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Saturday,
October 27, 2001, Chandigarh, India  
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Only liberal Central aid can bail HP out CM seeks investments from entrepreneurs HPCC dares CM to hold poll
Power cuts in HP as generation falls CM’s directive on Punjabi ‘flouted’ |
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Man beaten
up; demands probe Staff shortage in govt primary schools Fund shortage hits town schemes Kulu Dasehra concludes Encroachments disrupt traffic
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Only liberal Central aid can bail HP out Shimla, October 26 The medium term fiscal restructuring plan prepared by the government on the direction of the Centre has brought out a disturbing picture of the state’s finances. The plan finalised after an elaborate exercise by the Finance Department only reaffirms that there is no way the state could be pulled out of the viscious debt cycle. Only liberal Central assistance could save it from plunging into the debt trap. The best it could do is to take advantage of the declining interest rates and replace the old expensive loans with cheaper ones. Despite this, the annual interest burden will be over Rs 1,750 crore by 2004-05 almost equal to the state’s annual Plan. The plan covering a five-year period indicates that the structural reforms being carried out at present will enable the state to reduce the
ever growing revenue deficit by 3 per cent of the gross domestic product. The primary deficit (fiscal deficit minus interest payments), a more important indicator, will also be reduced by the same percentage. There will be no appreciable increase in the deficit over the next three years and it will remain pegged at the current level of Rs 2,500 crore. This will be achieved mainly due to the increase in income in the form of rohalty from the hydel power projects to be completed over the period, better tax growth and reduction in wage bill due to downsizing of the government. The wage bill will not swell much as it envisages reduction in the number of employees at the rateof 2 per cent per annum. The total number of employees had been put at 1.8 lakh which means that the strength will be reduced by about 10,000 over the next three years. The reduction in interest rates, particularly on the provident fund and Nabard loans, is also proving a boon. Its interest liability has come down by almost Rs 140 crore during the current year. The inflation is under check and there has been only a nominal increase in the additional dearness allowance. The Centre, which has been repeatedly telling the state to curb its borrowings, may find the level still too high and ask the state to modify the plan before signing a memorandum of understanding. With elections just 17 months away, the government is in no position to take harsh measures. |
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CM seeks investments from entrepreneurs Shimla, October 26 The Chief Minister said Himachal Pradesh offered a congenial investment environment, besides peace in the industrial sphere and pollution free environment for the setting up of industrial and other units. He said the prerequisite was that these units should generate employment for the people of the state, income to the state exchequer and should not pollute the environment. He said other sectors in which the state government was attracting investment were information technology and biotechnology which were emerging sectors. There was a vast scope for the development of both these sectors as Himachal Pradesh had the best communication network in the country and was a storehouse of biodiversity. Mr Dhumal said the private sector had also been involved in harnessing the immense hydel potential available within the state which had been estimated at 21,000 MW. He said the state government was giving efficiency linked incentives to ensure early exploitation of this potential and added that the 86 MW Malana Hydel Power Project had been commissioned in a record time of 32 months. He said this had exploded the myth that hydel projects took longer time. Keeping in view this instance, entrepreneurs should opt for Himachal Pradesh for investment in this sector. Besides, there were mini and micro hydel projects which could be taken up by the entrepreneurs in Himachal Pradesh. Referring to tourism development, he said adventure tourism had vast scope in the state and the state government was promoting it in a big way, especially in Pong Dam and Bhakra reservoir by encouraging water sports. Other activities in tourism sector which can be taken up were entertainment related ventures on which the state government had given tax exemption. |
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HPCC dares CM to hold poll Chamba, October 26 Addressing mediapersons here today, a former Primary Education Minister and general secretary of the HPCC, Ms Asha Kumari, said the Assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh at any time would be aimed at the welfare of the people of the state. She said the frustration in the Dhumal-led BJP-HVC coalition government in the state was an indication of its lack of governance and financial mismanagement. She dared Professor Dhumal to hold elections and see the outcome of the deeds of his government. Ms Asha Kumari alleged that the government collected hundreds of rupees from farmers in passbooks without issuing any receipt to them. She charged the Dhumal government with bungling in the distribution of wheat seeds being supplied in bags. The farmers found flour in the bags instead of wheat seeds and had to suffer during the ongoing sowing season, she said. Ms Asha Kumari described the move to form new districts in the state as an election stunt as on the one hand the government was claiming to be in a desperate financial position and on the other it was talking about creating new districts. She described the ‘vikas yatra’ of the BJP-HVC government as a gimmick. The HPCC general secretary accused the government of retiring the work charge staff of the Public Works and Irrigation and Public Health Departments at the age of 58 instead of 60 and retrenching the daily wage staff of the Forest Department. She criticised the Dhumal government for burdening the masses by imposing various taxes. Ms Asha Kumari opposed the dictatorial attitude of the local managing committee of DAV College for framing cases against the students who were protesting against the fee