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Railway Budget 2012
Industry disappointed
Issue of new dists kicks
up controversy in BJP
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RS poll: Nadda likely to be BJP nominee
Congress MLAs talk to mediapersons after staging a walkout from the Vidhan Sabha in Shimla on Wednesday. Photo: Amit Kanwar
Lecturers oppose move to close addl exam centres
Cong to launch campaign for Bindal’s ouster
Satti has a dig at Cong
NIT told to bear water charges
SSB volunteers take out protest march
‘Need to learn from success stories of differently
abled’
Students attend a workshop on “Media and accessibility” in Shimla on
Wednesday
Nalwadi Mela from March 17
Wages of anganwari workers up
Man gets 16-month RI
Chaitra festival begins
Murder accused arrested
Woman’s murder: Police clueless
Threatens to gherao CM
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State’s interests overlooked: Dhumal
Tribune News Service
Shimla, March 14 The interests of Himachal had been overlooked even though the state had been pressing for the construction of the Mandi-Manali-Leh rail line for the past so many years keeping in view its strategic importance. A survey of the railway line had already been completed, but the Centre had not paid any attention to the expansion of the railway network in the state. It was unfortunate that even in the proposal to construct 45 new railway lines of 700-km length in 2012-13, the state had not been given a fair share. Only 44-km-long rail line had been constructed in the state since Independence. However, he thanked the Railway Minister for extending the Delhi-Una Himachal Express and the Nangal Dam-Una Himachal passenger train to Amb-Andoura. He said sending proposals for the Baddi-Kalka, Bilaspur-Leh via Kullu-Manali, Ghanauli-Baddi, Ghanauli-Dehradun via Baddi-Nalagarh-Jagadhri-Surajpur and Kala Amb-Paonta Sahib railway lines to the Planning Commission for appraisal was only a political stunt of the UPA government.
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Industry disappointed
Solan, March 14 The industry was hopeful that the much-awaited 186-km new rail line connecting Ghanauli-Nalagarh-Baddi-Surajpur-Kala Amb-Paonta Sahib and Dehradun would be allocated in the budget, but it has been disappointed as that did not happen. According to the feasibility report prepared by the Railways, this rail track was to be laid at a cost of Rs 3,745 crore and the state was supposed to pool in 25 per cent of the cost. According to the budget, this rail line has been split into three proposals: Kalka-Baddi, Ghanauli-Baddi, Ghanauli-Dehradun via Baddi-Nalagarh-Jagadhri-Surajpur-Kala Amb-Paonta Sahib and these proposals have been sent for appraisal to the Planning Commission among 84 new line projects. With successive budgets failing to allocate any budget for new rail lines to facilitate the state’s industry, the hopes of expanding the railway network have again been dashed. Investors say the slow pace at which new rail line projects are moving in the state are indicative of the lack of priority accorded to Himachal Pradesh. Sanjay Guleria, president of the Himachal Drug Manufacturers Association, said it was regrettable that despite two ministers in the UPA government, the state had failed to plead its case for the expansion of the railway network. Virender Kashyap, MP, Shimla, said the budget was not very encouraging. He said though he had personally met the Railway Minister a few days ago and had urged him to accord priority to the expansion of the railway network in the state, the budget was not encouraging for the industry.
