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HARYANA BUDGET SESSION
Parties battle over land acquisition
Govt evading important issues: INLD
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BJP rakes up Lokayukta probe against Hooda
State faces high power distribution losses
Rivals’ houses set on fire in Mewat
Yellow rust, aphid attack wheat
Hooda announces major relief in property tax
Four Congress leaders to join BJP today
Multiple plots: HUDA officials’ role questioned
Fasting member's condition worsens, admitted to hospital
Lokayukta reserves order in CLU scam
Karnal gets railway foot overbridge
Life term for Panipat jail supdt in murder case
Teenager gets bail in murder case
Farmer robbed of Rs
5.5 lakh
Couple found dead
Husband among 10 booked for murder
Woman crushed to death
Youth murdered in Karnal
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50% bus fare rebate for those above 65 years
Ladli allowance hiked to Rs 750; Bhiwani to have central sports university Geetanjali Gayatri Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, February 26 Announcements of a sports university named after former Chief Minister Bansi Lal at Bhiwani, a law university named after Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar at Rajiv Gandhi Education City in Sonepat, upgrade to university of the Regional Centre of Kurukshetra University at Jind, regional centres at Lula Ahir in Rewari district and Kanya Gurukul at Kharal in Jind district of Bhagat Phool Singh Women University at Khanpur, a regional centre at Nuh in Mewat of Maulana Azad Urdu University in Hyderabad and medical colleges at Bhiwani and Central University in Mahendragarh led to thumping of desks. Hooda announced a 50 per cent fare concession in Haryana Roadways buses for those above 65 years. He extended the facility of one-time road tax and passenger tax payment to owners of autorickshaws, three-wheelers and goods carriers having a weight of one tonne. They would be covered under the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojna and would be given compensation to the extent of Rs 1 lakh in case of damage to vehicle, along with interest subvention to the extent of 5 per cent on loan to buy a vehicle. Hooda announced a hike in monthly allowance of Ladli, a social security scheme, from Rs 500 to Rs 750 and appointment of 13,000 ‘safai karamcharis’. Anil Vij of the BJP said the public would see through election promises. Hooda assured Vij that he was ready to reconsider giving Ambala its scrapped industrial model township wherever farmers were willing to give land. Reacting to Vij’s jibe that Hooda should take tuitions from Narendra Modi, Hooda hit back with statistics to prove that Haryana was paying more pension to senior citizens and defence personnel award winners and charging less for power. Hooda said the Hansi-Butana canal had been constructed at a cost of Rs 392 crore. He emphasised that the Kishau dam on the Yamuna, the Renuka dam and Lakhwar Vyasi dam projects had been declared national projects. Describing the Sutlej-Yamuna link canal as the lifeline of the state, Hooda said the government was committed to get its share of Ravi and Beas waters. Vij and Ghansham Dass Saraf were the only opposition members present. Suspension of 25 INLD MLAs revoked
* Speaker Kuldeep Sharma revoked the suspension of 25 INLD MLAs. The decision was taken after an all-party meeting. Abhay Singh Chautala and Ashok Arora of the INLD urged the Speaker to call back the MLAs as soon as proceedings began. The Speaker assured them that a meeting would be held after Question Hour. Arora said the government was adamant that the MLAs would be called on February 28, the day the Budget would be presented. Following this, the two INLD MLAs walked out.
