Shimla, February 16
Life came to a halt in Shimla and Manali, while Kinnaur and the upper Shimla region were cut off from rest of the state for the third day today even as bright sunshine greeted people in the morning.

Children get ready for skiing in Manali on Sunday. Photo: MC Thakur

The mid and higher hills experienced intermittent snowfall and rain till past midnight and state capital Shimla remained cut off till noon. The supply of vegetables, milk and other essential commodities was badly hit.

The Hindustan-Tibet national highway was closed beyond Shimla due to heavy snow, but a patch between Kufri and Theog had been cleared, said Dinesh Malhotra, Deputy Commissioner, Shimla, adding that Jubbal, Chopal, Nerwa and Rohroo were still cut off.

“Work is in progress to clear the roads. Hopefully, all the roads would be opened to traffic by tomorrow,” he added.

The Rohru and Jubbal Chopal areas remained cut off for the third day, while Khara-Patthar and Narkanda were covered with over 120 cm and 100 cm, respectively, thick blanket of snow. Meanwhile, Shoghi and Ghanahatti in the suburbs of Shimla town also received snowfall and all approach roads were closed.

The Kiratpur-Manali national highway was opened till Manali for light vehicular movement. Most of the roads would be opened by tomorrow, said Rakesh Kanwar, Deputy Commissioner, Kullu. The traffic on the Hindustan-Tibet highway was opened till Rekong Peo in Kinnaur via Basantpur-Kingal and power supply had also been restored.

Bijahi recorded 20 cm snow followed by Manali and Bharmaur (15 cm each), Kalpa (14 cm), Mashobra (13 cm), Shimla (11 cm), Jubbar Hatti (3 cm) and Keylong 1 cm.

Rain lashed the mid and low hills and Solan received a maximum of 19 mm rain followed by Mandi (18 mm), Bhuntar in Kullu and Jogindernagar (16 mm each), Karsog and Kasauli (15 mm each) Gaggal in Kangra (14 mm), Bilaspur and Dharamshala 9 mm each.

The minimum temperature decreased marginally and Bharmaur recorded a low of -17°C, Keylong -14°C and Kalpa -8.8°C while the key tourist destinations of Manali and Shimla shivered at sub-zero temperature with the mercury plummeting to -6.5°C and -2.2°C, respectively.

Bhuntar and Chamba recorded a minimum temperature of 1°C each followed by Nahan 1.7°C, Sundernagar and Kangra 2°C each, Una 3°C, Bilaspur 3.7°C, Dharamsala 5.8°C and Hamirpur 7.5°C.

There was a decrease of 3 to 4 degree in the maximum temperature with Una recording a maximum of 20. 2 degree followed by Kangra 17.5 degree, Sundernagar 16.4 degree, Nahan 15 degree, Dharamsala 14.8 degree, Bhuntar 14.5 degree, Solan 14 degree, Shimla 9.4 degree and Kalpa I degree C.

All schools in the Shimla district have been closed for tomorrow following heavy snowfall. A large number of cars skidded due to slippery road conditions disrupting traffic at several places. Hundred of vehicles were standard at various places in Shimla and Kinnaur districts.

The local Met Department has predicted dry weather in high, mid and low hills in the next 48 hours. However, a fresh feeble western disturbance is likely to affect the western Himalayan region from December 19 onwards which may lead to rain and snow in the mid and higher hills, the Met department said.

Sun greets tourists in Manali

MANALI: After moderate to heavy snowfall in the upper Kullu valley, clear sky and bright sun greeted tourists here. Despite clear sky in the morning, the temperature recorded was low in the upper Manali region.

Icicles were seen hanging from rooftops of many houses, while water taps were frozen in the morning. Vehicular movement was hit due to icing on roads. Hundreds of tourists rushed to Bahang and Nehru Kund to enjoy snow.

Meanwhile, the PWD has cleared the snow on the Manali-Kullu national highway and Manali-Naggar roads with the help of snow-clearing machines and labourers.

Most of the roads leading to different villages of the region are still blocked due to heavy snowfall. The famous ski slopes of the Solang valley also received season’s heavy snowfall and became alive with winter sports lovers coming out in large numbers. -- OC

Link roads still blocked

CHAMBA: Life in remote and tribal areas of the mountainous district of Chamba continues to remain paralysed as most of the link roads have been blocked due to heavy snowfall.