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Issue of new dists kicks
up controversy in BJP
Dharamsala, March 14 Recently, Minister for Industries and Dharamsala MLA Kishan Kapoor made a statement that he would oppose the division of Kangra district tooth and nail. Reacting to this statement, Independent MLA from Nurpur Rakesh
Pathania, who is an associate member of the BJP, challenged the minister to visit the Nurpur
area. Pathania’s statement evoked a strong reaction from the district unit of the
BJP, which issued a statement yesterday reprimanding Pathania for challenging
Kapoor. Leaders said during the last stint of the BJP in power, ADCs were posted in
Nurpur, Palampur and Dehra with a view to creating new districts out of
Kangra. However, despite that the BJP lost all four Assembly seats in Nurpur subdivision. The district Bar association also threw its hat into the controversy by passing a resolution and threatening an agitation in case new districts were created out of Kangra district. The Congress is adopting a cautious approach on the issue. Most of its leaders are not opposing the creation of new districts out of Kangra but are just questioning the timing. A section of the BJP feels that two new districts were created in Punjab - Pathankot and Fazilka - just before the Assembly elections. The creation of new districts in Punjab turned into electoral gains for the party in both areas. They are of the view that in case new districts are created out of
Kangra, it will help the party in the coming Assembly elections in the state. However, a faction of the BJP that is opposed to the creation of new districts maintains that the conditions in Punjab are different from
Himachal. The move to create new districts at this point in time can also backfire in the elections, they
maintain. Himachal has 12 districts for a population of about 68 lakh as per the latest census report. On an average, there is a population of less than 6 lakh people per district. However,
Kangra, the biggest district of the state, has a population of 16 lakh.
Kangra is also one of the oldest districts of the state. In joint Punjab,
Kullu, Lahaul and Spiti, Hamirpur and parts of Una were part of Kangra district. The district has 16 Assembly constituencies. However, after delimitation the number of Assembly constituencies in the district has been reduced to 15. Though Kangra has the maximum number of
MLAs, only Shanta Kumar has managed to become the Chief Minister from the district. However, his two stints as Chief Minister ended in just less than three years. Four of the nine ministers in the Himachal Cabinet belong to
Kangra. |
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RS poll: Nadda likely to be BJP nominee
Shimla, March 14 The state election committee of the BJP met here yesterday under the chairmanship of state BJP president Satpal Singh Satti to discuss the candidate to be fielded for the Rajya Sabha election. The BJP central election committee will meet in Delhi tomorrow to finalise the names of candidates to be fielded from various states. Satti, who left for Delhi today, said the final decision in this regard would be taken by the central election committee. As expected Shanta Kumar did not attend the meeting. Among those who attended the meeting were Jai Ram Thakur, Ravinder Singh Ravi and Khimi Ram, all ministers and senior party leaders Suresh Bhardwaj, Chandermohan Thakur and Vipin Parmar. Sources said the other names which were discussed at the meeting included former BJP minister Chandersen Thakur and Buddhist spiritual guru Lochan Tulku. Even though Satti has bene authorised by the committee to decide on the final name, it is reliably learnt that a single-line resolution recommending the name of Nadda was adopted. Nadda, an MLA from the Bilaspur (Sadar) constituency, is a close aide of party chief Nitin Gadkari and is at present the national general secretary of the BJP. As such his candidature has the full backing of the party chief. He quit as Forest Minister in the Dhumal government, following his selection by Gadkari in his team in May 2010. Nadda, who has been trying to bring about truce between the two rival factions headed by Shanta Kumar and Dhumal, is likely to arrive here on March 18 to file his nomination the next day. With Nadda being the strongest candidate for the Rajya Sabha seat right from the beginning, his candidature was being considered a foregone conclusion. However, it is only after the central election committee approves his name that his candidature will be final. The Congress on the other hand is yet to decide whether it will be fielding a candidate with the BJP having a complete majority to ensure the victory of its candidate. The Congress may field a former minister or a sitting MLA as its candidate in case it wants a contest for the Rajya Sabha seat.