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Parties battle over land acquisition
Chandigarh, February 26 He accused the government of tailoring the land acquisition process to suit the needs of big builders. Denying that the government had acquired land or released land to builders, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Randeep Surjewala dared the opposition to bring a privilege motion against him. Arora’s demand for a House committee to probe land acquisition did not find favour with Congress members. 21 labs set up
The Public Health Engineering Department had set up 21 district-level laboratories for testing drinking water samples, said Public Health Engineering Minister Kiran Choudhry in reply to a question during Question Hour. Rapid transit
The National Capital Region Planning Board had identified four regional rapid transit system corridors within the Haryana sub-region of the National Capital Region, said Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda. Replying to a question during Question Hour, he said the corridors were Delhi-Gurgaon-Rewari-Alwar, Delhi-Sonepat-Panipat, Delhi-Faridabad-Ballabhgarh-Palwal and Delhi-Bahadurgarh-Rohtak. |
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Govt evading important issues: INLD
Chandigarh, February 26 “The government is running away from issues and is feeling scared to face the Opposition, which is why they find ways to suspend us on some ground or the other,” senior party leader and MLA Abhay Singh Chautala told reporters here on the sidelines of the ongoing Budget session of the Assembly. “The scam-hit Hooda government knows that the presence of strong Opposition in the Assembly will unmask its real face in front of the people,” he said. |
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BJP rakes up Lokayukta probe against Hooda
Chandigarh, February 26 Raising the issue, Leader of the BJP legislative Party Anil Vij alleged that the Hooda Government had pegged the publicity budget for 2013-14 at a whopping Rs 114 crore. Besides spending public money on advertisements, the Hooda Government was taking the people for a ride by its claims that the state had witnessed an investment to the tune of Rs 2 lakh crore and 20 lakh youths had got employment since 2005. Basing his claims on RTI information procured by Panipat-based activist PP Kapoor and published in the media, the BJP leader alleged that an investment of only Rs 3,179 crore had been witnessed and 35,859 persons had got employment from 2005 to December, 2012. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Randeep Surjewala tried to rake up issue of BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi allegedly promoting himself by spending huge public money. Kapoor had filed an application with the Lokayukta on December 26 last year demanding the registration of an FIR against Hooda and an official of the Department of Information, Public Relations and Cultural Affairs for allegedly misinforming people through advertisements. |
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State faces high power distribution losses
Chandigarh, February 26 Despite oft-repeated claims of checking power theft and upgrade of the power infrastructure, 2,134 feeders had aggregate, technical and commercial (AT&C) losses ranging from 25 per cent to 80 per cent between April and December last year. In reply to a question during the Question Hour, Power Minister Ajay Yadav told Congress MLA Sampat Singh that Hisar circle topped the list of transmission losses with 280 feeders followed by Bhiwani (265) and Faridabad (173). Among the circles having the lowest transmission losses are Panipat (74), Kaithal (76) and Sirsa (78) in the category of 25-80 per cent losses. While a maximum of 69 feeders having transmission losses above 80 per cent were in Kaithal circle, a minimum of two feeders were from Bhiwani. The circles having number of feeders in this category included Karnal (52), Sonepat (39), Jind (43), Panipat (25), Kurukshtra (22), Rohtak (12) and Gurgaon (10). Transmission losses to the tune of 89.84 per cent were reported from Rasidan village in Garhi division of Jind, followed by 88.85 per cent in Dhamtan in Narwana division again in Jind district. Similarly, Serdha in Pundri (Kaithal) reported power losses of 87.28 per cent. The Kiloi feeder located in the Assembly segment represented by the Chief Minister also recorded abnormally high power losses of 85.81 per cent.
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Rivals’ houses set on fire in Mewat
Gurgaon, February 26 The incident was the aftermath of the death of a youth who was injured in a clash on February 15. The youth died yesterday, which led to tension in the village. The victim’s family blocked the road, which led to a traffic jam, after which the police dispersed them. They then attacked the houses of the accused. The rival group went on the rampage. The police were deployed and the village was turned into a cantonment. “The groups have been fighting for quite some time. The tension increased after the youth’s death. The situation is under control and we are investigating the matter,” said a police official. “We assured them of action, but members of the deceased’s group tried to avenge the death themselves,” said Superintendent of Police Anil Dhawan. “They attacked the families of the accused and set their houses on fire. The police are posted in the village and eveything is fine,” he said.
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Yellow rust, aphid attack wheat
Yamunanagar, February 26 After the first case of yellow rust was detected in Ratangarh village last month, the disease has now affected over 300 acres of the crop. Besides yellow rust, aphid insect has also attacked the crop. “Almost every wheat field is affected by the aphid insect,” said Anil Kaushik, a farmer from Majari village. Farmers said yellow rust and aphid could adversely hit the yield by 25 to 70 per cent. Deputy Director (Agriculture) Aditya Pratap Dabas said nearly 300 acres of the wheat crop had been affected by the yellow rust in the district. “The department has been providing fungicide Propiconazola to the farmers on 50 per cent subsidy to reduce the effect of the yellow rust,” said Dabas. He said the farmers needed to remain extra vigilant this time as the prevailing weather conditions were highly favourable for the yellow rust and aphid. He said the farmers should make two sprays of insecticide Imidaeloprid within a week to protect their crop from aphid.
