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Unhappy with banks, govt to have its own
integrated financial system
Chinese crackers flood markets
Roadways staff to get Divali bonanza
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Guv, CM extend Divali wishes
Get serious about diabetes, says expert
Left to campaign against FDI
Legal literacy drive stresses women’s rights
‘Not necessary for schools to collect funds from students’
Woman raped in Sirsa
NRI couple case: Husband refutes charges
Faridabad to get 24-hr power till Nov 14 noon
23 test positive for dengue
Roshan Lal gets addl charge
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Unhappy with banks, govt to have its own
integrated financial system
In spite of the banks' inability to coordinate with the state government for smooth functioning of the treasuries, being taken up in the previous State Level Bankers Committee (SLBC) meeting in August, the issue has remained unresolved. State treasury officials, who were present in the SLBC meeting held here recently, said the banks were still not integrated with the state government treasuries, and that the scrolls of transactions were not being filled and returned by the banks. Harinder Kumar, director, treasuries and account department, said the new integrated financial management system would integrate all financial and human resource management systems of the state government. "This system will integrate all financial aspects of the state government — treasuries, ways and means, state government finances, budgets of various departments and its utilization. Once this is in place, the treasury branches of banks will have to upload all data on this web portal," he said. The state government has been accusing banks of not deploying sufficient manpower for smooth functioning of its treasuries; being ignorant about instructions relating to government business; and, erroneous reporting of the government business to the RBI. The directorate of treasuries performs its activities through 21 district treasuries and 85 sub treasuries, and over 6,600 drawing and disbursing officers (DDOs) of various state government departments interact with these treasuries for withdrawal (expenditure) and deposit (receipts) of funds from/ in the consolidated fund of the state. Haryana is among the first states in the country to go in for automation of state government treasuries and has all systems in place for electronic payments of salaries, pensions and other government expenditure, but the treasury branches of banks have failed to keep pace. However, banks have not employed sufficient manpower, nor have they trained the manpower for carrying on the government business. Initially, banks were demanding charges for payment through RTGS/ NEFT or demand opening of account in their branch for purpose of each transaction, which is not required. Kumar said though most of these issues have been resolved, the scrolls sent back by the banks are still in manual format. In case of overpayment by banks (in cases of pension disbursal), the excess payment is not immediately credited to the government account and cases drag on for a long time. streamlining govt transactions
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Chinese crackers flood markets
Kurukshetra, November 12 Chinese crackers are available in markets at relatively cheaper prices with attractive packing. Though many cracker dealers say substandard material is used in Chinese crackers, buyers still preferred them due to their "affordable" prices. Various types of crackers, including sound crackers, roll caps, crackling sparklers, colour sparklers, match crackers etc from China have flooded the markets. More variety was available at Sectror-10 and Thanesar areas. These crackers attract buyers, especially children due to their attractive packing. The packets display photos of various dragon and Sumo wrestlers on covers and reasonable prices attract the buyers. Himanshu Malik, a contractor, told The Tribune that Indians easily get attracted to foreign tags. They were always ready to shell out more money for "imported" items, without bothering much about the quality. "Some of them are really good. But realising the pulse of buyers, many Indian manufacturers have started packing the material, giving a Chinese look. In most of the Chinese crackers, potassium chloride is used, which is banned and unsafe". "The Indian manufacturers use aluminum powder in crackers, which is relatively safe but expensive. Their product has to be expensive but buyers go for imported material. We have to bring them to market, as people demand for it. Divali fills the pockets of traders so we can't afford to lose customers," he said. The crackers in the city are been sold by the licence holders, as per district administration instructions. Several venues have been marked by administration for sale of crackers and for the convenience of people. The administration has strictly ordered that fire-crackers could not be sold in congested residential areas in the city due to several health issues. Chinese Lakshmi-Ganesha
Gurgaon: Chinese products have captured local markets in a big way. Even traditional Indian festival items like idols of goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha being sold in large numbers are also made in China. Similarly, Chinese fancy lights, toy-pistols, gift-items and decorative buntings are also selling like hot cakes. Though the local sweets shops are also witnessing heavy rush, traditional Indian sweets are getting replaced by chocolates, especially among the upper-middle class residents. |
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Roadways staff to get Divali bonanza
