H A R Y A N A

Haryana incentives for industrial units
Chandigarh, December 30
The Haryana Government will offer incentives for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) of the state to strengthen them in view of the challenge of WTO.

Review decision on bus, Samjhauta train: Gujral
Karnal, December 30
Former Prime Minister of India Inder Kumar Gujral today called upon the Union Government to review the decision stopping Samjhauta Express and the bus services between India and Pakistan.

Justice eludes distraught father Karnal, December 30 Justice eludes a distraught father who has been running from pillar to post for the past about three years to seek justice for his “wronged” daughter.

Implement pact or face agitation: BKU
Jind, December 30
The executive committee of the Bharatiya Kisan Union, Haryana, at a meeting held at Kandela village in the district yesterday, alleged that the state government had failed to implement the agreement reached between the administration and the agitating farmers of the village on December 24 pertaining to the demands of the farmers.

• Fog mishap claims 4 lives

• College function

Haryana incentives for industrial units
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 30
The Haryana Government will offer incentives for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) of the state to strengthen them in view of the challenge of WTO.

An official release issued here today said the package of incentives being issued to the SMEs comprised of schemes such as testing equipments subsidy scheme, technology generation through research & development, incentives for ISO-9000 certification, reimbursement of training expenses, reimbursement of stamp duty charges and interest subsidy scheme under modernisation programme.

According to the release, under the testing equipments subsidy scheme, subsidy to the extent of 50 per cent of the value of the equipment subject to a maximum of Rs 50,000 would be disbursed to small and medium industrial units.

Under the technology generation through research & development scheme, the government will provide incentives to small and medium units of Haryana which have been awarded patents for the technology generated by them. The units whose item of manufacture has been awarded patents by the Government of India will be given one time grant-in-aid of Rs 1 lakh.

The reimbursement of ISO-9000 certification expenses scheme focuses on the objectives of promoting quality management system in the small and medium industrial sector and strengthening their product marketing and exports. Under the reimbursement of stamp duty charges scheme, registration expenses will be subsidised to the extent of 50 per cent of the stamp duty charges for medium-scale units of Haryana, provided they are availing term loans from a central or a state financial institution. All these incentives will be applicable to SMEs with fixed capital investment of up to Rs 5 crore.

Review decision on bus, Samjhauta train: Gujral
Our Correspondent

Karnal, December 30
Former Prime Minister of India Inder Kumar Gujral today called upon the Union Government to review the decision stopping Samjhauta Express and the bus services between India and Pakistan.

Mr Gujral was presiding over a seminar on “Terrorism and Internal Security of India”, at the NDRI auditorium here. The seminar was organised by the Citizens Grievances Committee (Karnal).

The former Prime Minister maintained that stoppage of the train and bus service was the “biggest mistake of the government”. This did not help strengthen the country’s defence in anyway. Mr Gujral wanted that inter-country communication links should be kept open so that the people from Pakistan should come to India and learn about our democratic system and traditions.

Declaring his support for the NDA Government for defending the country, Mr Gujral made it clear that India should not project that she was against Pakistan’s people. In fact the military ruler of Pakistan might be against India but not the people of that country. Mr Gujral questioned how could India expect co-operation from a military dictator in whose country’s 50 per cent of the budget was being spent on weapons. He stated that India was not against Pakistani people but against terrorism and terrorist behind cross-border terrorism.

On SAARC conference, Mr Gujral warned the Indian leadership that SAARC should not be “weakened” in anyway. Activities of SAARC got India international recognition. He urged the government to strengthen relations with neighbours. He maintained that the USA could never be a “natural ally” of India as was being projected. In fact once again it has been proved that Pakistan was the natural ally of the USA. India should extend all facilities in the field of trade to the SAARC countries to further strengthen relations with them. He felt that the India’s neighbours could provide more effective help to it than the far-off countries to fight cross-border terrorism. He urged the Prime Minister to spend maximum time at the SAARC conference to share India’s concern with other countries.

On the POTO, Mr Gujral asked the Minister of State for Home Affairs who was sharing the dais with him “not to allow misuse of POTO in anyway”. He held that TADA was misused and those who did it, suffered its consequences.

Mr I.D. Swami, Union Minister for Home Affairs, addressing the seminar assured the audience that the country was “committed to fight terrorism.”

Mr Swami expressed the view that the POTO in itself was not sufficient to fight terrorism. It was only one of the legal tools. He also said that quick decisions were needed to provide arms to security services. Already Rs 1000 crore had been earmarked to modernise police forces in different states of the country. Furthermore, so far, the country had spent Rs 45000 crore to fight terrorism through para-military forces. He urged the people to create awareness against terrorism.

Mr Joginder Singh — a former CBI Director wanted that security agencies be given what was required by them to fight terrorism. He wanted that India should express displeasure over the activities of Pakistan at the SAARC meet. He said that a clear concept against terrorism should be developed at the national level. He was of the view that speeches would not suffice. We have to bring in accountability while fighting terrorism. India needed to change its policies to fight terrorism.