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Pandemonium in Vidhan Sabha
Shimla, March 14 Leader of the Opposition Vidya Stokes tried to raise the issue as soon as the House assembled, but Speaker Tulsi Ram did not allow her to speak and said he would first apprise the members of the efforts made by him to resolve the standoff and restore normalcy. He said after yesterday’s unfortunate happenings in the House, which brought shame to the state, he invited Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Ravinder Ravi and the Leader of the Opposition to his chamber to discuss the issue to break the deadlock by finding a solution within the rules and procedures of the Vidhan Sabha. Under Rule 303, members have to give information regarding charges against any minister well in advance and also submit certified documents to substantiate them. However, the Leader of the Opposition did not come for the meeting even after he sent a written letter to her. Stokes maintained that she did not receive any intimation for the meeting and it was only late in the day that she received a call from Ravi in this regard. The Speaker said he had sent a messenger but he returned and informed that she had refused to accept the letter. Stokes said her party had the essential documents to nail Bindal. The minister had resigned and what were the compelling reasons which prevented the Chief Minister from accepting it. Intervening in the matter, Ravi said the conduct of Congress members yesterday was reprehensible and they had been rattled by the results of the Assembly poll in the neighbouring Punjab and Uttarakhand and deliberately indulged in such behaviour. As the Speaker proceeded with question hour thereafter, Congress members trooped into the well of the House and started raising slogans. The turmoil continued through question hour after which the Congress staged a walkout. The debate on the motion of thanks on the Governor’s Address continued in their absence.
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Lecturers oppose move to close addl exam centres
Mandi, March 14 “Besides, the university has started undergraduate examinations from March 15, but it has not sent the cut-out list of students along with their roll numbers appearing in the examinations to the respective colleges till today,” resented college teachers. Talking to The Tribune, state secretary of the association Rajesh Yadav said, “We have informed the Vice-Chancellor and the Controller of Examination about the difficulties colleges are facing. But the university did not consult colleges before closing down the
centres.” The Mandi postgraduate college centre used to have separate centres for arts and science, but this time the university has just one centre for 1,900 to 2,300 students, including private students, in this college, said
Yadav. “The association is opposing the unilateral decision and we need more centres to conduct examinations smoothly in 16 big colleges in the state,” he added. There is a superintendent and a deputy superintendent to conduct the examination of over 1,900 students sitting in over 40 different rooms. The Mandi college was not the only one in the state where the university has closed its examination centre. In fact there are over 15 other colleges facing the issue, said members of
the association. Meanwhile, Controller of Examinations Narinder Awasthy said the university had not shut down the examination
centres, but they had clubbed three centres in one. “We have allotted deputy superintendent for the additional 500 students and one additional clerk for the additional 800 students,” he added. He claimed that they had sent the cut-list of students to colleges through e-mail and would deliver the hard copy of the list tomorrow in all colleges, which did not have e-mail facility. “We will ensure that the evaluation process ends by April end,” he added. But the association claimed that the university had closed down additional centres in big colleges on the ground that it would save money. “It pays just Rs 80 per teacher and Rs 120 per superintendent and will save just Rs 14,000 or so by closing these
centres,” they said. The HP Service Commission had kept one centre for 500 candidates, but the university had made examinations “a burdensome formality”, commented teachers. |
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Cong to launch campaign for Bindal’s ouster
Shimla, March 14 The party has decided to come out with a separate charge sheet against Bindal in addition to the main document in view of the seriousness and scale of allegations against him. Leader of the Opposition Vidya Stokes said the charges against Bindal warranted a CBI probe, but Chief Minister PK Dhumal was not prepared to discuss the issue in the House. Pradesh Congress Committee chief Kaul Singh said the Congress would not allow the stage-managed resignation drama to succeed and take the fight against corruption to the logical conclusion. Shady land deals were a big issue and thousands of transactions pertaining to land and other property on the basis of the general power of attorney that had come to light revealed the scale of the scam. Despite the recommendations of a select committee for scrapping the Apartments Regulation Act, the government continued giving new licences and six licences had been given to oblige builders. He blamed the ruling party for the unsavoury incidents in the House yesterday and maintained that Congress members did not indulge in violence despite provocation from the Treasury Benches. Chairman of the charge sheet committee of the Congress GS Bali said more and more scandals were coming to light even as the charge sheet was being
finalised. The latest was the allotment of industrial training institutes to private parties under the public-private partnership. |
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Satti has a dig at Cong
Shimla, March 14 Talking to mediapersons, he said the Congress kept quiet for fours years and its leaders got their works done by the government. However, now when the party was being dubbed as a weak Opposition, its members had gone overboard in creating trouble in the House to impress the high command. There was a lurking fear in their minds that after their poor showing in the Assembly poll in states, some of them might be denied the party ticket. The Congress lost the poll in Punjab, failed to get a majority in Uttarakhand and managed to secure just 27 seats in Uttar Pradesh despite relentless campaigning by Rahul Gandhi. The writing was on the wall for the party and such desperate actions would not help it. Interestingly, the party was in disarray, but Union Minister Virbhadra Singh was saying that he was ready for the Assembly poll in the state, which provided ample indication of the factional war in the party.