Chandigarh, November 12 This ex-gratia amount to the employees of the Haryana Roadways is in lieu of bonus for 2011-12 and will benefit 17,000 employees working as drivers, conductors, depot workmen among others. This will cost an additional Rs 6.80 crores to the government. The Haryana Roadways employees of this category are entitled to ex-gratia since they qualify as “workmen” unlike other government employees. The Hooda government, after coming to power, had enhanced the ex-gratia amount to Rs 3,000, further raising it to Rs 3,200. As compared to this year, an ex-gratia of Rs 3,500 per employee was given during last financial year to such employees. Sources said the government was committed to benefiting the Haryana Roadways employees of this category despite the roadways not being in profit. “Far from being in profit, the roadways are in a loss. This is true for all state-run Roadways for the simple reason that earning is not the department’s motive. The state-run roadways is essentially to provide concessional transport to the public. It is a service the government extends for the benefit of the common man, making profits redundant since public-welfare is at the centre of the whole plan,” an officer explained. The president of the Haryana Roadways Union, Anup Singh, welcomed the government’s decision to increase the ex-gratia by a “handsome” amount. |
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Get serious about diabetes, says expert
Rohtak, November 12 This figure may swell to 70 million by 2025, warned Dr Ajay Yadav, Consultant Vascular and Endovascular Surgeon in Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital. He said one in every 10 adults was a patient of this disease and the figure could double by 2030. Expressing concern over the situation he said according to a World Health Organisation report, around 11.1 percent of adult males and 10.8 per cent of adult females in India suffer from diabetes. Revealing that up to 25 percent of patients with diabetes were likely to develop a foot ulcer, he said more than half of all foot ulcers would become infected, requiring hospitalization and 20 percent of the infections might result in amputation. Claiming that diabetes contributed to approximately 80 percent of all non-traumatic amputations performed yearly, he said 50 percent of people would have their other limb amputated within a period of two years. “The people with a history of a diabetic foot ulcer have a 40 percent higher risk to their lives as risk to life itself through heart attack of stroke rise by 40 percent”. According to Dr. Yadav while non-communicable diseases cause almost two-thirds of all deaths worldwide, Diabetes was responsible for 4.6 million deaths worldwide in 2011, with one person dying of diabetes every 10 seconds and two new diabetic cases surfacing every ten seconds. He said diabetes is not something that affects only the rich and affluent. “It is now more frequently affecting the middle and lower middle class families. The disease most likely affects those with a sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy dietary habits. Yet despite all the awareness programs being run by the government and NGO’s, more than 50 percent of all diabetic patients remain undiagnosed”. The easiest way to care for diabetes and diabetic foot was to get up and start walking, opined Dr. Yadav, who adds that strict control of diabetes and regular exercise was of paramount importance. |
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Left to campaign against FDI
Rohtak, November 12 The CPI (M) hit out at the recent Congress rally in Delhi in support of the FDI, saying the government was trying to mislead farmers. A CPI(M) spokesperson for the party’s state committee said the party would carry out a campaign to create awareness against the government claims on the FDI impact in the country. Inderjit Singh, state secretary, alleged the Haryana government was following an anti-people path, threatening the livelihood, social security and dignity of ordinary citizens. He said while taking stock of the overall socio-economic situation of the state, the CPI(M) felt deeply anguished over a series of incidents of sexual assaults on women and minor girls in various parts of Haryana and the “total’ failure” of law enforcing agencies in providing security to women, Dalits and other weaker sections. The party would continue its campaign for an end to atrocities against women. Condemning “oppression of workers” belonging to the Manesar plant of Maruti-Suzuki, it sought an end to victimization of labourers. The CPI(M) also criticised raising the JBT training period from two to three years by the Haryana education department. The party asked its units to highlight the land scandals and systemic corruption in all spheres of public life in Haryana. |
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Legal literacy drive stresses women’s rights
Kurukshetra, November 12 Under the nationwide campaign, Kurukshetra is one of the districts where legal services at the doorstep were being delivered, Batra said. About domestic violence and women’s rights, he said the government initiative followed a global movement on women empowerment. Batra said society had to evolve a system that prompts all to respect senior citizens. Non-government voluntary organisations working on social values had to dedicate themselves for common causes such as care for senior citizens and women empowerment. Sharing his experiences during the legal literacy campaign, he said the participation of parents, teachers, social workers, senior citizens and schoolchildren was remarkable. “The campaign was successful in delivering the awareness message through talks, cultural events, declamation contest and quiz contests,” he said. About free legal aid for the poor under the umbrella of the District Legal Services Authority, Batra said: “The aim was to provide help to the needy on a priority basis. The legal counselling clinic being run in select schools of the district offer a lot of scope to sort out problems and do away with discrimination”. The Chief Judicial Magistrate-cum-Secretary, District Legal Services Authority, RS Dhanda, said the authority would conduct such camps. |
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Battery-run autos on Sirsa roads soon
