|
|
|
|
|
Honorarium of panchayati raj institution members up
Poor sanitation at hospital leaves minister fuming
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
Voter enrolment forms to have mobile numbers, email IDs, too
Ginners want govt to cut market fee on raw cotton
Farmers to launch stir to oppose land acquisition
Inflated cotton prices eat into traders’ profits
Jats to launch stir against govt
Dadupur-Nalwi canal becomes operational
Govt to spend over Rs 1,443 cr on healthcare
Primary teachers demonstrate in front of minister’s home
Panel in Sirsa to check ragging
Cloned buffalo Garima died of heart failure
Rationalisation panel reconstituted
Central plan to empower adolescent girls
Provide land, get ‘regular’ power supply
IGNOU conducts entrance exams
Two killed in road mishap
Accident victims identified
|
||||||||||||
|
Honorarium of panchayati raj institution members up
The state government intended to draft and pass a Bill to check corruption in public life. Hooda also announced to hike the honorarium of the elected representatives of the panchayati raj bodies, including the zila parishad, panchayat samitis and the gram panchayats. Addressing a state-level function of PRI representatives at the HUDA grounds here today, the Chief Minister said the PRIs had emerged stronger and it would help in better governance and delivery of results in the matter of development at the ground level. The heads and members of zila parishads, panchayat samitis and a large number of sarpanches and panches of the gram panchayats across the state took part in the function. Claiming that it was impossible for any single person or individual to ensure the eradication of any menace, he said the masses would have to cooperate at all levels so that any movement or drive could bring the expected results. Perhaps being aware of the six-day long agitation by social activist Anna Hazare in New Delhi, the Chief Minister used the occasion to defend the UPA government and its leadership. He said it was his claim that the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, was the most honest Prime Minister in the world and Sonia Gandhi was the most honest chief of any political party. “Till you do not support us, what can they do or what I can do?” he said while exhorting the people to act against corruption. Announcing an increase in the monthly honorarium of all the PRI representatives, he said it was necessary that these representative did get an amount that was honourable and that they did not get involved in wrong practices to meet routine expenses. According to the announcement, the monthly honorarium of the zila parishad chairman would be Rs 7,500 against the earlier payment of Rs 6,000. The vice- president of the parishad would get Rs 6,000 instead of Rs 4,500. The chairperson, vice-chairperson and members of the panchayat samitis would now get Rs 6,000, Rs 2,500 and Rs 1,250 instead of Rs 4,500, 1,000 and 1,000 respectively. The monthly honorarium of the sarpanches and panches of the gram panchayats has also been raised to Rs 2,000 and Rs 6,00, respectively, from the earlier amount of Rs 1,500 per month and Rs 400. The cash-in- hand expenditure of the sarpanches has also been raised to Rs 25,000 from the earlier limit of Rs 10,000. |
|
Poor sanitation at hospital leaves minister fuming
Sirsa, August 21 “While I am satisfied with the services and medicines being provided to patients, the abject poor sanitary conditions and shabby beddings in the hospital have left a bad taste in the mouth,” Rao Narender Singh said. He said he had asked the district health authorities to improve sanitary conditions in the hospital to gain
people’s faith. The minister said the government was committed to provide accessible, affordable and quality health care to people and was establishing super-specialty hospitals in various districts to achieve this objective. Besides, the process to set up three new medical colleges was underway, he said. Sirsa MP Ashok Tanwar, who was with the minister during his visit, said he had given a memorandum of demand for setting up a medical college in his constituency to Rao Narender Singh for forwarding it to Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda. Tanwar said though the state government was in the process of establishing three new medical colleges, none was near Sirsa or Fatehabad. |
|
|
Voter enrolment forms to have mobile numbers, email IDs, too
