Dharamsala, November 23
The state government will bear the burden of providing extra ration at subsidised rates to small families falling under BPL category in the state.

Minister for Food and Civil supplies, Technical Education and Transport GS Bali gave this information while addressing a press conference here today.

The minister said after the implementation of the Food Security Bill, small families falling under the BPL category were at a loss. Earlier, they were getting about 35 kg foodgrains per month under the food subsidy programme of the state government. Under the Food Security Bill, each member of a BPL family was entitled to 5 kg wheat and 2 kg rice per month. This means that a two-member family would get just 14 kg foodgrains per month.

However, to prevent loss to small BPL families, the state government has decided to continue providing them 35 kg foodgrains per month. The financial burden of about Rs 50 crore for providing extra foodgrains to small families would be borne by the state government, he said.

The said scheme would be implemented from December 1, the minister said.

He also denied that there was a shortage of foodgrains at Public Distribution System (PDS) shops in the state. He said tenders worth Rs 68 crore for providing black gram and pulses in PDS shops had been finalised for the coming six months. About 7.6 lakh litre mustard oil and refined oils had also been procured. The procurement of sugar was in progress. All the said material was available in godowns of the Food and Civil Supply Department.

Bali said he was not satisfied with the quality of salt being supplied to PDS shops. He said officials had been asked to look into alternatives for providing quality salt to the people of the state. He said the Department of Technical Education had mooted a proposal to open two engineering colleges in government sector in the state.

These colleges have been proposed at Nagrota Bagwan in Kangra district and Rampur in Shimla district.

He claimed that since the present government had taken over in last 10 months, the revenue of the HRTC had increased by Rs 40 crore. “The HRTC is all set to receive 100 new buses next month,” he added.

To check pilferage in the HRTC and Food and Civil Supplies Departments, the state government would form flying squads to conduct surprise checks, he said.

When asked about his reported rivalry with Minister for Housing And Urban Development Sudhir Sharma, Bali denied that he had an enmity with the former. “Sudhir Sharma is my younger brother and I have nothing against him. Differences between us were played out of context by the media,” he said.

Shimla, November 23
Community medicine experts today called for bridging the gap between research and delivery of health care as the benefits of research are not reaching the common man. The need of the hour is to strengthen linkages so that the system of public health benefits the community as a whole, it was added.

Inaugurating the 17th annual conference of the North Zone Indian Association of Preventive and Social Medicine at the Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), Shimla, organised by the Department of Community Medicine here today, Principal Secretary, Health, Ali Raza Rijvi urged community health experts to suggest interventions to bridge the big gap between research findings and government schemes to improve the delivery of public health care.

"In Himachal health indicators - infant mortality rate, institutional delivery, immunisation, tuberculosis cure rate, leprosy prevalence and others - are better than the country's average, but the benefits of research are not reaching the community as it should as the linkages remain weak," he added.

He said the Health Department had just 2 GDOs in the entire state catering to the two medical colleges. The clinicians had hijacked the health agenda, even as the government health policy is now focusing on basic health care as being focused in the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), he added.

The link between the Medical College and the Health Department exists, but it has to be strengthened to improve the delivery of health care to the common man, said Dr Nevin C Wilson, Regional Director, Union of South-East Asia, who presented the keynote address on the occasion.

Presenting the vote of thanks, Dr SR Mazta, Head, Community Medicines, said the department had got three projects under the NRHM for the first time. He called for sensitisation of the researchers and health-care providers and for finding out of the problems on the ground as far as delivery of health care under NHRM is concerned. The health workers are trained in immunisation.

Dr Anmol Gupta, joint organising secretary of the association, said annual conferences would provide a forum for regular exchange of views and information that would help improve the public health in the country. Dr VM Katoch, Secretary, Department of Health Research and Director General, Indian Council of Medical Research, inaugurated the academic session.

Shimla, November 23
Tibetan Prime Minister Lobsang Sangay today said the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) would chalk out its strategy on resuming dialogue with the Chinese regime only after unveiling of the new security policy of China, likely to be placed before the Chinese Parliament session to be held in March 2014.