Sirsa, November 12 With these autos, Sirsa will become one of the few towns of north India to have such eco-friendly public vehicles. Sirsa Deputy Commissioner J Ganesan said a trial run has already been made in the town. The unemployed youth can get these vehicles against a non-refundable security deposit ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000, he said. The authorities will make the arrangements for charging of batteries in the traffic park being established near the mini-secretariat. The one-time cost for charging the battery will be Rs 20. A trained mechanic will be in charge of the station where batteries would be charged. The battery will have a backup of eight hours and once charged, it will be able to run for 90 km. The auto-rickshaw will cost the authorities nearly Rs 1 lakh per unit and those plying it can hope to earn Rs 250 to 300 per day. The auto-rickshaws will have a capacity of carrying four persons and a red beep will start playing if an extra passenger is allowed to sit. The auto start facility will not work once an extra passenger is allowed. The battery driven auto rickshaws will not only be eco-friendly, but will also help in the implementation of traffic rules in a better manner. |
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‘Not necessary for schools to collect funds from students’
Chandigarh, November 12 The Private Schools Association had moved the court citing Haryana education rules. According to the rules, a recognised school will not charge any fund from students except Red Cross Fund, Child Welfare Fund and Sports Fund as per instruction issued by the department from time to time. A specified share of these funds are to be deposited with the district education officer/additional district education officer before September 30 every year. The petitioner contended that unaided recognised schools were not getting any grant from the government. Therefore, the government cannot insist that these schools, under the rule, must necessarily collect such funds. After hearing the arguments, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri and Justice Rakesh Kumar Jain said: “We feel the petition is filed on the misreading of the rule in question. This rule, in fact, prohibits recognised school from charging any funds from the students and the only funds which can be charged are Red Cross Fund, Child Welfare Fund and Sports Fund. “However, a reverse situation is not provided, namely, it is not necessary or compulsory for a school to collect these funds. If a particular unaided school does not even want to collect the Red Cross fund, Child Welfare Fund or Sports Fund, it would be within the discretion of the said school not to make any (such) collection from students”. While dismissing the petition, the bench said, “Additional Advocate General, Haryana, has also made a statement at the bar to the same effect. In view thereof, we are of the opinion that the apprehension expressed in this petition is unwarranted and no directions are required to be issued.” |
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Woman raped in Sirsa
Sirsa, November 12 While Virender raped the victim, his friend Gurmeet, who was also present there stood as guard outside the room. After raping the woman, the accused warned her against narrating the incident to anyone. The accused escaped from the scene after committing the crime. The victim, however, narrated the incident to other women, who were working with her on the fields. Later, the woman approached the police post at Mallekan village and lodged her complaint. The statement of the victim was recorded in the presence of Advocate Sanju Bala, counsel for the District Legal Services Authority for the Sadar Police Station. The police took the victim to the General Hospital, Sirsa, for her medical examination where rape was confirmed. The police said a case of rape had been registered against Virender and Gurmeet and efforts were on to arrest them. |
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NRI couple case: Husband refutes charges
Karnal, November 12 “I have neither cheated my wife Rama Sharma nor exploited her. Some elements have created fissures in our relations and I assert that I am no longer living with my first wife whom I divorced legally,” he said. Neel Kamal admitted that there had been various money transactions between him and his wife. “Rama had sent me money for investment in property in India as the US was reeling under an economic slowdown,” he said. “I had divorced my first wife. Some persons were misguiding Rama to create misunderstandings between us by telling her that I am still living with my first wife, which is false”, he asserted. — TNS |
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Faridabad to get 24-hr power till Nov 14 noon
Faridabad, November 12 He said the department had taken measures to ensure that no cut was imposed till Wednesday noon. A contingency plan has been put in place for special purchase of power in this regard, he added. He said the department’s ”calls centres” in Faridabad would be manned by the Sub-Divisional Engineers to ensure speedy redressal of consumers’ complaints during the period. |
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23 test positive for dengue
Hisar, November 12 One of the three patients, who tested positive yesterday belongs to Hisar, while the remaining two were from Rajgarh in Rajasthan and the other from Fatehabad. They are undergoing treatment at three different private nursing homes. The Malaria Department officials said since one of the patients who had tested positive for dengue was from the Urban Estate area, the department would arrange for fogging in the colony as a precautionary measure.
— TNS |
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Roshan Lal gets addl charge
Chandigarh, November 12 Meanwhile, the government has posted KK Sharma, Commissioner of Police (CP), Ambala-Panchkula as IGP, Telecom, Panchkula, with additional charge of CP, Ambala and Panchkula. |
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Chandigarh, November 12