Gurgaon, August 21 She stated this while chairing a meeting with representatives of social organisations and political parties regarding the summary revision of voters’ lists of 76 Badshahpur and 77 Gurgaon Assembly constituencies keeping January 1, 2012, as the qualifying date. Mishra maintained that the summary revision - which began yesterday - would be of an intensive nature. It would be based on the old electoral rolls, but these could be amended to any extent. During this revision, the persons attaining the age of 18 years on January 1, 2012, would be able to enrol themselves as voters. According to the schedule, the Booth-Level Officers (BLOs) will carry out a house-to-house survey in these two Assembly segments from August 20 to September 19. After this, the existing database will be updated by October 16 and the draft publication of rolls will be done on October 17. Then, claims and objections can be filed up to November 6. The relevant part of electoral rolls will be read in the meeting of the gram sabha or the Resident Welfare Association concerned on October 22 and 25. A special campaign for receiving claims and objections will be carried out on October 23 and 30. The Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) concerned will dispose of the claims and objections by December 1. Thereafter, the database will again be updated by merging of photographs and the supplementary list will be published by December 31. The final publication of electoral rolls will be done on January 5, 2012. For summary revision, 554 BLOs have been appointed and 30 supervisors to verify their work. Each supervisor has been given 10 to 20 polling booths. The ERO for the Badshahpur Assembly segment is Gurgaon Additional Deputy Commissioner VS Hooda, while for the Gurgaon Assembly constituency, the ERO is SDM (Gurgaon-North) Satender Duhan. In addition, 10 sector officers have been deputed to ensure that the revision work is being performed correctly. Stating that there could still be some deficiencies in the preparation/updating of voters' lists, the CEO appealed to the social and voluntary organisations to extend their cooperation in getting these rectified. Mishra pointed out that now, continuous updating of electoral rolls would be carried out throughout the year and any eligible person can apply at any given time to enroll as a voter. The Election Commission had started a voters’ helpline on telephone no. 1950, she added. |
|
|
HJC plan to show black flags to Health Minister foiled
Fatehabad, August 21 The local police not only diverted the minister’s route twice but also kept irate HJC workers away from Rao’s route. Rao Narender Singh, an MLA from Narnaul, is one of the five HJC legislators, who defected to the Congress after their election in 2009. HJC workers had assembled near the Dera Sacha Sauda canteen with black flags in their hands on Sirsa road when Rao Narender Singh, accompanied by MP Ashok Tanwar, was on his way to Fatehabad in the afternoon. The police swung into action immediately after receiving a hint from its CID wing and diverted the minister’s route through Gillankhera, Sarwarpur, Dhingsara and Fatehabad. The HJC workers rushed towards Laal Batti Chowk after they learnt about
the change in the minister’s route. However, the police stopped them on the outskirts of the town on Sirsa road. After a heated exchange of words with the police, HJC workers sat on the highway in protest. The minister’s vehicles, however, skipped the Laal Batti Chowk route too to bypass Anna Hazare’s supporters sitting in dharna at the chowk. |
|
Ginners want govt to cut market fee on raw cotton
Sirsa, August 21 “We will explain our position to all stakeholders and tell them that we have no intention of harming their interest, but we are really not in a position to run our mills in the given circumstances,” said Sushil Mittal, president of the Haryana Cotton Ginning Industries Association. The new ginning season in Haryana begins from the first week of September. The state government levies market fees of 2 per cent and Haryana Rural Development Funds (HRDF) fees of 2 per cent on all arrivals of cotton coming to grain markets in the state. Cotton ginners rue that the rate of fees was much higher than what was being levied in the neighbouring states like Rajasthan and Punjab. Mittal claimed that while the Rajasthan Government charged market fees of 0.80 per cent from the new units and 1.60 per cent from old ones, the Punjab Government charged market fees of 2 per cent. The Haryana Cotton Ginning Industries Association has demanded that the state government should decrease the fees to 1 per cent to provide them level playfield with their counterparts in Rajasthan and Punjab. The state government, Mittal said, had given some respite to the ginners by reducing the fees plus HRDF to three per cent last year, but that rate remained in force for a month only. The ginners, he claimed, suffered huge losses due to higher rates of fees and fluctuation in the prices of cotton last year. Haryana produced 10 lakh bales (approximately) of the total national production of 325 lakh bales (last year) and Sirsa alone accounts for almost one third of the state’s cotton production. |
