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Projects worth 861 crore approved
Cabinet nod to draft pact on Rampur project
Rs 40-cr water supply scheme for Shimla
Plantation work in catchment areas delayed
Ayurvedic doctors demand jobs
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3 more cases of scrub typhus detected
12 hotel employees
transferred
HP taxi operators threaten stir
Inmate’s escape: cops suspended
1-year jail term for fleeing from jail
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Projects worth 861 crore approved
Shimla, August 28 The new projects, which involve an investment of Rs 861 crore, will help generate employment for 1916 persons. One cement unit with a investment of Rs 760 crore is to be set up at Baga-Bhalag in Solan district, besides a clinker manufacturing plant at Malokhar at Pandiyana Tikari, near Nalagarh. The authority in its previous five meetings had approved 124 industrial units in the medium and large scale sector with an investment of Rs 1,671 crore. The Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, said, the state government was considering a proposal for constitution of a separate development authorities for all the major industrial units of the state with a view to carrying planned industrial development and entrusting them with the municipal and other services. The Chief Minister directed the authorities to ensure that the industrial plots allotted to the entrepreneurs be utilised for the bonafide purpose of setting up the units within a time frame failing which the allotment be cancelled. He further said all departments should work in close coordination to make the single window clearance and monitoring authority concept a success. He also directed the authorities to settle all the genuine grievances on priority so that they did not suffer for want of any cooperation from the government. |
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Cabinet nod to draft pact on Rampur project
Shimla, August 28 Allotment of 27 small hydro-electric projects to as many private companies was also approved by the Cabinet, which met under the chairmanship of Mr Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister, here yesterday. The draft agreement has several improvements over the one signed for the Nathpa Jhakri project. The equity participation of the state has been raised from 25 to 30 per cent and accordingly the share of the Centre has been reduced to 70 per cent. The nigam will initially use its own resources and the Centre and the state will contribute equity only if required. Employment has been assured to the local people by laying down a condition that all Class III and Class IV posts will be filled from amongst the bona fide residents of the state registered at various employment exchanges. Besides 40 per cent of the staff will be taken from the state electricity board on deputation or on a permanent absorption basis. As per the rehabilitation scheme, the affected persons will be provided alternative land in addition to compensation. The compensation for a built-up house will be Rs 3.50 lakh or in case an oustee wanted to build his own house on the allotted plot, house construction grant will be provided at the rate of Rs 3,500 per square metre up to a maximum of 60 sqm. Those who become landless will be given an additional grant of Rs 65,000 besides compensation and jobs on priority. Similarly, those who lose shops will get an additional Rs 10,000. Further, Rs 5,000 will be provided for transportation. The Cabinet also allotted 27 small hydro-electric projects, with an aggregate capacity of 88.15 MW, to 27 private sector companies. These allotments are expected to bring an investment of Rs 528 crore in the next five years. Besides, bringing revenue to the state on account of royalty at the rate of 10 per cent after fifteen years of commissioning, the projects will also generate employment opportunities for the local people. With the commissioning of the projects, the
power availability in the local areas is also likely to improve, thereby providing a solution to an extent to the low voltage problem in certain rural areas of the state. New clauses pertaining to employment have been
incorporate in MoU’s and milestones laid which if not achieved, would lead to action. In executive jobs, other things being equal such as eligibility criteria, including qualifications, preference will be given to the candidates with knowledge of local customs and dealers. Petty contracts of road construction, retaining walls, engagement of all categories of services, including security personnel, will be awarded to Himachalis. The Cabinet also gave approval for the termination of implementation agreement in respect of 15 MW Neogal Hydroelectric Project in Kangra district signed with the M/s OM Power Corporation Ltd in 1998 as the company had failed to start the construction despite an opportunity given to it earlier. It approved grant recognition to M/s Delhi Health and Lung Institute, New Delhi, for reimbursement at GGHS rates to government employees and pensioners and their dependants for undergoing cardiolgical procedure and treatment cardiothoracic surgeries and pulmonary disorders. The Cabinet, with a view to linking difficult and tribal areas with communication network, decided to reduce the reimbursement charges for laying of optical fibre cable and approved the amendment of right of way policy. |
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Rs 40-cr water supply scheme for Shimla
