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State falters in implementation of 11th Plan
Docs’ shortage ails hospitals
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Bills
through Lok Mitra Kendras
Heavy snow on Chamba hills, Dhauladhars
Graft
Case
Food stock info to go online
HRTC employee booked for fraud
Water supply of HRTC depot snapped
Nalwadi fair from March 17
MNREGA panels to face action
Excellence award for power corpn
Move to raise retirement age opposed
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State falters in implementation of 11th Plan
Shimla, March 2 With the Planning Commission approving an annual Plan of Rs 3,300 crore for 2011-12, which is the terminal year for the five-year Plan. It is obvious that the actual spending may be Rs 378 crore less than the approved figure of Rs 13,778 crore for the 2007-2012 period, unless the Centre obliges with a special dispensation. The government has been finding it difficult to fund even the approved Plan size and the Centre provided a special plan assistance (SPA) of Rs 782 crore for the annual Plan of Rs 3,000 crore for the current year. This year the SPA has been increased to Rs 1,000 crore to help the state maintain the Plan size at a modest Rs 3,300 crore. The state government had projected a Plan size of Rs 14,000 crore and the Planning Commission finally approved a Rs 13,778.00 crore Plan. However, the state could manage to spend only Rs 2,098.75 crore (2007-08), Rs 2,306.24 crore (2008-09) and Rs 2,700 crore provisional (2009-10) in the first three years. With an annual Plan of Rs 3,000 for the current financial year and Rs 3,300 crore for the next year, the total spending over the five-year period will be around Rs 13,400 crore which will effectively curtailed by almost 3 per cent. The financial woes of the government have aggravated with the 13th Finance Commission pegging the total borrowings at 3 per cent of the GSDP (gross state domestic product). Accordingly, the total loans for the current year were capped at Rs 1,566 crore. For 2011-12, the limit has been raised to over 1,700 crore but he government is not satisfied as it maintains that with a record apple crop and all-time high foodgrain production GSDP was set to go up sharply. Chief Minister PK Dhumal has impressed upon the Planning Commission that as per the state’s own calculations, the limit on borrowings for 2011-12 worked out to Rs 2,034 crore. If the Planning Commission accepts the figure, the state will be able to raise over Rs 300 crore more and it will be to a large extent in a position to make up for the likely shortfall in the 11th Plan spending. He also sought a special financial assistance to the tune of Rs 2,500 crore from the Centre to clear the additional burden in view of pay revision and release of arrears to employees.
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Docs’ shortage ails hospitals
Mandi, March 2 The PHCs at Dhalwan, Devdhar, Hadabai, Sianz, Sudhar and Batigher have no doctors to take care of patients, rued patients. The government claims to provide healthcare at the doorstep to rural patients under the ASY sounds hollow. Out of 473 gram panchayats in the district, 182 gram panchayats are without any sub-centre, what to talk of doctors and pharmacists, sources reveal. Sub-centres in 82 gram panchayats are not manned by any health worker. These include 18 in Seraj, 6 in Sundernagar, 13 in Karsog, 14 in Balh, 5 in Baldwara, 11 in Dharampur, 5 in Drang, 3 in Mandi Sadar and 7 in Jogindernagar. The district has 311 sub-centres, only 29 have pharmacists. Twenty sub-centres have no male health workers, while another 56 sub-centres have no female health workers, putting women patients or expectant to a lot of inconvenience. Moreover, most of the sub-centres and PHCs are still being run in private buildings. The work on building of many PHCs and health centers are going on at a snail’s pace. Raising the issue of the poor health services in the district, CPM district general secretary Bhupender Singh charges that the ASY has failed to provide heathcare to rural patients. The basic infrastructure remains poor and more than 70 posts of doctor are laying vacant in the district. He says: “The Chief Minister is visiting Mandi as the chief guest for the Shivratri fair tomorrow we expect that he will also address the health problems that the patients have been facing in the district”. On the other hand, Mandi CMO Dr AB Gupta says that they depute health workers from nearby sub-centres for immunisation from time to time. “A surgeon at the zonal hospital is joining shortly and other vacant posts of doctor are being filled either through the Rogi Kalyan Samiti or directly”, he adds. |
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Bills through Lok Mitra Kendras Lalit Mohan Tribune News Service