Sources said vehicular movement would resume only after roads were cleared. The restoration work was underway, the sources said.

Roads in the Pangi valley were also covered under thick blanket of snow.

Palampur, February 16
Union Culture Minister Chandresh Kumari laid the foundation stone of a sub-regional science centre at CSK HP Agriculture University here today.

She said the centre would be set up on 5 acres at an investment of Rs 6 crore. It would be constructed within two-and-a-half years. The establishment cost of the project and the recurring expenditure on accounts of manpower, operation and maintenance would be borne by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, through National Science Museums.

The minister said she had special affection for Himachal Pradesh and her ministry had taken initiatives to revive Kangra paintings and the Chamba rumal. On the CM's suggestion, her ministry would explore the rehabilitation and relocation of temples submerged in the Gobind Sagar at Bilaspur.

The minister expressed the hope that the Sub-regional science centre would enable young minds to learn and explore various facets of science and be useful to rural masses. She declared that the theme of the new centre would be horticulture-based.

She said the National Innovation Council had sanctioned an activity centre for children within this science centre where children could carry out experiments.

Brij Behari Lal Butail, Speaker, HP Vidhan Sabha, said the application of science in daily life was increasing and the new centre would act as an interface between the already existing research and academic institutions in the area.

Dr KK Katoch, Vice-Chancellor, said the minister had directed him to submit the proposal for the centre and the Government of Himachal Pradesh extended full support to get the centre sanctioned by transferring the requisite land for the purpose. He said the science centre would be a central facility for the benefit of students, research scholars, farming community and masses in the state.

PK Jain, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Culture, said hands-on and minds-on training would be a major thrust of the centre. He said the sub-centre was among the very first in the country's hill states.

Dr GS Rautela, Director General, National Council of Science Museums, while delivering a briefing on the project, said there were 48 science centres in the country with major concentration in southern states. The centre would have 15,000 sq m constructed area and comprise planetarium and other interesting features to attract young minds.

Dr E Rama Sarma, Director, National Science Centre, New Delhi, said the centre would be helpful in popularising science and technology for the benefit of students and for the common man in the region by organising exhibitions, seminars, popular lectures, science camps and various other programmes.

Palampur, February 16
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, who was to lay the foundation stone of a science centre at Himachal Pradesh Agriculture University here today, cancelled the schedule owing to alleged differences with senior Congress leader and local MLA Brij Behari Lal Butail, who is Speaker of thestate Assembly.

The foundation stone prepared by the HPAU authorities was also carrying the name of the Chief Minister.

Later, Chandresh Kumari, Union Minister of Languages and Culture, performed the foundation stone-laying ceremony in the absence of the Chief Minister.

The Chief Minister was at Nagrota Bagwan, 15 km from here, yesterday where he laid the foundation stone of the Government Engineering College in the constituency of Transport Minister GS Bali. As per the official programme circulated by the Chief Minister's office, he was to stay at a local PWD rest house for the night. The next morning, he was to visit HP Agriculture University in connection with the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the proposed science centre.

Congress sources said the Chief Minister expressed his unhappiness over some posters and banners displayed by the local Congress unit in different parts of the town carrying Butail's photo along with Virbhadra Singh, which led to the visit being cancelled.

Earlier, during his winter sojourn at Dharamsala in December and January, the CM visited Baijnath, Jaisinghpur and Sulaha constituencies of the Palampur region and announced development projects worth corers of rupees, but did not enter Palampur merely because of political differences with local MLA Butail.

Una, February 16
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today supported one-rank, one-pension scheme for ex-servicemen.

Addressing a public meeting at Dulehar village in Haroli here, he said he would take up their cause with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi. "The ex-servicemen deserve it and it is their right," he said.

Earlier, the CM laid the foundation stone of a food park at Singan village in Haroli on which an estimated Rs 250 crore will be spent with Central assistance. He announced new civil sub-divisions at Haroli and Sujanpur in Hamirpur district.

He also laid the foundation stones of a building for an industrial training institute in Pubowal, a model rural health research institute and a mini-secretariat building at Haroli, a labour hostel at Tahliwal and a bus stand at Dulehar. He announced the upgrade of Kuthar Beet and Batt Kalan schools to senior secondary and high school levels, respectively.