“We would like to closely assess the stand that China takes on the issue of Tibet in its policy on security, which will be placed before its Parliament in March next year,” he said when asked about the status of talks with the Chinese Communist regime. Sangay, who was here to attend the Himalayan Festival, said there could be major changes in the policy on Tibet as new members had been included in the task force and the policy could be in for major changes.

He admitted that though dialogue was the only option that the CTA had, there was complete stalemate since January 2010, when talks were last held between the envoys of the Dalai Lama and the Communist regime.

“I am very hopeful and optimistic that it is only through talks that we can find an amicable solution to the Tibetan issue as we firmly believe in non-violence,” he reiterated.

“We are willing to compromise on the issue of independence by seeking genuine autonomy as a middle-way approach as we are keen that the persistent repression of the Tibetans inside their homeland must come to an end,” said Sangay.

He said he had returned to India from Harvard Law School after 16 years to carry forward the Tibetan movement.

He admitted that Tibet was passing though a very tragic phase as 122 Tibetans had resorted to the extreme step of self-immolation.

Dharamsala, November 23
Various categories created for recruiting schoolteachers on a contract basis are facilitating backdoor entries into government jobs.

The successive governments in the state have been ignoring merit and allowing backdoor entries of teachers over a period of time. This has also contributed to the declining academic standards in government schools.

As per the data collected by The Tribune, the successive governments have created eight categories of teachers for making back-door entries into schools. The famous category is PTA teachers recruited by the Congress government during its previous stint.

The previous Congress government recruited about 14,000 teachers through the Parent-Teacher Associations (PTA) amid allegations of favouritism from the BJP. They were recruited keeping aside the procedures of recruiting teachers through the Himachal Pradesh Subordinate Services Selection Board (HPSSSB).

The previous BJP government ousted many PTA teachers after coming to power on the charges of nepotism. This led to protests by them throughout the state. Now the Congress has assured the PTA teachers that they would not be ousted from jobs.

The other categories through which teachers were recruited in violation of procedure include voluntary teachers, Vidhya Upasaks, contract teachers, ad hoc teachers, stop-gap teachers, primary assistant teachers (PAT) and tenure teachers. Thousands of teachers were recruited in government schools under the categories.

In the case of contract, stop gap and tenure teachers, school principals were given the power to recruit candidates. Many teachers, who were recruited this way did not even fulfil the basic criteria laid down for teachers in government schools. The teachers were slowly absorbed in government schools after about eight years of service. However, it has lowered the standards in government schools.

Sources said the system of back-door entries had led to exploitation of the youth.

Since there are an number unemployed teachers registered in the employment exchanges, the government should recruit teachers from among those qualified candidate.

Shimla, November 23
The national lok adalat is a pioneering effort for alternate dispute resolution for providing relief to litigants by providing them mutually agreeable solutions. It not only saves time, energy and money of the parties but also relieves courts of the huge burden of pending cases.

This was stated by Justice Dev Darshan Sud, Executive Chairman of the HP State Legal Services Authority on an inaugural function of the National Lok Adalat organised by the HP High Court Legal Services Committee in Association with the HP State Legal Services Authority under the auspices of the National Legal Services Authority.

On this occasion, Justice Sanjay Karol, Chairman of the HP Legal Services Committee, said lok adalat, in addition to mediation, was an efficacious step for resolving disputes at the initial stage as prolonged litigation takes its toll on the physiological, psychological and financial health of people.

He said the process of alternative dispute resolution mechanism, besides settling cases, promotes overall peace and harmony in society. Almost 10,000 cases were settled in the state at the national lok adalat, which was held today in all the courts of the state.

In the national lok adalat held across all the courts in the state, a total of 19,414 cases involving compoundable criminal cases, cases under the Negotiable Instruments Act, motor accidents claims, Compensation Act, matrimonial and family cases, Labour disputes, land acquisition cases and civil cases were taken up.