|
|
Farmers to launch stir to oppose land acquisition
Ambala, August 21 President of the Zameen Bachao Kisan Sangharsh Committee Balwant Singh said farmers of Panjokhra, Zanetpur, Khatauli, Garnala, Mandaur and Kakroo villages facing acquisition of their 1,852 acres of land for developing an IMT has decided to start an agitation against the state government again as assurances made by Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda at Chandigarh on July 25 this year to withdraw notices served on the farmers under Section 6 has not been fulfiled. He further said the state government had instead issued fresh notices to the farmers under Section 5A against which about 95 per cent farmers had submitted objections to the Ambala SDM on July 30. Balwant Singh said: “Farmers are not prepared to part with their parental fertile agriculture land at any cost and will sacrifice their lives if the government forcibly acquired their land. Farmers threatened to launch a hunger strike again in case Section 6 is not withdrawn immediately.” Farmers said a video of fertile agriculture land would be sent to the Union and state governments, AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi, all opposition parties and the states where the farmers were protesting against the land acquisition policy. |
|
Dharnas in front of MPs’ residences
Fatehabad, August 21 “Our UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh have always shown zero tolerance to corruption and they have never lost a minute to take sternest action against those found indulging in corruption. We do not doubt Anna’s intentions in his fight against corruption, but the same cannot be said about the means adopted by those close to him,” said Ashok Tanwar. Tanwar said Anna Hazare and his team should respect the Constitution and organs set up under it and adopt democratic means for his demands rather than instigating people for dharnas. He said there was a well-established method to pass a Bill and the Lokpal Bill was already with Parliament. The MP said civil society led by Anna Hazare could always plead its case when the Bill came to the Standing Committee of Parliament for consideration. |
|
Inflated cotton prices eat into traders’ profits
Panipat, August 21 Local exporters stated that the business took a hit as traders had to cancel orders from clients in European and South American countries as the cost of production skyrocketed due to high cotton prices. Moreover, price re-negotiations did not work. Around 2,000 handloom units in the medium and small sector are actively engaged in manufacturing products like durries, mats, table covers, bed sheets, curtains and carpets and other home furnishing items. The state Industries Department’s records show that handloom exports from Panipat, which rose from Rs 680 crore in 1999-2000 to Rs 3,000 crore in 2007-08, came down to Rs 2,860 in 2009-10 due to a slowdown in the global economy. However, it emerged last year only to face another slowdown this year. Panipat exporters stated that last year orders had been received at pre-determined rates but when it came to production, the prices of cotton made it difficult for them to supply products at that cost. The rise in cotton prices ate into their profits and in some cases the cost of finished products was more than the sale price mentioned in the order contracts. Prem Vij, president, Panipat Exporters Association, said had the cotton prices not hit the roof, traders would have made
good profits. |
|
Jats to launch stir against govt
Fatehabad, August 21 Activists of the samiti led by Sube Singh Dhaka, general secretary, Akhil Bhartiya Jat Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti, and Harpal Singh Beniwal, state vice-president, met DC Vijay Singh Dahiya here and submitted a memorandum addressed to Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda. The Jat activists alleged that the government had failed to keep its promises given to them during their agitation last year. They had demanded withdrawal of all criminal cases against their members, arrest of the then Hisar SP, martyr status to Sunil Sheoran killed during their agitation at Mayyar and providing reservation to them by September 13. The leaders alleged that the Backward Classes Commission constituted by the state government was working at snail’s pace and there was no hope of it reaching at any conclusion by September 13. |
|
Dadupur-Nalwi canal becomes operational
