CM inaugurates cultural nite of HAMIR UTSAV
SHIMLA, 2nd September, 2010: Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister inaugurated the Cultural Nite by lighting the ceremonial lamp at School Ground last evening, after he had also inaugurated the exhibition stalls put up by different departments, PSUs, NGO, Boards, BSNL, AIDS Control Society and Self Help Groups from different parts of the State and Kabaddi match to give start to sports events during the three day long State-level Hamir Utsav.
Addressing the gathering on the occasion, Chief Minister congratulat the people of the District for having completed 38 years of the formation of the district. He said that the District had also made progress in literacy, road density, health smart card and many other sectors which had been possible with the pro-active role of the people. He said that Hamirpur was coming up as a hub of vocational education in the State where National level vocational institutions had started functioning and providing students skill up-gradation in vocational training facilities nearer to their homes. He said that the 1st Technical University of the State was also likely to start its activities very soon since all the modalities required to start the University had been completed.
Dhumal said that Rs. 46 crore ultra modern Bus Stand construction work would be started very soon and Rs. 17 crore to be spent on it in the first phase. He said that State Government had returned the honour of the people of the district by bringing back the Jangal Beri IRB to its original location where infrastructural construction activities were in progress. He said that efforts had been made to give momentums to the pace of development by opening offices of Chief Engineer PWD, IPH, Conservator of Forests, Regional office of HIMUDA etc. at
Hamirpur. He also complimented people on Janmastmi Mahaparb and wished all a joyous celebration. He also released the souvenir brought out to mark the celebration. He also enjoyed cultural programme.
Dr. Abhishek Jain, Deputy Commissioner-cum-Chiarman of Organizing Committee, proposed vote of thanks and detailed out the activities of the three-day long event.
Mahinder Singh Thakur, Transport and Urban Development Minsiter, Smt. Urmil Thakur, MLA, Sh. Dess Raj Sharma, President, Distt. Hamirpur, BJP, Sh. Pyara Lal Sharma, Chairman, APMC, Sh. R.S. Mankotia, Chairman, Kangra Central Coop. Bank, Smt. Vina Sharma, President, Mahila Morcha, Sh. Deep Kummar, President Municipal Committee, Sh. Kuldeep Sharma S.P., other senior officers and prominent people of the town were present among others.
Himachal Chief Minister unveils 'Har Ghar Kuchh Kehta Hai' coffee table book
2010-09-02: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal recently unveiled a coffee table book tiled ' Har Ghar Kuchh Kehta Hai' that provides a peep into the historical importance of Shimla's heritage buildings.
Compiled by the state tourism and civil aviation department, the book took ten months of hard work by its director and author Dr Arun Sharma.
The book contains some rare photographs of old buildings constructed by the British, personalities and events that have taken place in the town since 1822.
The journey of M S Oberoi, the Shimla-Kalka rail track, a UNESCO heritage site, telegraph office, churches and walking trails, too, are part of the book, which also mentions Shimla-born novelists M M Kaye and Nirmal Verma and actors Anupam Kher, Prem Chopra, Balraj Sahni, Rajinder Kishan and Preity Zinta.
According to the book, in one of his last recorded reminiscences, M S Oberoi had this to say-"Soon after I joined the Cecil, There was a change of management. Mr Clarke succeeded Mr. Grove as manager .For the first time a small piece of luck came in my way.
The book says that Earnest Clark, the manager, offered Cecil Hotel to Oberoi for rupees 25,000/- and Oberoi asked him for some time to arrange the money. He mortaged his limited assets and his wife jewellery and paid the entire amount over a five year period. (ANI)
Himachal announces State Youth Award Scheme
2010-09-02: The central government has no roadmap to revive the three state-run vaccine producing plants in the country, shut in January 2008, a parliamentary panel has concluded.
In its report tabled in the Lok Sabha during its monsoon session last month, the panel said the sequence of events since the licences of the three units were revoked in January 2008 'clearly shows that their revival is not envisaged by the government in future'.
The licences of the Central Research Institute (CRI) at Kasauli in Himachal Pradesh, Pasteur Institute of India in Coonoor in Kerala, and the BCG Vaccine Laboratory in Guindy, Tamil Nadu, were suspended by the union health and family welfare ministry on the ground that these were not adhering to the World Health Organisation (WHO) norms for manufacturing.
However, the government allowed the CRI Kasauli to restart production in April this year.