Industry Minister Mukesh Agnihotri lambasted the BJP for failing to turn up during the Assembly session and focusing only in making Modi’s rally a success. He said the agenda of the Congress government was development and the party would win all four Lok Sabha seats during the coming elections. In a veiled reference, he supported Sujanpur MLA Rajinder Rana as Congress candidate from Hamirpur.

Transport Minister GS Bali, Chairman of the state Finance Commission and Chintpurni MLA Kuldip Kumar, Sujanpur MLA Rajinder Rana and Youth Congress president Vikramaditya Singh also spoke.

Welcoming his counterpart from Gujarat Modi to Himachal Pradesh, Virbhadra Singh said, "If he speaks good, we will take it with open arms, but if he speaks anything bad about the state, he should take his words back with him to Gujarat." Virbhadra said elections were not won by speeches, they needed the support, good wishes and blessings of the people.

He said, "We will organise a much bigger rally than the BJP’s show at the same venue shortly."

Mandi, February 16
No progress seems to have been made on the merger of the Himachal Lokhit Party (HLP) with AAP or an alliance between the two in the coming parliamentary elections.

Leaders from both sides have not yet reached an agreement.

The HLP has made corruption its main agenda.

After the success of AAP and corruption as the common agenda, efforts were made by the leaders of the two parties to join hands to build a third alternative and check division of their votes.

The core committee of the HLP had discussed this issue at a meeting held at Kullu. The merger may not materialise as the AAP leadership has not taken this proposal seriously.

On the issue of seat sharing, leaders have suggested for it, but the AAP leadership has learnt to rule out this possibility, saying that there is no provision in this regard in their party constitution.

Sources in the HLP and AAP say, "The merger of the HLP with AAP seems to be a remote possibility."

Des Raj, state convener of AAP, said, "The merger issue was discussed at Mandi, but there was a difference of opinions. The final decision will be taken by the party high command."

Palampur, February 16
Hundreds of LPG consumers in Kangra district are a harassed lot in the wake of glitches in the direct cash transfer of subsidy in their bank accounts.

Despite the recent Union Cabinet decision to suspend the Direct Cash Transfer of Subsidy scheme, LPG dealers in the district have refused to implement these orders and discontinued the supply of LPG cylinders to consumers (without subsidy) whose connections have not been linked with their Aadhaar cards so far.

Such consumers are getting LPG refills at the market rate of Rs 1,241 per cylinder.

Official sources said the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), which had 80 per cent LPG dealerships in the state, had advised its dealers to sell all cylinders at the market rate since the Union Cabinet decision did not apply to Himachal.

An LPG dealer said he was earlier selling LPG refills at Rs 440 each to consumers whose connections had not been linked with the Aadhaar card due to technical reasons or those whose Aadhaar cards linking applications had been rejected, but all of a sudden, the IOC discontinued the supply of such refills; he was now left with no alternative but to sell refills at Rs 1,241 each, he stated.

He said consumers with newspaper cuttings were lodging their protest in his office every day, but he was helpless as the IOC or the state government had to take a final decision. He admitted that the Union Cabinet had suspended the direct cash transfer of subsidy in the country due to lack of proper implementation. IOC dealers had not received any communication in this regard so far.

Many consumers complained even after months had elapsed, that subsidy had not been transferred to their accounts. They said their visits to banks and LPG dealers had failed to elicit a satisfactory reply. A consumer said when he put a query to the bank, it was revealed that his subsidy amount had been credited to another consumer's account.

Meanwhile, People's Voice, a local body, condemned the IOC's behaviour with consumers in the state.

Daleep Sharma and KB Ralhan, members of People's Voice, briefing mediapersons, said there were hundreds of consumers who had applied for Aadhaar cards, but their applications had been rejected because of technical reasons for apparently no fault of theirs. They said the state government should initiate action against the high-handedness of the IOC in the state and save the consumers from harassment.

Shimla, February 16
Tribals in the Leh-Ladakh-Lahaul-Spiti-Kinnaur highland bordering China have expressed resentment over their “virtual omission from the country’s railway map" even after 65 years of Independence. They said even China had set up a road and railway corridor to secure its border along the Himalayan region in recent years.

They have demanded that political parties should spell their agenda for securing the border and providing an all-weather connectivity.

Chering Dorje, vice-president, Richen Zangpo Buddist Cultural Society, Lahaul-Spiti, said as early as 1871, the then British authorities had realised the need to secure the British empire and conducted a survey for the construction of a Manali-Lahaul-Leh railway line along the Indus river till Sindh (now in Pakistan).