Shimla, August 28 During the current financial year, Rs 10 crore will be spent on the scheme, to be completed in 2008. As a result of the rapid increase in population and the drying up of the traditional water sources due to delayed monsoons, the existing water supply scheme is proving to be inadequate to meet the demand of the residents. In the year 1982, four centrifugal pumps were installed to further augment the water supply scheme at Gumma and Drabla. Later another water supply augmentation scheme was commissioned from the Ashwani khud in 1992. Besides this, work on Rohru, Rampur, Sunni, Chopal, Kotkhai and Jubbal urban drinking water supply schemes had been completed, A sum of Rs 1.30 crore would be spent on Theog and Shimla drinking water supply schemes this year while the proposal for a Rs 73.09 lakh water supply scheme for Narkanda had been sent to the Centre for approval. The state government has also laid emphasis on rain water harvesting and it has been made mandatory in all new constructions. |
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Plantation work in catchment areas delayed
Sundernagar, August 28 According to a highly-placed source from the
Forest Department, the rainy season was almost over which was considered
best for the plantation in this area, as per the practice the plantation
was done in the area during the months of July and August as the
rainfall was comparatively low for rest of the year. In a meeting of
the Project Level Committee for Monitoring of Catchment Area Treatment
Plan, held in June, 2004, it was observed that various forest divisions
had not received funds for the plantation under the CAT Plan and a
decision was taken to take up the matter with the government at earliest
so that the plantation work did not suffer. The forest divisions have
written many times to the state government for releasing the funds so
that the plantation and flood protection works could be started but till
now no funds were released for the reasons best known to the Finance
Department.
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Ayurvedic doctors demand jobs
Nurpur, August 28 Mr Sanjiv Guleria, state president of the association, in a statement here today said delegations of the association had met the CM several times and submitted memorandums in this connection. But the government had failed to provide jobs to anyone who passed out between 1983 to 2004. He lamented that the previous Prem Kumar Dhumal government had also played a cruel joke by rendering jobs to 150 non-Himachali ayurvedic doctors on the contract basis. Though the Congress had promised to terminate their services on the account of their forged degrees, nothing has been done so far, he added. Expressing concern over the decision of Dr Anil Chandel, an ayurvedic unemployed doctor from Bilaspur district to commit self-immolation before the Chief Minister if he didn’t get a job, Mr Guleria appealed to Dr Chandel for not taking such a drastic step. He also lamented that the previous BJP government had conducted interviews for batchwise appointments in 1999 but till date none of them had got appointment letter by the department. |
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3 more cases of scrub typhus detected
Shimla, August 28 The Principal of the IGMC, Prof L.S. Pal, said out of the 12 samples sent to the laboratory, three had tested positive today. While two patients were from rural Shimla, one patient hails from Hamirpur. He said all patients were stable and many of the confirmed scrub typhus cases had been cured and discharged. After the state government directed the chief medical officers (CMO) in the districts to monitor the scrub typhus situation, vigil is being maintained even at the district level. |
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12 hotel employees
transferred
Hamirpur, August 28 Mr B.S. Kanwar, senior manager of the hotel has already been transferred. However, he has obtained a stay from the Himachal Pradesh State Administrative Tribunal in this regard. Insiders in the Himachal Pradesh State Tourism Department said Congress leaders of Hamirpur were unhappy with the hotel staff they managed to get transfer orders from senior officials of the corporation. Mr Brij Mohan Soni, a Congress leader and one of the Director of the Corporation said he had no knowledge of the transfers. He, however, added that orders might have been issued on administrative grounds.
— OC |
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HP taxi operators threaten stir
Dharamsala, August 28 Addressing a press conference here yesterday, president
of the Mahasangh, Prem Sood, said taxi operators of Himachal had to
visit the adjoining states of Punjab, Haryana and Uttaranchal, which
levy high permit charges and this matter should also be taken up with
them. The Mahasangh also demanded creation of proper parking facilities
across the state in view of the rising number of taxis. The taxi
operators in this regard also submitted a memorandum to the Chief
Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh. — OC
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Inmate’s escape: cops suspended
Nahan, August 28 Mr S.R. Sharma, SP, Sirmour district, when contacted said Head Constable Anil Kumar and constable Virender Kumar, who escorted Ganga Ram, have been placed under suspension and an inquiry ordered in this regard. He said both police personnel were deputed to escort Ganga Ram, who was undergoing four years imprisonment under the NDPS Act, to his home at Shajchar village in Kullu district.
— OC |
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1-year jail term for fleeing from jail
Bilaspur, August 28 The Judge acquitted two other persons, Suresh and Sanjay, for want of evidence. They had allegedly helped the accused to escape from jail.
— OC |
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