A total of 1,381 cases were taken up at the High Court in the National Lok Adalat and a compensation amounting to Rs 1.24 crore awarded by the 17 Benches. A number of advocates, doctors and social workers were on the panel as members of the Benches. A key feature of this lok adalat was inclusion of the young members of the Bar as facilitators and coordinators for the help of litigants and advocates.

The National Lok Adalat organised in all the courts throughout the country was inaugurated today by Justice P Sathasivam, Chief Justice of India and Patron-in-Chief, National Legal Services Authority, at a programme held in the Supreme Court. More than 39 lakh cases were put up throughout the courts in the country for amicable settlement.

Shimla, November 23
Former Chief Minister PK Dhumal today said the High Court’s decision to ban the transfer of employees on the basis of recommendations of politicians and public representatives would provide a great relief to those who became victims of political vendetta. In a statement here, he said the court decision was historic and would put an end to a “flourishing transfer industry”.

“Employees will now be able to work fearlessly and judiciously and contribute to the development of the state. They will also be able to protect the interests of the common man,” he said.

“In the light of the court verdict, I hope that politicians and public representatives will now focus on developmental activities in their respective areas,” he said.

A majority of the transfer recommendations were coming from those politicians who have been rejected by the people during the polls and now they were involved in minting money through unfair means, Dhumal said.

Shimla, November 23
A decade-old defamation case filed by former CM PK Dhumal against Union Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma and senior Congress leader Moti Lal Vora could not be settled at a lok adalat here.

Dhumal was present here while both Congress leaders failed to turn up. The matter was posted for a regular hearing before the CJM’s court on December 21.

Kullu, November 23
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh has announced to open a 50-bedded community health centre (CHC) in Ani and primary health centres in Kungash and Lagoti.

The Chief Minister said this while addressing a gathering after inaugurating a rest house building in Kungash in the Ani Assembly segment of Kullu district yesterday.

He said the foundation stone of the building was laid by him on public demand to promote tourism in the area and now the rest house is being inaugurated by him.

He said the state government was giving top priority to education and health sectors while the demand raised by the residents of the area to open new educational institutions and health centres besides improving facilities in the existing ones would be considered positively by the state government.

He further said the state government was committed to consistent growth of the area, adding that with concerted efforts of the Congress government development had been made in the backward belt.

The Chief Minister also inaugurated the Rishta-Mishta Water Supply Scheme during his tour to the area. The scheme would provide water to several panchayats in the belt, he added.

Chief Parliamentary Secretary Nand Lal and local MLA Khub Ram accompanied the CM during his tour. 

Shimla, November 23
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today said he had nothing personal against PK Dhumal as he was merely carrying out the dictates of his party by handing over the Congress chargesheet to investigating agencies for a fair and thorough probe.

Talking to mediapersons here today, he said the former Chief Minister was unnecessarily trying to personalise the issue. He said it was not Virbhadra as individual, but the Chief Minister who was implementing the Congress party’s decisions.

Virbhadra explained that he was not even a member of the charge-sheet committee constituted by the All-India Congress Committee (AICC), but being a party document, it had been handed over to the Vigilance Bureau for inquiry. “Those who have not committed any wrong should have nothing to fear as only those who have indulged in wrongdoings will be punished as per law," he clarified.

“I care two hoots about Arun Dhumal as he is a nobod,y and there is no reason why I should reply to the issues being raised by him,” he remarked. He said even in the case of purchase of the tea estate land by Prashant Bhushan, the law-enforcing agencies were investigating the matter. 

Solan, November 23
A three-day national symposium "Nematode - A Friend and Foe to Agri-Horticultural Crops" began at the Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, on Thursday.

Vice-Chancellor VS Thakur said nematodes played a crucial role in agriculture and horticulture and there was an urgent need to develop nematode-resistant varieties by restricting the use of chemicals. Dr Thakur said biotechnological innovations could play a pivotal role in this direction.

Dr Thakur also gave this year's Dr GID Souza Award to renowned entomologist and Vice-Chancellor of the SBB Patel University of Agricultural Sciences Meerut (UP) Dr Hari Krishan Gaur.