“The two surveys, one from Sindh to the upper Indus region and from Kullu to Baralalcha pass to eastern Ladakh, were conducted to consolidate the now defunct empire to counter the possible march of Russians and Chinese into the western Himalayan borders,” he added.

Ranjit Negi, convener of the Himlok Sanskriti Manch, Kinnaur, said, “The ethnic Buddhist minority in the Leh-Lahaul-Spiti-Kinnaur region has been getting a raw deal as the state sends four Lok Sabha MPs and three Rajya Sabha MPs to Parliament, who have no say."

The people in the region live in the dark ages for six months, when they are cut off from the rest of the country, said Ravi Thakur, Lahaul-Spiti Congress legislator and vice-chairman, National Commission for Schedule Tribe (NCST). “We are disappointed that the Railways Minister made no mention of Himachal Pradesh or the survey for Manali-Lahual-Leh railway line despite the fact that China has made a double-lane highway and is expanding the railway network along the Himalayan border,” he added.

Ravi says they will make a proposal that like roads, the railways should be handed over to the Border Roads Organisation.

Shimla, February 16
Despite availability of good talent and natural ski potential in the region, the Ministry of Sports continues to be apathetic towards the plight of winter games in the country. The games are yet to go mainstream; they are popular in tiny Himalayan states of Himachal, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.

The Winter Games Federation of India (WGFI), state winter games associations in these states and skiers have been pressing the MoS to declare winter sports mainstream games and put in place infrastructure for the sports. Their pleas were given a deaf ear by successive Union Ministers who have been functioning independently since 2008, they rued.

The winter games bring in high-end tourism and promote spirit of adventure among the youth, said Anchal Thakur, a young skier from Manali, who participated in the International Junior Championships in 2011.

They have neither political will nor vision to promote winter games despite three athletes - Himanshu Thakur, Hira Lal and Shiva Keshvan, an Asian luge champion - registering satisfactorily performances this time at the ongoing Sochi Winter Olympics, said Roshan Thakur, secretary general, WGFI.

The trio participated in the Olympiad without the national flag as the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) was then under the suspension slapped by the International Olympic Committee. The suspension has been revoked after the IOA elected a new body.

The IOA and MoS should join hands to declare winter games as main category sports, create ski resorts which have snow-beating machines, ski lifts and other sporting infrastructure, said skiers Chuni Lal and Luder Singh Thakur.

"The performance of our skiers in international events is acceptable as they have no global exposure. They lack formal training, regular tracks and suitable equipment of international standards," said Roshan.

They cannot host international events at Gulmarg, Auli, Manali, Narkanda or other ski resorts because they lack world-level standards for winter games, while they have natural yet undeveloped ski slopes, it is learnt.

Since 1992, Asian countries like South Korea, Japan and China are on the upswing in Winter Olympics sports as they are promoting winter sports programmes and interest in winter sports, said skiers.

WGFI president, Brig (retd) SS Patwal said they took up the matter with ministries and the IOA several times, but to no avail. They have been trying on their own to promote the sports in the country, he stated.

Shimla, February 16
The Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department has received about 50 objections and suggestions towards the final decision on the relaxation of ban on construction in the 17 green belts in the state capital.

The department will shortly start hearing the suggestions received till January 31.

The hearing will be held before the committee constituted by the government to take the final decision on relaxation of the ban in green areas. The committee is headed by the Town and Country Planning Minister Sudhir Sharma and the Secretary and Director of the TCP are its other members.

Numerous individuals, including architects, and a few associations have sought relaxation in the designated green belts to pave way for new construction. Not only those hailing from Shimla, but also those residing outside have voiced their concern about the depleting green cover in the town which will decline further if construction is allowed.

"The committee headed by the minister will place the outcome of the public hearing before the Cabinet, which will take the final call on whether or not to extend a relaxation," said a senior official from the department.

The government was getting an Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) of these 17 belts done. This would be taken into consideration before arriving at a final decision. The Revenue and TCP Department had jointly undertaken the task of removing ambiguities that existed in the revenue records and the physical boundaries so as to undertake fresh demarcation of these 17 belts, which was yet to be done. It was in 2000 that the government had identified 17 belts spread across an area of 414 hectares in and around the town and notified these as no-construction zone. Ever since, there has been a complete ban on new construction in these belts, which are meant to act as the town's lungs. About 100 plot owners who had bought land in these 17 green belts before 2000 have made repeated pleas to the government to allow them to undertake need-based construction of two floors and an attic.