hike. She said inhabitants of the border areas who had been earning their livelihood from the traditional herbs trade had to leave their profession due to the fear of militancy. They were not getting any assistance from the state government, she added. She alleged that the Himachal Pradesh Subordinate Services Selection Board (HPSSSB) at Hamirpur had become a centre of corruption, nepotism and regionalism as the selections for the posts of any category were being made only from Hamirpur and Bilaspur districts. Quoting instances, she said of late for the posts of ‘gram panchayat adhikari’ candidates from Hamirpur and Bilaspur had been selected for the vacant posts in Chamba district but none of the candidates from Chamba was selected for these posts. Ms Asha Kumari said the panchayati raj system had collapsed due to lack of financial support from the present government alleging that strengthening of the system with financial powers was merely an announcement by the Chief Minister. She said a Congress rally would be held at Salooni township in Chamba district on November 7. It would be addressed by Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader and former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh. |
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Power cuts in HP as generation falls Shimla, October 26 Generation in all hydroelectric projects in the state has been hit because of low discharge in the rivers. It has fallen in the entire northern grid as a result of which Himachal Pradesh, which had so far been supplying its surplus power to other states, was also suffering. Turn by turn there were power cuts in different parts of the town since this morning. Other areas of the state faced longer shutdowns. The HPSEB has started a 10-hour power cut in the state on a rotational basis. The Chief Secretary and Chairman of the HPSEB, Mr Harsh Gupta, told The Tribune that the Centre had been asked to come to the rescue of the state by supplying power to it from the unallocated pool. He said steps were being taken to procure energy from the Power Trading Corporation and Punjab. The HPSEB has a power banking arrangement with the PSEB under which it supplies electricity to Punjab for seven months and during five months of winter it is returned when the generation falls because of low discharge in the rivers. Himachal supplied power to Punjab till October 20 under the system. The PSEB was being asked to begin its supply to the HPSEB immediately as Himachal Pradesh was facing shortage of power.
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CM’s directive on Punjabi ‘flouted’ Paonta Sahib, October 26 According to Mr Paramjit Singh Chanana, general secretary of the Himachal State Akali Dal, discontinuation of Punjabi classes is in disregard of the Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal’s instructions to introduce the language in every school of the state from Class VI onwards. The Akali Dal has sent letters to the Chief Minister and the Education Minister seeking their intervention in resuming teaching of Punjabi in all those schools where it was already being taught. The Akali Dal maintained that discontinuation of classes midway in the session was detrimental for students who opted for Punjabi and it would be difficult for them to change the subject at this stage. Further, it was also in utter violation of the decisions of the state government and its Cabinet on the subject. The Akali Dal maintained that in case the classes were not revived within 10 days, it would be forced to resort to other options, including seeking legal redressal. |
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Man beaten
up; demands probe Bilaspur, October 26 Mr Sharma said when he was test-riding a scooter yesterday, the police officer signalled him to stop. When he stopped at some distance, the police officer assaulted him and went away with his scooter’s key. He said the officer returned to his shop after about an hour and issued a challan. He also kicked and beat him publicly at his shop and forced him to accompany him on a vehicle to a lonely spot at Bhaloo, near the Sukkar khud, where he tortured him for more than an hour. |
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Staff shortage in govt primary schools Kumarhatti, October 26 Villagers of these panchayats have to trudge long distances to board buses. The plight of the vegetable growers is worse, as they have to carry their produce to terminals markets. They suffer huge losses as the carriage cost eats up major portion of the revenue collected by them. The work on 16.5 km-long Garouni-Kamlog road, covering 22 villages of both panchayats has been abandoned due to the pathetic attitude of the authorities concerned. A survey of the road was conducted in 1997 after it was selected under MLA priority road last year but no progress has taken place so far. Mr Nand Lal, president of Kabakalan Panchayat said. The quality of education has been badly affected due to the lack of staff in the government primary schools. Those who were transferred here got their transfer order cancelled by using political links. In Nau Primary School at Kabakalan panchayat a voluntary teacher was taking all five classes for the past eight months. In Jangaria Primary School under same panchayat two contract teachers were taking all five classes. |
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Fund shortage hits town schemes Chamba Another problem faced by the municipality is staff shortage with the workload
increasing manifold over a period of time. The council’s annual income, including meagre grants from the government, is about Rs 70 lakh, which is almost equal to its expenditure. The funds are not enough even to maintain ancient temples and monuments of historical importance. The strength of the safai karamcharis has not been increased since the council came into being in the forties. Their number has in fact decreased from 62 to 30 while the population of the town has increased over the years from 5,000 to about 25,000. At least 44 safai karamcharis are required by the council. The post of executive engineer needs to be created in view of the heavy workload. Besides, the posts of draughtsman and surveyor and those which have fallen vacant due to the retirement of employees should be filled. Reiterating his resolve to work for the development of the town, Mr Surinder Pal Dhall, president of the council, has emphasised the need for speeding up work on the ongoing schemes.