Mr Joginder Singh maintained that the attack on Parliament on December 13 was the “biggest lapse” of the security agencies. It would have been shameful for the country, had the terrorists succeeded in their mission. It was to be admitted that they were able to pierce the security system in the Parliament House to some extent. He was sore that intelligence failures were manifest in India in a number of cases.

Others who addressed the seminar including Dr C.K. Thakur and Dr B.K. Mathur, Director on the NDRI.

Justice eludes distraught father
K.G. Dutt

Karnal, December 30
Justice eludes a distraught father who has been running from pillar to post for the past about three years to seek justice for his “wronged” daughter. The sordid tale of Mr Sohanveer Singh, a Central Government employee in the Regional Provident Fund Office here, provides enough insight into the “stonewall” attitude of the authorities to provide relief to an ordinary citizen against influential and well-to-do people.

As per inquiries made by The Tribune, Nirmala Devi, a student of a privately managed school in Sector 6 in the Urban Estate here, was allegedly wronged by the authorities of another school located in a nearby village by declaring her fail in a practical examination in class X.

Over two years ago, the girl had appeared in the practical examinations of two subjects held under the same roof and at the same time in the village school. However, surprisingly she was shown absent in one practical examination and declared fail while in the second she was shown to have secured first class marks.

Mr Sohanveer Singh took up cudgels on behalf of his daughter and fought for over two years at various rungs of the administration in the Board of School Examination, Bhiwani, to prove that the school situated in the Urban Estate was being run by an influential person who had not sought recognition for the school. Instead, he used to make the students appear in the examinations of the board from a recognised school in a nearby village. In lieu of it, the proprietor charged hefty amounts from the students.

Mr Sohanveer Singh during the inquiry conducted by the Board of School Education had also alleged that a heavy amount was demanded from him to get his failed daughter declared as “pass” in the practical examination. But instead of paying the gratification money, he choose to fight and expose the scandal. In the entire process, not only did he suffer but his daughter also lost two precious years of her studies. Ultimately, the DGP, Mr Mohinder Singh Malik, ordered an inquiry by the crime branch of the Haryana CID at Madhuban.

The DSP, CID, Mr Fateh Singh, in his inquiry, found the allegation of Mr Sohanveer Singh true and recommended the registration of a case against the owners of the two schools.

It was on the orders of the DGP, Haryana, that an FIR was lodged in the Civil Lines police station, Karnal, on November 30, 2001, against the owners of the schools.

Mr Sohanveer Singh has told the police here that anti-social elements had visited his house one night after the case against the two proprietors. But the police has neither arrested the culprits nor initiated action against the proprietors. He is being asked to either withdraw the case or face death. 

Implement pact or face agitation: BKU
Our Correspondent

Jind, December 30
The executive committee of the Bharatiya Kisan Union, Haryana, at a meeting held at Kandela village in the district yesterday, alleged that the state government had failed to implement the agreement reached between the administration and the agitating farmers of the village on December 24 pertaining to the demands of the farmers.

The committee decided that if the agreement was not implemented immediately the BKU would organise a state-level rally of farmers on January 8 at a village and decide the future course of action.

Mr Ghasi Ram Nain, state President of the BKU, presided over the meeting. It was attended by all office-bearers of the union, besides Mr Dharambir, district President of the BKU, Rohtak, Mr Vijender Singh, district President of the BKU, Hisar, and some senior functionaries. It was alleged that the farmers were sore because the government was ignoring the agreement.

It was pointed out that farmers arrested during the agitation had not been released and “false” cases registered against them were not withdrawn. The farmers were not getting adequate power supply. Farmers injured in police firing on December 21 were also not being properly treated in hospital.

Mr Ram Phal Kandela, state general secretary of the union, said the recent announcement of the Chief Minister of waiving surcharge and interest on the pending electricity bills of the farmers was not acceptable to the BKU. He said the government should decide the issue by holding talks with representatives of the farmers. 

Fog mishap claims 4 lives
Tribune News Service

Fatehabad, December 30
Four members of a family were killed when the Maruti car they were travelling in collided with a truck near Dariyapur village in the district on Sunday morning. The victims were residents of the Nagloi area in New Delhi and were going to Dera Sacha Sauda near Sirsa. Poor visibility due to heavy fog in the morning is said to be the reason behind the mishap. They have been identified as Krishan Kumar (40), his wife Sarita (34) and sons Deepesh and Varun. The police has registered a case.

College function
Our Correspondent

Kurukshetra, December 30
Mr Surya Kant Sharma, Advocate-General, Haryana, called upon students to work with sincerity. He was speaking at the annual prize distribution function of Bhagvan Parsu Ram College here today. Mr Sharma gave away prizes to the students who excelled in sports, music and academics.