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Sunday,
December 16, 2001, Chandigarh, India  
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Land grab case
against Cong MLA Income support
system likely for farmers Speaker reviews
Assembly security
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HPU panel to probe
officers’ demands College revokes
suspension of two students Govt planning to
close mines People resent
monkey menace 
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Land grab case against Cong MLA Dharamsala, December 15 The case against Ms Asha Kumari, MLA from Banikhet, her husband Brijender Singh, a retired patwari, Mr Mehar Singh, a retired HAS officer, Mr Narendra Ashok, a retired naib tehsildar, Mr Chet Singh and naib tehsildar Mr B.D. Sharma, has been registered under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and the IPC. SP Vigilance (north) said the case had been registered on the basis of alleged manipulation of tenancies, forged wills and power of attorney in connivance with revenue officials. He said the land had been vested with the HP Government in 1976 as surplus, under provisions of the HP ceilings on Land Holding Act, 1972. “In case of one forged will, the person is still alive, while his land has been transferred in the name of Mr Brijender Singh, as part of execution of the will,” he alleged. He said that the case had been registered under Sections 420, 467, 468,471, 120 B and 218, IPC, and Section 13 (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. He added that after the registering of the case investigations were still being made. |
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Income support system likely for farmers Shimla, December 15 The Union Minister for Consumer affairs, Mr Shanta Kumar, told newspersons here today that an expert committee studying the issue was expected to submit its report within a month. He said the procurement and the minimum support price were proposed to be delinked under the new system under which the farmers would be paid the difference between the support price and the market price for the surplus grains with them. The government would maintain a minimum buffer stock of 243 lakh tonnes of foodgrains against the over 650 lakh tonnes which had accumulated at present. He said under the existing system of procurement by the FCI, only 68 lakh farmers were benefited, whereas the new scheme would cover all farmers. About 80 per cent of the procurement was being done in Punjab, Haryana and Andhra Pradesh. Moreover, the Centre was spending Rs 6000 crore on storage of the procured grains. Besides, Rs 21,000 crore was being spent on food subsidy. About 100 lakh tonnes of foodgrains were lying in the open as there was no place in godowns. He said once the new scheme was introduced, the Centre would meet its requirements of foodgrains in any particular state by inviting open bids. India was perhaps the only country where the government had taken the responsibility of purchasing the produce of the farmers. Referring to his home state of Himachal Pradesh, Mr Shanta Kumar said for the first time it had been decided by his ministry to procure 50,000 tonnes of maize at a support price of Rs 485 per quintal as farmers were selling their produce in distress at a price ranging between Rs 300 and Rs 350. Four procurement centres had been opened at Mandi, Bilaspur, Hamirpur and Kangra by the FCI for this purpose. He announced a special allocation of 74000 tonnes of foodgrains at cheap rates for Himachal Pradesh for October, November and December in view of the drought. The same quantity of allocation was also done for the previous three months. Mr Shanta Kumar said the people were benefited to the tune of Rs 123 crore in Himachal Pradesh due to the introduction of various schemes for them in the food sector. Sugar was being supplied at a subsidised rate in hill states which had resulted in a benefit of Rs14 crore in Himachal Pradesh. It had been decided to encourage setting up of various industries based on the by product of sugar- cane, he added. |
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Speaker
reviews Assembly security Shimla, December 15 According to the Secretary of the Assembly, Mr Ajai Bhandari, the Speaker emphasised the need for framing a long-term comprehensive security system for the Assembly. It was decided that only a restricted number of vehicles would be allowed to enter the Assembly premises. Ministers and MLAs would be allowed to bring only one vehicle each. The visitors would be thoroughly screened
before being allowed inside. Visitor gallery passes would be issued on the recommendation and responsibility of the members. The Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Mr J.P. Nadda, Mr Ram Dass Malangar, Deputy Speaker, Mr Dev Swaroop, Home Secretary and the DGP, Mr A.K. Puri, were among others who participated in the meeting. |
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Shanta loyalists get together Shimla, December 15 His trusted lieutenants, Mr K. K. Kapoor, Transport Minister and Mr Ramesh Dhwala, Irrigation Minister, flanked Mr Shanta Kumar during his press conference. Both of them were among those who had revolted against the Chief Minister, Mr P. K. Dhumal, sometime ago. A member of Parliament, Mr Suresh Chandel and an MLA, Mr Vipin Parmar, also arrived later in the state guest house while
Mr Shanta Kumar was having lunch with mediapersons. The Vice-Chairman of the HRTC, Mr Khushi Ram Balnatah, Mr Mohinder Nath Sofat, who is being projected for the Rajya Sabha seat and Mr Jagat Singh Negi, a former MLA, were present since the arrival of Mr Shanta Kumar. Mr Ganesh Dutt, a spokesman for the state BJP, who is reportedly upset these days because of the appointment of two other spokesmen of the party, was also present at the press conference. |
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HPU panel
to probe officers’ demands Shimla, December 15 The decision to appoint the committee was taken at the first meeting of the executive committee after Prof. S.D. Sharma became the Vice-Chancellor. The committee will be headed by Mr Bipin Parmar, MLA, and the Registrar of the university and the Director of Education are its members. The council approved the recommendations of the committee headed by Mr Suresh Chandel, MP and member of the council, regarding the recruitment and promotion rules for the technical services. It decided to expedite the process of making English as an optional elective subject at the undergraduate level from the coming session. It took a strong notice of the violent incidents on the campus last month and ordered that unauthorised persons would not be allowed to stay in hostels. Refreshment and daily allowance for sportspersons participating in the inter-college tournaments has been enhanced from Rs 3 to Rs 10 and Rs 40 to Rs 50, respectively. It was decided to constitute a committee to look into the grievances of women employees. The appointments in the Departments of Education, Sociology, Economics, Geography and Management Studies were approved by the council. Earlier, the Central Students Association and the ABVP submitted memorandums to the Vice-Chancellor. |
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College
revokes suspension of two students Kangra, December 15 Mr S.K. Sharma, Principal of the college, said the suspension was revoked following the unconditional apology by the students and their assurance of good conduct in future. The suspension was revoked for the sake of the career of the students, he added. Sunil and Kapil, presidents of the ABVP and the Azad Chhattar Sangh, respectively, were suspended for allegedly indulging in indiscipline in the college on Monday last. Addressing a press conference here yesterday, ABVP state general secretary Kamal Nain criticised the college management for breaking the students’ agitation allegedly to cover up management’s failures. They urged the college management to accept the students’ demands. They said if the demands were not met, they would meet the Vice-Chancellor of HP University and the Deputy Commissioner, Kangra, in this regard. |
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Govt planning to close mines Shimla, December 15 This was stated here today by the minister, for Industries, Mr Kishori Lal, while talking to mediapersons. Mr Kishori Lal said although the government would lose some revenue by closing these mines, but the main concern was of protecting environment. He said the replies to the notices had been received from all these mine lease holders and these were now being legally examined. About 10,000 persons would be affected due to the closure of these mines, he said. |
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People resent monkey menace Nahan, December 15 Six cases of monkey bite were reported from the Ranital and Pucca Tank areas in the past three days. Residents said a rogue monkey had
bitten six persons, including two students of DAV Public School. People said it had become difficult to send children to school as even schoolbags were searched by monkeys and lunch-boxes and water bottles snatched. When anybody hit a monkey with stone or stick, it got angry and attacked anyone passing through in street, they added. |
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BJP meeting postponed Shimla, December 15 |
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