Some in the government too are of the opinion that these 100 plot owners should be given relief, but the ban should not be opened for all, as that would lead to a spate in construction activity.

In fact, in many cases, such plots are sandwiched between two buildings. A majority feel that the number of green belts must be increased so as to save Shimla and its suburbs from turning into a concrete jungle.

Shimla, February 16
After cracking the whip on children's homes functioning in the state without registration under the Juvenile Justice Act (JJA), the Women and Child Development Department has decided to set up District Child Protection Units (DCPUs) to strengthen the delivery system for child care and protection.

Initially, the DCPUs will be set up in four districts — Chamba, Kangra, Mandi and Shimla. The Juvenile Justice Board (JJB), as mandated under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Amendment Act, 2006, will be in place, said Madhubala Sharma, Director of Women and Child Development Department.

The department has already set up the Child Welfare Committees (CWCs) and is in the process of establishing statutory bodies in every district to address the issues of protection, rehabilitation and social re-integration of children in vulnerable situations and ensure effective implementation of the Act.

The department had served notices to 42 children's homes and recognised 19 such homes, including seven homes run by the department, six by the State Child Welfare Council and two by the Kasturba Gandhi Trust as also one by the Red Cross Society. Others have been directed to close down or get registered as hostels or educational institutions with the competent authority.

Eleven of the 23 institutions have said they have been running hostels and not admitting children on recommendations of CWCs. Some homes registered for the differently abled housed a large number of inmates without any disability.

Madhubala said the DCPUs would perform multifarious functions and coordinate with CWCs, children's homes and the department. The objective was to ensure that abandoned, orphan or destitute children were sent to recognised children's homes and saved from abuse.

Deputy Commissioners and SDMs were authorised to regularly inspect children's homes and even the hostels and other institutions where such children had been kept, she added.

Children's homes run by NGOs and societies are also under the government scanner. A strict watch is being kept on these. Many organisations are setting up such homes without infrastructure and other facilities, asking for land on lease and raising donations.

“So far, we have not recommended even a single case for grant of land lease. The department is very stringent about the norms and credentials of organisations,” she said, adding that the eligible inmates of the institutions closed by the department were being sent to other homes, but their number would not exceed even two dozen.

The department was trying to go online. Information would be available on the website and a “child line” would be in place.

There is fixed criteria for admitting children, including orphans. Children with both parents undergoing imprisonment, abandoned children and destitute girls below the age of 18 are among those eligible for shelter in children's homes.

Bilaspur, February 16
The Central Government is committed to ensuring faster development of this hill state and all possible help is being provided by it.

This was stated by Union Minister of State for Roads, Highways and Transport Sarve Satyanarayana who laid the foundation stone of the Rs 1,818.47-crore 84-km Four-Lane Express Highway from Kiratpur Sahib to Ner Chowk at Mandi Bharadi on the bank of the Gobind Sagar, 9 km from here, yesterday.

Earlier, heavy rain disrupted all arrangements and even the Chief Minister who was to preside over the function could not reach Bilaspur.

Satyanarayana said the highway would be a milestone in the development of Himachal. It would help boost the state economy, industrialisation and tourism. Another four-lane highway would be constructed between Parwanoo and Shimla the next year, he said.

The Union Minister expressed shock over the bad condition of National Highway No. 21 from Kiratpur Sahib to Bilaspur down which he had to travel (due to heavy rain). He ordered officials of the National Highways Authority of India to get the road repaired at the earliest.

The minister said the Centre had recently given Rs 59 crore to the state government for repairing national highways and Rs 120 crore this year for the construction of new roads.

Those present on the occasion were State Planning Development and 20-Point Programme Implementation Committee chairman Ram Lal Thakur, Chief Parliamentary Secretary Rajesh Dharmani and local MLA Bambar Thakur, among several other Congress leaders.

Bilaspur, February 16
Nirmala Devi, wife of Prem Lal of Kathla village under the Mehari Kathla gram panchayat, near Ghumarwin, was seriously injured when she fell down from a tree in the village here today.

Reports said she had climbed the tree to get fodder for her cattle.

She was lying unconscious under the tree when a passerby saw her and called villagers who rushed her to the Bharaadi Community Health Centre, from where she was referred to the Regional Hospital here.