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Hooda announces major relief in property tax
Chandigarh, February 26 After presiding over a Cabinet meeting, Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda here today said the apartment constructed on up to 2,000 square feet would get 50 per cent rebate in the property tax. About 80 per cent flat owners would be benefited with this decision, he said. He also announced a one-time rebate of 30 per cent for those who cleared their property tax dues up to 2012-13 by March 31 this year. He announced a rebate of 10 per cent who paid their total tax for the assessment year by July 31 of that assessment year. For 2013-14, the rebate of 10 per cent would be admissible to those assesses who deposit their dues by March 31 this year. Hooda said 100 per cent rebate would be given till March 31, 2016, to properties located in “lal dora” of those villages, which had come in the limits of the municipalities on or after April 1, 2010. He said the rate of property tax on petrol pumps would be 50 per cent of the commercial tax rate and 50 per cent of the commercial space rate for IT Park, cyber city or park for all municipalities. Other Cabinet decisions
* 50% rebate on property tax on apartments up to 2,000 square feet * 100% rebate on buildings under “lal dora” included
in MCs till March 31, 2016 * VAT on scientific instruments down from 12.5% to 5% *
Rebate on timely payment of property tax |
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Four Congress leaders to join BJP today
New Delhi, February 26 The three former ministers are Krishna Gahlawat, Bahadur Singh and Santosh Sarwan, an SC leader. The fourth Congress leader is Ramesh Dalal, who had unsuccessfully contested the Bahadurgarh Assembly election in the state. The three former ministers will provide immense political value to the BJP which has much to do to emerge as a potent force in Haryana. The BJP once had 17 MLAs and Deputy Chief Minister in late Dr Mangal Sein in 1987. Sarwan has a good lineage. While her husband is a retired HCS officer and social activist, her father, Goverdhan Dass was a minister in Haryana. She hails from Sirsa, the home district of INLD supremo and former Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala. Bahadur Singh was an Education Minister in the INLD government. He had later joined the Congress.
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Multiple plots: HUDA officials’ role questioned
Chandigarh, February 26 As the case came up for resumed hearing, Justice Chaudhary questioned HUDA counsel on "connivance" of officials with allotees, who had allegedly obtained multiple plots by furnishing false affidavits and fake addresses. The case also saw whistleblower SK Sharma express apprehensions on his safety. He alleged that there was a threat to his life at the hands of bigwigs whose names had surfaced in the scam. Taking note of the apprehensions, Justice Daya Chaudhary asked the Haryana Government to take necessary action.
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Fasting member's condition worsens, admitted to hospital
Sirsa, February 26 Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee chief Jagdish Singh Jhinda announced today that Sikhs in the state would oppose the Congress in the upcoming parliamentary elections if the state government failed to accept their demand. Brar, who is sitting on an indefinite fast since February 21, has lost 8 kg and is feeling weak, said other protesters. A doctor visited Brar today and examined his health. The issue of a separate gurdwara panel for Haryana has been going on since 2001, when the HSGPC was set up with Jagdish Singh Jhinda as its president and Didar Singh Nalvi, who heading a parallel faction of the committee, as its general secretary. “In fact, a separate gurdwara panel was not merely a demand. It as a legal right accorded to them under Section 72 (2) of the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966,” said Jhinda. In the elections for the SGPC held in 2004, the HSGPC had won seven out of 11 seats in the state, posing a serious challenge to the Shiromani Akali Dal headed by Parkash Singh Badal. Both Jhinda and Nalvi won their elections.
“Impressed by our success, the Congress, which was facing opposition from Sikhs since the 1984 riots, approached us. We never went to the party with our demand. The Congress sought our support for the 2005 Assembly elections on the promise that we will get a separate SGPC if the Congress came to power,” said Jhinda. But the demand is yet to be fulfilled. With the parliamentary elections round the corner, the Jhinda faction has again started agitating outside Tanwar’s residence, while the Nalvi faction, supporting Brar’s fast, has announced to contest the poll under a newly constituted political outfit Haryana Janshakti Party. |
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Lokayukta reserves order in CLU scam
Chandigarh, February 26 Sources said the Lokayukta reserved the order in the cases against Congress MLA Sampat Singh’s son, Gaurav Sampat Singh; CPS Jaleb Khan's son, Sajid Khan; and former NUSI leader Sanjay Chokkar. Meanwhile, the Lokayukta heard the case against Congress MLA Naresh Selwal and three other Congress leaders on the complaint filed by INLD Kalka MLA Pradeep Chaudhary. The next hearing will be held on February 28. Besides, the Lokayukta has fixed February 28 for cases against Health Minister Rao Narender Singh, Congress MLA Ram Niwas Ghorela, CPS Vinod Bhyana and Congress MLA Jarnail Singh. —TNS
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Karnal gets railway foot overbridge
Karnal, February 26 He said a park would be developed on the open space of the railway near Ram Nagar. — TNS |
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Life term for Panipat jail supdt in murder case
Chandigarh, February 26 Another accused Surender Geong has also been awarded life imprisonment by the court. The Bench was hearing an appeal filed by Haryana against their acquittal. Holding them guilty, the court observed that the accused were running a ring of extortionists demanding ransom from rich people. The Bench also issued warrants for the arrest of the accused. The Chief Judicial Magistrate of Kaithal was directed to ensure their detention. At the time of the incident, Malik was posted as deputy superintendent of Karnal jail. He was accused of facilitating Surender Geong and his gang to make ransom calls from the jail. On March 11, 2009, the district and sessions court of Kaithal had sentenced Manjeet Singh to life imprisonment in this case.