Chandigarh, August 21 Out of the 250 cusecs of water, 100 cusecs of water has been released in the Nalwi distributary for the farmers of Ambala district on an experimental basis. The first phase of the Dadupur-Nalwi canal with a total water carrying capacity of 538 cusecs had been completed at a cost of about Rs 276 crore. The Nalwi distributary with a total capacity of 179 cusecs of water has been constructed to provide irrigation water to the farmers of Ambala district. The Nalwi distributary would be constructed up to Nalwi village and on its completion, 179 cusecs of water would be provided to the farmers for irrigation of paddy crop. Besides providing water for irrigation, it would also
replenish underground water table. Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda inaugurated the first phase of the Dadupur-Nalwi canal from the Hathnikund Barrage in 2009. However, due to plenty of rainfall and a flood-like situation in the state, the necessity to release water in the canal was not felt. |
|
Govt to spend over Rs 1,443 cr on healthcare
Chandigarh, August 21 “The state government is making earnest efforts to win the faith of people in the services being provided by government hospitals. These efforts have borne fruits and a growth of over 20 per cent has been registered in the number of patients visiting these hospitals,” state Health Minister Rao Narender Singh said at Dabwali. He said patients visiting government hospitals were being provided medicines free of cost for which medicines worth Rs 40 crore had been provided to the hospitals. Singh said Super Speciality Hospitals were being set up in various districts while the process of setting up three medical colleges in the state had also been initiated. “These colleges will not only provide great opportunities for students to pursue medical education but will also expand the ambit of medical facilities,” he said. Singh said 373 doctors had been recruited recently by the Health Department, out of which, more than 200 doctors had already joined and the posts of doctors lying vacant would soon be filled.
— PTI |
|
Primary teachers demonstrate in front of minister’s home
Jhajjar, August 21 The protesters sat on a dharna there to press for the acceptance of their long-pending demands. They have also warned to launch a statewide campaign against the government if their demands are not met at the earliest. Earlier, a significant number of primary teachers assembled on the campus of the mini-secretariat in the morning and started taking out a procession while shouting slogans against the state government. After some time, the protesters reached outside the Education Minister’s residence where they not only staged a day-long dharna but also criticised the government for adopting an “irresponsible” attitude against the primary teachers. Elaborate security arrangements were made to prevent any untoward incident outside the minister’s residence. “Due to the apathetic attitude of the government towards the teachers’ demands, resentment prevails among primary teachers across the state. That is why the sangh has to hold a protest demonstration for mounting pressure on the government to meet their demands,” said an office-bearer of the sangh. He maintained that the teachers were demanding promotion of primary teachers, who were recruited in 2000, directly to the post of school lecturers after giving them benefit of ACP, scholarships for the students belonging to BPL/SC/BC categories, basic facilities like electricity, potable water, rooms and ground in every government school and promotion of the teachers to the post of Block Education Officer. |
|
Now, eunuchs offer support to Anna
Ambala, August 21 Head of the eunuchs community Shawnam Mahant said they were also a part of society like the other citizens of this country and corruption had affected them, too, like the other people. She said Hazare had motivated the people to fight against corruption, adding that this agitation should have been launched a decade back. She said Hazare only could grant relief from corruption to the people of this country. She appealed to the eunuch community of the country to come forward in Hazare’s support. Another senior eunuch, Poonam Mahant, said Hazare was leading the second struggle for independence and the people were paying him respect like they did to Mahatma Gandhi. While supporting the Jan Lokpal Bill, she said the government should inplement it in toto. Sonia Mahant, Kajal Mahant, Anu Mahant, Reshma Mahant, Kajri Mahant, Rani, Kallo Chandni have also offred their support to Anna. INLD activists back Anna
Sonepat: INLD activists and office bearers led by party state spokesman Dr KC Bangar and district president and former MLA Padam Singh Dahiya on Sunday marched on the roads of the town in support of the Anna Hazare’s movement against corruption. Raising slogans against the UPA government, they reached at Subhash Chowk and Gandhi Chowk to extend their support to volunteers of the Sai Jan Seva Samiti and the Sarv Jitiya Ekta Manch who have been sitting on an indefinite hunger strike. |