The committee, that included Rajya Sabha member from Himachal Pradesh Viplove Thakur, said: 'Every attempt was made to create hurdles so that the process of making them goods manufacturing practices compliant continues for long and their vaccine production remains suspended.'
The prices of vaccines in the country have shot up with the closure of these units, it noted.
'Within two years of closure of the units, the competitive prices of vaccines have shot up more than double. With rising prices of vaccines, expenditure incurred in the implementation of universal immunisation programme in the country would surely add to the burden of the public exchequer,' said the report, a copy of which is with IANS.
The report also held that the decision to discontinue vaccine production was not guided by sound reasoning.
'There is nothing substantial on record analysing the grounds on which the decision was taken,' it observed.
According to the committee, the production at the Pasteur Institute of India in Coonoor is likely to begin in December, but the ministry is silent on allowing the BCG Vaccine Laboratory in Guindy to restart production.
An official at the CRI Kasauli said the institute has restarted production of DPT, yellow fever and anti-sera vaccines.
'The central government has allowed the institute to restart production but it's still not serious on overcoming the shortcomings in goods manufacturing practice,' said an official on the condition of anonymity.
Before the suspension, the 103-year-old CRI was manufacturing more than 15 vaccines including for diphtheria, measles, typhoid and tetanus.
HC directs Himachal govt to furnish list of tainted officers
02/09/2010: Shimla, Sept: The Himachal Pradesh High Court today directed the state government to furnish a list of all tainted officers against whom investigations were in progress.
A complete list of the tainted officers be furnished against whom investigations were in progress and inform the court "whether the government considered the factor of image of public service and the image of government while reinstating these officers, a bench comprising of Chief Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice Kuldeep Singh said.
The bench also asked the Chief Secretary to furnish information about the reinstated officers against whom cases were under investigations under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The court also directed the top official to inform the court what steps government had taken to expedite the trial or investigation against such officers and explain if the government had applied its mind before passing the order of reinstatement of such officers.
The Chief Secretary, in her affidavit, said three officers were facing trial in corruption cases but no details of officers against whom investigation is pending was furnished.
Tibetan Democracy Day celebrated in Dharamsala
2010-09-02: The Tibetans living-in-exile celebrated the 50th anniversary of Tibetan Democracy Day in Himachal Pradesh's Dharamsala city on Thursday.
Over thousands of people, including Buddhist nuns and monks attended the function at the Tsuglagkhang temple in Dharamsala along with a host of other senior functionaries.
Senior functionaries and local people took part in the celebrations.
"It is an institution, which is transparent, which is accountable and abides by the rule of law. In the Kashag's statement whatever accomplishments we have been able to achieve in attaining greater freedom in terms of law, democracy," said Tibetan Government-in-exile spokesperson Thubten Samphel.
"It's all due to the efforts made by His holiness the Dalai Lama," he added.
Tibetan performers and children sang and danced to commemorate the event.
China has accused the Dalai Lama of being a 'splittist' and seeking independence of Tibet, but he says he only wants autonomy for the Tibetans.
The Dalai Lama has in recent years called for limited autonomy for Tibet, but some Tibetans are demanding full independence. (ANI)
Jindal Cotex arm implements textile park in Himachal Pradesh
Jindal Cotex today announced that its subsidiary, Himachal Textile Park, has started the implementation of its textile park in Himachal pradesh.
The said park will be located at Upmahal Ram Nagar, Tehsil Amb, Distt Una, Himachal Pradesh.
The park will be the first of its kind in the state of Himachal Pradesh having vertically integrated manufacturing base for streams of technical textiles with the units having weaving, warp knitting, bleaching, carding, finishing machines, film production, lamination and packing for domestic and export purposes under one roof. The park has already acquired the land and will be operational by end of this year.
Jindal Medicot and Jindal Specialty Textiles, wholly owned subsidiaries of the company are setting up their technical textile projects at Tehsil Amb, Distt Una under the Textile Park.
The orders for machinery have been duly placed for the projects of Jindal Medicot and Jindal Specialty Textiles.
Jindal Medicot is expected to be fully operational by December, 2010. Jindal Specialty Textiles is expected to commence its operations by March, 2011.
Shares of Jindal Cotex declined Rs 2.25, or 1.55%, to settle at Rs 142.80. The total volume of shares traded was 39,271 at the BSE (Wednesday).