Dharamsala, March 2 Sources told The Tribune that residents of Nagabari village in Nurpur sub-division of Kangra district, who deposited their power bills through the local Lok Mitra Kendra, are now facing power disconnection. The power department has issued notices to 35 persons of the village for temporary disconnection of power due to non-deposition of bills. The people, however, alleged that they had deposited their bills in time with the local Lok Mitra Kendra. Shanti Swaroop, a local youth who is running the kendra on the phone, said they had entered an agreement with Zoom Developers and deposited Rs 1.5 lakh as security with the company. He said, “The company had provided us software for depositing the bills. After the entries, the company had to deduct the amount out of the security and pay it further to the state electricity department. We have followed the directions and made entries in software provided by the company. However, it seems that the money has not reached the electricity department that has ordered disconnections of power connections.” “People are now threatening to sue us now. They are also demanding their money back”, Shanti Swaroop added. Many youth, who invested in setting up Lok Mitra Kendras have not generated any income from these for the past two years. The youth in some cases are getting restive. In the recent past, they gathered before the office of deputy commissioner Kangra RS Gupta and demanded that action should be taken against the erring companies in the case. Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal ordered the secretary, Finance-cum-IT, to take action against the erring companies. The secretary issued notice to companies and threatened to confiscate their bank guarantees. He also stated that the youth were free to get the case registered against the companies.
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Heavy snow on Chamba hills, Dhauladhars
Chamba, March 2 The Manimahesh mountain ranges in the Bharmour tribal region, Saach Pass and Padhri Pass have been experiencing the incessant heavy snowfall. The lower areas have been having widespread rain continuously, the reports said, adding that the people in the hilly terrains had been confined to their homes. The heavy snowfall on the high-altitude ranges of the district has brought happiness to orchardists and farmers of the district for the coming bountiful apple and other fruit crops. The entire region is in grip of intense cold wave as a sequel to the heavy snow on the high altitude areas, the reports revealed. PALAMPUR: The entire Kangra valley has been in the grip of severe cold for the past three days. The upper reaches of the Dhauladhar ranges experienced heavy snow while the lower areas were lashed by showers. Unusual snow and rain in March have disrupted normal life in the valley as people are forced to stay in their houses. Power supply and vehicular traffic was also affected. Experts in HP Agricultural University said the long spell of rain and snow would hit the crops. The apple crop needed sunshine for timely flowering.
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Bad weather fails to dampen Shivratri celebrations
Dharamsala, March 2 Kirtan and devotional songs were being performed in the temples throughout the day and langar was also served to devotees in order to mark the festival. Bhang, which is believed to be a main prasad of the day, was also being served to the visitors at the temples. To name a few Chamunda Devi, Brajeshwari temple, Aghanjar Mahadev in Khnayara witnessed a huge rush. Shivratri fair had been inaugurated at the famous historic Shiv temple at Baijnath. A five-day state-level festival is being celebrated on the occasion with traditional gaiety and fervour. The temple is one of the most famous among Shiv temples in the area as it is believed to be the oldest and has many legends attached to it. Cultural event was also organised to mark the Shivratri celebrations in Baijnath. Kanwariyas from far-flung regions were also present at the main Shiv temples after a long journey on foot. Shiv Kumar, a priest of a local temple at Dharamsala, said, “Bad weather could not dampen the enthusiasm and devotion of the devotees who braved the cold weather and queued up outside the temple and celebrated the festival with full zeal.” Rupali, a devotee, said, “We have been present at the temple since early morning. Despite bad weather we assured that we offer our prayers on time and before other visitors queue up at the temple.” Obeisance paid to Lord ShivaMandi: The Raj Madhav chariot representing Lord Krishna today rolls from the Damdama palace for Bhootnath temple in a procession to pay his obeisance to Lord Shiva to celebrate the legendary marriage of the lord with his consort Parvati widely celebrated as Shivaratri in the country. There had been long queues of devotees awaiting to pay their obeisance at the temple since morning. The Raj Madhav palanquin is escorted by the traditional procession of some devis and devtas, schoolchildren, the police and home guards. The president of the Shivratri Mela Committee and DC Mandi Dr Amandeep Garg performed Shivratri’s puja at the Raj Madhav and Bhootnath temples. Then the procession moved back to the Damdama palace. But this legendary marriage of Lord Shiva is a unique celebration here in which over 200 devi-devtas come here from different parts of the former Mandi state on the eve of weeklong Shivratri fair every