Himachal to sign MoU with 3 universities

The state government’s move to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the three universities to expedite the process of fiscal reforms is likely to meet stiff resistance from students and employees.

The fund-starved universities have been asked to sign the document to avail enhanced grant. Further, there will be no annual increase in the grant for the next three years. The functioning of the institutions, including the implementation of the MoU, will be reviewed after three years for the revision of grant.

Reeling under constant pressure from students and employees bodies, the university authorities have, in the past, failed to take any such steps. The Students Federation of India has already threatened to start a state-wide agitation to force the authorities to drop the move to sign the MoU.

Areas of Himachal isolated due to heavy snowfall

The Kinnaur district and Spiti valley of Himachal Pradesh remained isolated from the rest of the state for the sixth day today due to heavy snowfall and landslides. Work to re-establish power supply to Kinnaur and Spiti, and to clear the National Highway (Hindustan-Tibet road) has been hindered due to the heavy snowfall.

The Kirtpur-Manali National Highway, which was open upto Manali on Friday, has been opened upto Palching and efforts are being made to open the road upto Solang Nallah.

Some of the power houses in the region were also damaged due to heavy landslides in the region. Experts from Delhi have been called to review the loss and to carry out the power generation again.

More Sugar mills- Boom for sugarcane farmers

More than a decade after farmers in Himachal Pradesh’s Una district abandoned growing sugarcane for want of an assured market and accountable processing, the prospect of two new sugar mills is forcing a relook at sugarcane.

With one mill cleared early last year but yet to take off, the government sanctioned a second mill in December. The cost analysis, as determined by experts, indicates that farmers can get returns of Rs 30,000-40,000 per acre; for hybrid varieties, this could go up to Rs 50,000/acre.

Both mills are looking at integrated projects, including production of ethanol, IMFL and bio-compost and, as such, could throw up plenty of job opportunities for locals.

New Transfer Policy announced

Irrigation and Public Health Minister, Kaul Singh Thakur, who is also Chairman of New Transfer Policy Committee said that new Transfer Policy has almost been formulated which would be sent for Cabinet for discussion and its approval.

Thakur said that there was need for framing of New Transfer Policy as the present policy being implemented from the last two and a half decade has been become obsolete and old.

He said that the draft of the New Transfer Policy had been prepared after intensive discussions in the meetings with Heads of the Departments, Secretaries and NGOs Federation.

The policy would be uniform to all the employees and also thanked the Presidents and General Secretaries of various Associations for giving their suggestions. The period of General Transfer under the policy has been envisaged from 10th April to 20th May every year.

Governor of HP stressed to promote sports at rural areas

V.S. Kokje, Governor addresses the participants and audience on inaugratiion of Women Hockey Championship at Nahan. He stressed on the need to provide sports facilities at rural-level so that the Pradesh could be brought on International Sportsmap.

He said that for promoting education and sports activity, all possibilities are available in the State which needed to be tapped on massive-scale. He further said that proper training facilities could be provided to the sportsmen so that they could be prepared for State and International-level Sports Championship.

The hockey team drawn from Northern States like Punjab, Chandigarh, Jammu & Kashmir , Papsu & Himachal Pradesh are participating in the Championship.

49 lakh to Salig-Jather water supply scheme, CM

Special Economic Zone has been envisioned for district Kangra where in quality industrial expansion activities would be carried out and employment avenues created to the local people.

Chief Minister, Virbhadra Singh dedicated the Salig-Jather water supply scheme completed at a cost of Rs. 48.70 lakh and augmented water supply scheme Fatehpur competed at a cost of Rs. 34 lakh to the people of the areas.

He also said, road connectivity and safe drinking water would be ensured to all the villages for which an elaborated scheme had been formulated and Rs. 700 crore would be spent on both the programmes.

Later, Chief Minister, dedicated Manjih Khad bridge on Yol-Dadh-Palampur road completed at a cost of Rs. 70.05 lakh, Ghurlu Nallah bridge constructed at a cost of Rs. 34 lakh to the people of the area.

Republic Day function at Ridge Maidan, Shimla

The State-level Republic Day function on 26th January, 2006 would be held at Ridge Maidan Shimla. V.S. Kokje, Governor would preside over the function. Dharam Pal Thakur, Deputy Speaker, H.P. Vidhan Sabha will also attend the function.

The function at District-level would be presided over by Gangu Ram Musafir, Speaker, H.P. Vidhan Sabha at Solan, Smt. Vidya Stokes, MPP & Power Minister at Bilaspur, Kaul Singh Thakur, Irrigation and Public Health Minister at Kangra, Sat Mahajan, Revenue Minister at Chamba and Rangila Ram Rao, Excise and Taxation Minister at Kullu.

HP committed to promote tea industry

State Government is committed to revival, promotion and preservation of the tea industry and best efforts were being made to produce quality tea, obtain Central Government and external aided projects to give boost to tea gardening.

Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister of HP said that the tea industry needed to be maintained and managed professionally and latest marketing strategies should be worked out to attract more consumer markets globally.

He also said that the Tea Board of India had granted a project which ended in December, 05 to develop 80 to 100 hectares of area for tea plantations and induce quality awareness during the period of 2000-2005 and the project had encouraged the tea planters in the district.