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NIT told to bear water charges
Hamirpur, March 14 The decision was conveyed to the NIT authorities by the Executive Engineer (XEN), IPH Division, Hamirpur, on the directions of the state government received recently. The IPH Department had been managing the drinking water supply to the NIT, besides paying the annual electricity bill of about Rs 1 crore since the days of the inception of the Regional Engineering College (REC) here. Even after the REC was upgraded to the NIT, the water supply to the institute was maintained by the IPH Department, which had deployed a few employees for this purpose on the NIT campus. A few years ago, the Central Government had given complete financial and administrative autonomy to NITs. After the autonomous status, the state government’s administrative officer appointed in the NIT was withdrawn by the government as its role in the administration was finished after the enactment of the NIT Autonomy Act. The government’s argument in asking the NIT authorities to bear the maintenance cost for providing drinking water is that after attaining the autonomous character by the NIT, the liability of the government has ceased. SK Dhiman, XEN, IPH Division, Hamirpur said, “We had taken up this issue with the state government and after getting directions, the department has asked the NIT authorities to bear the cost of maintaining the drinking water supply and sewage line, besides paying the energy bill.”
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SSB volunteers take out protest march
Mandi, March 14 They urged Chief Minister PK Dhumal to take up the issue of their employment with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) to frame a state policy for them along the lines of Manipur and Uttarakhand. They raised anti-government slogans as it had been a matter of bread and butter for over 15,000 SSB volunteers, including 4,500 women, in the state. MP Bhardwaj, president of the sangh, said they had been protesting for their rights since 2001 when the Centre suddenly closed all the three SSB volunteers training centres in the state. But state governments never took up the issue with the MHA despite repeated requests for framing a state policy for them, he resented. The Uttarakhand Government had passed a resolution and framed a state policy after the Guhati High Court gave verdict in favour of SSB volunteers. But nothing had been done for them in Himachal Pradesh, volunteers said. They claimed that SSB volunteers had been adjusted in paramilitary forces as per the HC verdict in Manipur. But the state government had done nothing for the regularisation of their services so far even as the HC also favoured them. They also submitted a memorandum to the CM, the Governor and the President through the DC, Mandi, reiterating their demands.
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‘Need to learn from success stories of differently
abled’
Shimla, March 14 This was stated by Prof SP Bansal, Director, IIHS, while inaugurating a two-day workshop on “Media and accessibility” here today. The workshop is being organised jointly by the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication at the International Centre for Distance Education and Open Learning (ICDEOL) and Aliyavarjang National Institute of Hearing Handicapped, Mumbai. Bansal highlighted the role of differently abled in the overall development of the country and called upon participants to involve them in all activities without any bias against them. “This issue is being discussed globally and India has emerged as a trendsetter for taking up the welfare activities of differently abled in comparison to other countries,” he said. Bansal stressed the need for learning a lot from the success stories of the differently abled, who had made a significant contribution in the uplift of the needy despite braving the handicap in the life. He said the IIHS would initiate research projects on media and accessibility with a view to provide equal opportunities for the differently abled.