|
Panel in Sirsa to check ragging
In its endeavour to check incidents of ragging in the district, the authorities has constituted a committee
in Sirsa. The committee headed by the Deputy Commissioner, Yudhbir Singh Khyalia, has DK Bahera, ADC, as its member-secretary and Satinder Kumar Gupta, SP, as a member. Representatives of all educational institutions of the district and a representative of the local media have also been included as members in the committee. “Under the guidelines envisaged in civil appeal 887/2009 (Supreme Court), all educational institutions are required to set up their own anti-ragging squads, which shall keep constant vigil on the premises of their institutions,” Khyalia said while addressing heads of various educational institutions. He said it was mandatory for the educational institutions to report incidents of ragging to the authorities and a first information report (FIR) had to be lodged with the police. He said the educational institutions should provide proper information about the ban of ragging and stern action invited by such action among the students, teaching and non-teaching staff members. The ADC advised the heads of educational institutions to organise fresher parties for introduction of new students to the old ones under their supervision, so that there remained no communication gap between the two sides. |
|
Cloned buffalo Garima died of heart failure
Panipat, August 21 According to sources, Garima had been cloned using a tissue from a foetus as part of a “hand-guided cloning technique”, which allows the sex of the calf to be chosen. The idea was to identify the possibilities and challenges involved
in clones giving birth to offsprings. Sources said about a month back when Garima started showing signs of depression, the scientists were contemplating of impregnating the clone to carry forward the study. However, with Garima’s deteriorating health, it was decided to postpone the move till she had completely recovered. Meanwhile, AK Srivastava, director, said Garima had died of a heart failure. He said the clone had some heart problems since birth, which could not be ascertained till five days back, when it started showing symptoms of heart trouble. During the postmortem of the clone it was found that its heart weighed 5.2 kg and was bigger in size as compared to the heart of a normal buffalo. |
|
Rationalisation panel reconstituted
Chandigarh, August 21 Mahender Partap Singh, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister, said here that the commissioner of the division concerned, Inspector-General of the range concerned, DC or SP of the district concerned would be its members and the special secretary, Revenue and Disaster Management, would be its member-secretary. |
|
|
Central plan to empower adolescent girls
Chandigarh, August 21 An official spokesman said over 3.05 lakh adolescent girls of these six districts would be covered under the scheme. He said the scheme was aimed at empowerment of girls between 11 and 18 years by improving their nutritional and health conditions and involving them in suitable vocations. The scheme would help reduce the incidents of child marriage, maternal mortality and anemia. |
|
Provide land, get ‘regular’ power supply
Chandigarh, August 21 The decision will cover all substations, which are under construction or not yet commissioned. While stating this here yesterday, Power Minister Ajay Singh Yadav said the villages which had given land free of cost for 200 KV substations had been demanding uninterrupted power supply with better voltage.
— PTI |
|
IGNOU conducts entrance exams
Karnal, August 21 The Open MAT was held in the morning session, the test for B.Ed and BSc in nursing (post-basic) courses was held in the afternoon session atfour centres in Karnal with 1074 candidates taking the examination, Ashok Sharma, Regional Director, IGNOU (Karnal), said.
— TNS |
|
Two killed in road mishap
Jhajjar, August 21 The accident took place when the two were returning home from Jhajjar in a car. As they reached near Dadri Toa village, their car was hit by a vehicle . The police rushed Vikas and Sandeep to the Civil Hospital in a critical condition. They later succumbed to their injuries. A case has already
been registered in this connection. |
|
Accident victims identified
Rewari, August 21 The two died when the Innova they were travelling in, which they had looted on August 16, collided against a tree at Jhal village. A case has been registered.
— OC
|
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
Jind, August 21
Sirsa, August 21