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Teenager gets bail in murder case
Ambala, February 26 She was granted bail by the court here today. Reports said the girl (18) had attacked Bhajan Kaur with a knife on Monday. Bhajan sustained serious injuries on her neck. She was referred to the PGI, Chandigarh, where she succumbed to her injuries. Thereafter, the police had registered a case against the girl. The relatives of the deceased submitted a memorandum to the Ambala Deputy Commissioner of Police today, in which they alleged that the girl had attack Bhajan at the instance of her parents.
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Farmer robbed of Rs
5.5 lakh
Kuruksehtra, February 26 Subhash Chand and his brother, residents of Bajgaon village, had withdrawn Rs 5.5 lakh from the bank today and were walking towards their car when the incident occurred. Subhash said the robbers fled after the robbery. The police said the investigations were on in the case. |
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Couple found dead
Kosli (Rewari), February 26 The police sent the bodies to the civil hospital for postmortem examination. The deceased, identified as Ashwani (20) and the girl (17), were neighbour in Sudhrana village. Preliminary investigations revealed that the boy and the girl were in love and feared that their parents would not agree to their marriage, said the police. They went missing from their houses on February 24. Kin of the girl had also lodged a missing complaint with the Kosli police. It seemed to be a case of suicide as no injury mark had been found on the bodies, said Kosli DSP Dhanpati. “But, we are investigating from all angles. Statements of kin of the couple are being recorded to know the facts behind the incident,” said the DSP. Bid to kill 3-yr-old
after rape Sirsa: A drunk youth reportedly abducted, raped and tried to kill a three-year-old girl here last night. He reportedly abducted her from outside her house. After raping her, he tried to kill her by repeatedly hitting her head with a stone at a secluded place. When some youths spotted him with the profusely bleeding child, he told them that she was his niece and had been hit by a speeding car. He went to a hospital and tried to flee after leaving the child there, but Naresh of Shekhupuria village, attending to an ailing kin, got suspicious and handed him over to the police after overpowering him. Senior Superintendent of Police Saurabh Singh said Azad (25) confessed his crime and the police arrested him. The condition of the girl was critical. Her medical examination confirmed rape. Deputy Commissioner J Ganesan released an interim relief of Rs 30,000 from the District Red Cross for her treatment. “I am trying to issue more funds from the Integrated Child Development Scheme,” he said. The girl was playing with other children outside her house around 9 pm when she went missing. Worried parents went to the police around 10:30 pm to file a missing person report. They were at the police station when Naresh came with Azad and informed the girl’s parents that their child was in hospital. |
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Husband among 10 booked for murder
Yamunanagar, February 26 In his complaint to the police, deceased’s brother Baburam said Savita’s in-laws informed him yesterday that she had consumed poison and had died. When they reached the house of her in-laws at Nathanpur village, they were told that the body had already been cremated. He alleged that his sister was murdered as her in laws, including her husband Mahipal, had been torturing her ever since their marriage. Suresh Pal, SHO, Chhachrauli, said efforts were on to arrest the accused.
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Woman crushed to death
Rewari, February 26 The mishap took place when
Sunita, an employee of a private company, was going to her work place. When she reached the Naayiwali
chowk, she was run over by a truck. She succumbed to her injuries while being taken to hospital. |
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Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda announced development projects and attempted to woo voters with concessions and relief in his reply on the Governor’s Address today.
Yellow rust and aphid have attacked wheat crop in the district. After the first case of yellow rust was detected in Ratangarh village last month, the disease has now affected over 300 acres of the crop. Besides yellow rust, aphid insect has also attacked the crop.
The health of Jarnail Singh Brar, who is sitting on an indefinite fast outside state Congress chief Ashok Tanwar’s residence on the issue of a separate gurdwara body for Haryana, has started deteriorating. The police removed Brar from the dharna site and admitted him to General Hospital this evening.