Later, she was referred to the IGMC, Shimla, and then to the PGI, Chandigarh. Her condition is stated to be serious.

Villagers urged the district administration to provide financial help for her treatment as she came from a very poor family and her husband was already bed-ridden for the last several months.

Bilaspur, February 16
The month-long annual Chaitra mela will begin at the Baba Balak Nath shrine in Shah Talai from March 14 and all arrangements have been finalised for the same.

This was stated by Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Pradeep Thakur while presiding over a meeting of the mela management committee at Shah Talai here on Tuesday.

Pradeep said all arrangements for the supply of clean and chlorinated drinking water, cleanliness and sanitation, power supply, essential commodities at reasonable rates, medical, parking facilities and transportation had been made.

The ADM said 225 police personnel and Home Guards would be deputed to maintain law and order and control traffic. SDM, Ghumarwin, Rajeev Kumar had been appointed the mela officer and Tehsildar Jhandutta assistant mela officer.

Chamba, February 16
A five-day workshop on school leadership development for school Principals and Headmasters of the district concluded at the District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) at Saroo, 12 km from here, yesterday.

Giving this information over the phone today, DIET Principal Suman Kumar Minhas said the workshop was organised under the Rashtriya Madhyamik Siksha Abhiyan (RMSA).

Minhas said the workshop was attended by 50 Principals and Headmasters of the district. The remaining 123 Principals and Headmasters would be imparted orientation in the next two phases of the workshop in the near future.

Those who addressed the workshop included Deputy Director (Higher Education) Vijay Singh Thakur and Deputy Director (Elementary Education) Surinder Singh Pathania, among others.

Chamba, February 16
An NGO, Chamba Welfare Association, with a view to making sufficient food available for wild animals as well as birds in forests, has impressed upon the Forest Minister to take an initiative in this regard. They urged him to direct the forest authorities to plant fruit trees on the peripheral areas of the Suhi Mata and Chamunda temples and other areas of Sarol, Rakh and Mehla.

Association president RK Mahajan said fruit trees of fig, jamun, apricot, anardana, wild nashpati and kainth might be planted in forest areas to stop monkeys from entering human habitations.

Mahajan also sought a bird-watcher park in the environs of the Suhi Mata temple. A scheme in this respect had already been submitted to the forest authorities, he added.

Sundernagar, February 16
The Sai Seva Samiti, Sundernagar, today organised a free eye camp at the BBMB hospital here.

As many as 500 patients were examined and 85 operations were conducted at the camp.

Chief Engineer, BBMB, SK Sharma inaugurated the eye camp. He donated Rs 5,100 for the seva samiti.

A team of medical experts headed by eye surgeon CS Chauhan examined the patients who had come from far-flung areas.

The samiti had been conducting free eye camps at the BBMB hospital since 1996, treated more than 20,000 patients and conducted more than 2,500 eye surgeries till date, said Hem Chand Sharma, senior member, samiti.

All surgeries conducted at these camps had been successful, he added.

A free eye camp was organised by the Sai Seva Samiti, Slapper, yesterday at the BBMB Hospital, Slapper, in which 250 patients were examined.

Dharamsala, February 16
The suggestions given by the Planning Commission are “hardly” implemented by the government of the day. There is a need to evolve the Planning Commission into a body that can provide valuable guidance to the government as well as the private sector.

This was stated by Arun Maira, member, Planning Commission, and Chancellor of the Central University of Himachal Pradesh, while talking to The Tribune here on Thursday.

Maira said, “The present form of the Planning Commission is about 60-year old and the world has changed since then. Earlier, the basic role of the commission was to give suggestions regarding allocation of funds from the Centre to the states. Now, the revenue of the state has increased manifold and the Planning Commission has nothing to do with it. The private sector that earlier had meagre contribution in the economy is now a major player, but it does not figure in the mandate of the Planning Commission.”

“Therefore, the relevance of one large Planning Commission has decreased,” he said.

Maira added that the Planning Commission now had to evolve as a fast learning organisation that could provide guidance which was valued by policy-makers as well as the industry.

Instead of giving suggestions, the commission should be more concerned about the outcomes of policies and industrial growth.

He said this could be done only if more people from different fields were associated with the it.

He said most of the countries that had attained industrial growth such as Germany, China and South Korea had engaged the industry in policy-making.