambulance picked up the woman, who was in labour pains, from Totu, on the outskirts of Shimla, to drop her at the Rippon Hospital. “Sensing emergency, the EMT asked the ambulance driver to park the vehicle by the roadside and conducted the delivery. The woman and her newborn baby were later admitted to the hospital,” he said. “The mother and the child are doing well,” he
added. — IANS |
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Deodar felled
Shimla, January 19 Though the competent authority, the Tree Authority Committee (TAC), had granted sanction for the felling of this particular tree, terming it as a “dangerous” tree, since the matter was pending in the court the felling was being viewed as a serious violation. It was through a petition in the high court that state convener of the INTACH BS Malhans had challenged the permission and the ground on which it had been given. In the petition he had sought details of all permissions that had been granted by the TAC during the last one year. The owners of the plot, however, maintained that they had felled the tree as they had proper permission from the competent authority and since no stay had been granted by the court, they went ahead with the felling. DFO Nagesh Guleria said the wood of the tree has been seized. He said he was unaware that the matter was n the court. “Since it has come to our notice that the case is pending in the court, we will take appropriate action,” he added. |
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Rs 356 cr Central grant for rural areas
Shimla, January 19 The Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Jai Ram Thakur today said 2,37,651 hectares area would be covered under the programme and the amount was to be used over a period of four to seven years. Thakur said 90 per cent of the funds would be received from the Central Government and the remaining 10 per cent will be borne by the state government under the programme. He said developmental activities would be carried out in select areas by Gram Sabhas after approval of detailed working plan with public participation. He said the main objective under the project was to improve the economic condition of the people of watershed areas. This would be done by promoting agriculture, horticulture, feed production and create employment besides ensuring adequate water for drinking and irrigation purposes, he added. |
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Move to divide power engineers opposed
Hamirpur, January 19 In a joint release, state president of the association DS Dhatwalia and general secretary Vijender Chaudhary said, “The managements of the HPSEB and the HPPCL are taking unpractical and dictatorial decisions which are not only ridiculous but also against the reorganisation agreement.” They said, “According to May 24, 2010, agreement and the government notification of June 10, 2010; there is a clear provision to adjust the entire diploma engineers from the HPSEB in the HPPCL by determining their equivalence, but only 166 out of 766 diploma engineers’ cadre has been transferred to the HPPCL.” The association said all major national power project corporations like NTPC, NHPC and SJVNL had promoted diploma engineers till E6 and E9 level but the same principle was not being followed by the HPSEBL and the HPPCL. The association had expressed its surprise at not transferring the entire staff of their cadre to the HPPCL after handing over of all power projects to the corporation after the division of the HPSEBL. They also demanded immediate transfer of their cadre failing which they would be forced to launch a statewide
agitation. |
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‘State needs gender responsive budget’
Shimla, January 19 She was speaking at the inauguration of the two-day state level workshop on ‘Gender Budgeting’ organised by the Social Justice and Empowerment department here today. She directed the planning department to reflect gender budgeting in the Annual Plan and said the departments should also focus upon these issues in their sectoral plans. Sandhu said the budget was a reflection of the priorities of the society as well as government. The needs of both men and women of various age groups should be addressed in a gender-responsive budget. “Gender responsive budgeting could lead to wise policy formulation and its effective implementation ensuring the welfare of all sections of the society,”
she said. She said gender budgeting was not about focusing upon women issues alone and added that it aimed balanced representation for all. Sarojini Ganju Thakur, Additional Chief Secretary said gender responsive budgeting was an important dimension to a healthy economy. She said gender budget cells should be constituted in every department and also suggested constitution of a high-powered committee headed by the Chief Secretary. |
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Shimla, January 19