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Nalwadi Mela from March 17
Bilaspur, March 14 This was stated by SP and Mela Wrestling Bouts Sub-Committee convener Santosh Patial after a meeting of this sub-committee of officials and non-officials here today. The SP said this year the cash prize for best wrestler (“malli pehalwan”) had been increased by Rs 61,000 from the earlier Rs 51,000 while the runner-up would get a cash prize of Rs 41,000 instead of Rs 31,000 earlier. He said all cash prizes of the third and fourth best wrestlers would now be Rs 20,000 from Rs 15,000 and Rs 15,000 from Rs 11,000, respectively. Patial said the “Him Kumar” title winner would also get an enhanced cash prize of Rs 31,000 than the earlier Rs 21,000 and runner-up would get Rs 21,000 instead of the earlier Rs 15,000. Third and fourth prize winners of the “Him Kumar” would also get Rs 11,000 than the earlier Rs 9,100 and Rs 6,100 instead of the earlier Rs 5,100, respectively. Any young wrestler up to the age of 21 years on March 21, 2012, from the state can compete in this “Him Kumar” title wrestling and must bring an attested certificate of domicile with photo and age proof from the competent authority. |
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Wages of anganwari workers up
Shimla, March 14 The decision, which will benefit 18,352 anganwari workers and an equal number of anganwari helpers and 330 mini anganwari workers, was taken by the state Cabinet here today. The meeting was chaired by Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal. Anganwari workers will now be paid Rs 3,300, anganwari helpers Rs 1,700 and 330 mini anganwari workers to get Rs 1,750 honorarium per month. The arrears of previously enhanced honorarium of Rs 3,000 per month to anganwari workers and Rs 1,500 to anganwari helpers and mini anganwari workers with effect from April 1, 2011 will also be released immediately. The government will have to bear an additional burden of Rs 22.22 crore to provide these arrears. The Cabinet also decided to constitute a committee under the chairmanship of the Assistant Engineer, IPH, to recruit 2,000 water guards to maintain rural drinking water supply schemes in the state. It granted formal approval to the Budget estimates of the state for the next financial year 2012-13. The Cabinet also approved to amend the HP Municipal Corporation (Election) Rules, 2012, which provides for 50 pc reservation to women. |
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Man gets 16-month RI
Chamba, March 14 In default of the payment of the fine, the convict would further undergo imprisonment for three months. The judgment said on May 23 last year Head Constable Deva Nand of Nakrod police post, along with other police officials, was present at Thathi Morh for nakabandi. A man with a bag coming from Bharada village on seeing the police tried to run away. He was nabbed and his bag searched. It contained a hard substance in the shape of “battis” and “golas” which turned out to be charas. |
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Chaitra festival begins
Hamirpur, March 14 The DC has also appealed to devotees not to travel in open trucks and tractor trolleys and not take their vehicles right up to the shrine. The administration would provide free taxis to old devotees and those unable to walk up to temple.
— TNS |
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Murder accused arrested
Nurpur, March 14 DSP Rajinder Jaswal said the accused had some old enmity with the deceased. He allegedly strangulated him near a cowshed of Prakash Chand of the village and tried to convert his crime into suicide by hanging him with a plastic rope from a tree. But he failed to do so and left the body on the spot. Jaswal said the postmortem report of the deceased had confirmed asphyxia as the cause of the death.
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Woman’s murder: Police clueless
Mandi/Kullu, March 14 The police found the burnt body a few days ago at an isolated place under Jia
panchayat. The police suspected that the culprits raped the victim before killing her. The victim’s cries could not be heard as the spot of crime was surrounded by rocks, it added. The forensic examination of the body said the victim appeared to be a woman aged between 17-35 years. ASP,
Kullu, Sandeep Dhawan, who inspected the spot recently, said they had informed police stations in and outside the state. |
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Threatens to gherao CM
Dharamsala, March 14 In case the Chief Minister did not accept the resignation of the Health Minister, the Congress would gherao him on his visit to Kangra district, she said.
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Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal has termed the Railway Budget as anti-people and anti-poor stating that the increase in railway fares will hit every section.
He said the Railway Minister had also hinted at an increase in freight charges, which would have a cascading effect on prices, leading to a higher rate of inflation. The UPA had no moral right to voice the concerns of the common man as its policies and programmes had always been directed towards benefiting rich sections of society.
Shimla, March 14