*** The low-voltage power supply in the far-flung areas of the Chamba region is being attributed to the increased load on the system. At present there is only one substation at Chamba, which is inadequate. To increase the voltage and tackle problems at the time of heavy snowfall and rain, the HPSEB had a plan to set up a new substation at Chamba at a cost of Rs 5 crore. For this, 20 bighas was to be acquired by the HPSEB in 1990. However, the scheme appears to have been shelved because of the paucity of funds for the past about 10 years, say sources. Meanwhile,
expressing concern over the problem of power breakdowns, representatives of various panchayats of this area have demanded that the government should find a solution to it. They say the existing substation should be replaced and improvements made in the transmission lines from Bathri to Chamba.
*** The Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Chamba, has launched an awareness-cum-training programme to popularise the growing of better variety grasses and fast-growing tree species. The main aim of the programme is to overcome fodder scarcity in the arid hilly belts of Chamba district. Under the programme, the KVK recently organised “grass day” in Saroo village. More than 100 farmers from various villages, including Udaipur, Cheema and Dula, participated in it. Scientists of the KVK say that the better variety grasses grow fast and are rich in protein and other nutrients. The best time for planting the grasses is July and the March-Apirl period. Generally, 20 to 25 quintals of green fodder per bigha can be obtained in three or four cuttings during the growing season up to November. |
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Kulu Dasehra concludes Kulu, October 26 The idol of Lord Rama, that was brought from Ayodhya by the progenitors of Jagat Singh, the erstwhile ruler of Kulu princely state, was placed on to the wooden ‘rath’ which was later pulled by devotees chanting “siya pati Ram Chander ki jai”. Later, the Governor inaugurated the Dasehra exhibition put up by various departments and private organisations. He said such exhibitions helped in promoting handicraft and handloom industry of the state. The Governor also paid obeisance to Lord Rama and offered prayers at the camp temple erected at the Dhalpur ground. The festival took an ugly turn when devotees of two gods from the Banjar subdivision of the district were seen fighting and the police had to resort to a mild lathi charge to disperse the mob. CHAMBA: Dasehra was celebrated here on Friday with gaiety and religious fervor in the district. The effigies of Ravana, Kumbhkarana and Meghanatha were burnt at the historic Chowgan of the district to mark the victory of good over evil. Earlier, a procession was taken out in the main bazaar of the district.
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Encroachments
disrupt traffic Una, October 26 Due to these encroachments and the heavy traffic between Government College and mini secretariat and near the bus stand on the Una-Hamirpur highway, traffic gets blocked several times a day causing inconvenience to the public especially the pedestrians. It may be mentioned that following a public interest litigation a few months back, the Himachal Pradesh High Court had issued directions to the district administration asking it to remove the illegally parked ‘rehris’ on the roadside and other encroachments in the town. |
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Rs 1.3 cr for river valley project Chamba, October 26 This was stated by Mr Kishori Lal, Himachal Industries Minister, at a public meeting in Langhagala yesterday. He said the Mehla bridge over the Ravi would connect the villages of Bharian Kothi, Kolka, Jatkari and Bhanera with Chamba. |
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