year. Bhajans and kirtan are held in the temples. The devotees in large number throng the Bhootnath temple and other temples in the region to pay their obeisance to the lord. The deities will participate in the main Shivartari procession that begins tomorrow from Raj Madhav temple to the Paddal Maidan. Chief Minister PK Dhumal will be the chief guest. KULLU (OC): Mahashivratri was celebrated with great fervour and many Shiva temples in the district witnessed long queues of devotees. The doors of the Bijleshwar Mahadev, locally known as the Bijli Mahadev temple, opened after three months today. Though heavy snow made approach to the Bijli Mahadev difficult, hundreds of devotees reached the temple today. The Bhootnath temple located in the town at the confluence of the Beas and the Sarwari rivers here was the most swarming with devotees. The local deities: Sangam Mahadev and Shivrari Mahadev also reached the Bhootnath temple adding more charm to the celebrations. The Bashesara Mahadev temples of Bajaura (believed to be built by Pandavas), Sawayambhoo Shivling of Bajaura, Pirdi Mahadev, Juanu Mahadev, the historical Manikaran Shiv Mandir and Shrikhand Mahadev of this district also witnessed heavy rush of devotees.
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Graft
Case
Mandi, March 2 They were today produced before the special judge who sent them in police remand for three days. DSP (Vigilance) NK Sharma said they acted on a complaint received from a contractor. A team was sent to the spot which caught them red-handed while accepting a bribe, he added. Sharma said the contractor had complained that the duo was demanding some money from him in lieu of clearing his bill pending with the corporation. The bill amounted to Rs 1.35 lakh. The duo paid him Rs 98,000 while they kept the rest of the amount with themselves, he added. The bill had piled up on account of loading and unloading charges of the goods of the corporation, he added. SP (Vigilance) Virender Sharma said the duo had been arrest under Section 6 of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
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Food stock info to go online
Shimla, March 2 This will help the government know the exact availability of food stocks in its godowns and accordingly make it accessible at its subsidised ration shops. The online linkage of 115 godowns of the Civil Supplies Corporation will also help the government know the exact position about its stocks, quantity at various locations, besides checking pilferage. “It has been decided to make online all 115 godowns of the corporation so that we can provide ration to the consumers uniformly and tide over any shortage in any part of the state,” said Ramesh Dhawala, Food and Civil Supplies Minister. This, he added, would help the government know about the demand of the consumers and accordingly provide specific food stocks. “To ensure that the genuine and needy sections have regular access to subsidised food items we have also cancelled 8,900 fake ration cards,” he remarked. The government is keen to rope in the cooperative sector into the PDS system, as a similar experiment by the Chattisgarh Government has been very successful. In fact, Himachal has even studied the model adopted by Chattisgarh and efforts are being made to encourage cooperatives to step into this sector. At present, Himachal has a total of 4,561 fair price shops. This includes 3,014 cooperative depots, 1,372 private depots, 133 of the Civil Supplies Corporation, 38 of the panchayats and four are being run by mahila mandals. The corporation is also toying with the idea of setting up one big departmental store at every district headquarters by making direct procurement of daily need items, including food stuffs, straight from the companies. |
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HRTC employee booked for fraud
Nurpur, March 2 According to information, the storekeeper was transferred from Delhi to Jassur a few months back and had allegedly forged a certificate showing compensatory leave credit to himself. The certificate was forged on behalf of the regional manager, HRTC, Delhi, and submitted to the technical manager for release of money against the leave. The manger released a sum of Rs 1,30,436 to him against his claim. Later, the financial adviser-cum-chief account officer of the HRTC headquarters at Shimla verified the certificate and found that it was a forged one. The police has registered an FIR under Sections 420, 467, 468 and 471 of the IPC against the storekeeper. Biri Singh, general manager, HRTC, Shimla, admitted that the technical manager of the workshop had released compensatory leave amount to the accused without verifying the alleged forged certificate submitted to him. It is learnt that there is a standing instruction of the HRTC management that any amount above Rs 10,000 cannot be released to any employee without prior approval of the management. However, in this case the approval was sought from the headquarters after releasing the payment to the beneficiary. RK Jaryan, technical manager, HRTC workshop, Jassur, refused to talk to the media.
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Water supply of HRTC depot snapped
Nurpur, March 2 According to information, the Railway Department had been supplying electricity as well as water to this depot as it was housed on the premises of the Pathankot Railway Station. The Railway Department had leased out its land to the state Transport Department for establishing its depot here way back in 1974. With snapping of water supply to the depot on February 21, employees of the HRTC and passengers travelling in its buses are facing a lot of hardship. The toilets at the depot have started stinking. Around 378 employees are working in the depot and workshop of the HRTC. The crew members of 88 buses of this depot are forced to go on duty even without a bath. The authorities of the depot are helpless as they are dependent on the mercy of the railway authorities for water. Subash Ranhotra, regional manager of the depot, said the railway authorities had disconnected water supply to the depot without any prior notice and he had taken the issue with the divisional manager, Railways, Ferozepur, who assured restoration of water supply but till today evening nothing had been done. |
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Nalwadi fair from March 17
Bilaspur, March 2 Presiding over a district-level meeting of officers here last evening, DC Ritesh Chauhan said wrestling bouts, cattle fair, exhibition of government departments, games and sports and cultural programmes would be the highlights of this famous fair among other attractions. The DC urged all officers to complete all arrangements in time as this fair was attended by lakhs of people from all parts of the state. He said the PWD should take care of roads and the mela ground and exhibition stalls should be ready, while the nagar parishad should remain careful to maintain cleanliness and sanitary conditions all around the town and on the mela premises. |
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Chamba, March 2 Issuing orders to this effect, Chamba Deputy Commissioner Devesh Kumar directed the concerned authorities to initiate action against over 100 committees for flouting the rules of auditing and not submitting the expenditure report. The DC warned that if any representative elected in the recently held elections to the panchayati raj institutions found to be involved in any irregularity as a member of such committee, would be dealt in accordance with the provisions laid down in the Himachal Pradesh Panchayati Raj Act and could be removed from the post. — OC
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Excellence award for power corpn
Shimla, March 2 Union Minister for Urban Development Kamal Nath presented the award to the state Public Sector Undertaking (PSU), which bagged the honour over coming stiff competition from several central and state PSUs and private sector companies. The award was conferred for achieving results in the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-funded projects in 2010. The corporation is executing six hydro electric projects to the capacity of 1004 MW. The ADB is funding four projects, including Sawra-Kuddu (111 MW), Sainj (100 MW), Shongtong-Karcham (450 MW) and Kashang Stage I, II & III (195 MW). |
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Move to raise retirement age opposed
Shimla, March 2 President of the front Gopal Das Verma said here today that any such move would prove fatal for the government as over 12 lakh jobless youths would ensure the BJP defeat in the assembly polls. A majority of the employees were against the increase in the age of superannuation as it would hamper their promotional avenues. He said the government was ignoring the issues of the employees as the state non-gazetted services federation was divided into four factions which were in no position to raise the demands effectively. He said as a result, the employees leader who were victimised during the previous Congress
regime had not been rehabilitated so far. |
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Chamba, March 2
Mandi, March 2
