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Himachal Corruption Tar: BJP, CONGRESS SMEARED, By Insaf, 25 Oct, 2012 Print E-mail

Round The States                                     

New Delhi, 25 October 2012

Himachal Corruption Tar

BJP, CONGRESS SMEARED

By Insaf

 

As  Himachal Pradesh’s high voltage  election campaigning enters its last lap, both the ruling BJP and rival Congress are entangled in corruption sleaze. For the former, the recent revelations against Party President Nitin Gadkari on several ‘suspicious transactions’ between his Purti group and a businessmen while he was PWD Minister in the Maharashtra Government along-with allegations of Gadkari's driver, peon and other household employees being shown as directors in 18 ‘front companies couldn’t have come at a more inappropriate mportunate time and is a major embarrassment. Worse, not only has it complicated matters for the Party as it comes amid attempts to paint the Congress corrupt but has also dented the till-now clean image of incumbent Chief Minister Prem Kumar  Dhumal. Pertinently, it has also put a big question mark over Gadkari getting a second term as President. Even the RSS, which till yesterday backed him, has made plain its abhorrence against dishonesty.

 

For the Congress, reeling under a surfeit of scandal including revelations about Congress President Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra’s real estate assets at the Centre, the charges against the Party’s Chief Ministerial candidate Virbhadra Singh are also ill-timed as it was hoping to wrest the State from its rival.  The former Union Minister and erstwhile Chief Minister stands accused of forgery, money-laundering, bribe taking and income tax evasion on his orchard income et al.  Undeniably, for the Party a win in this small State would come as a major boost to its flagging morale and fortunes in the crucial Lok Sabha elections in 2014. Either which way, both Parties have its fingers crossed that the voter turns a blind eye to the sleazy tales!

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Maharashtra Irrigation Projects Hit

Caught in the whirlpool of raging irrigation scandals, various projects continue to languish in Maharashtra. Shockingly, over 87 major and medium irrigation schemes remain stalled leading to cost over-runs or shortage of funds, from an estimated of Rs 21,938 crore to Rs 55,991 crore, an escalation of 155%. This is not all. Also delayed are 755 minor irrigation projects out of the 1,310 that were included in a special “accelerated” program. Not by a few years but some by to as much as 40 years! Importantly, the ‘defunct’ projects are not only symptoms of corruption but are depriving farmers of life-saving water for crops, weakening food security and pushing them to the brink of pauperization. So much for providing succour to farmers who continue to commit suicide.

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States In Red Over Green Energy

 

Many States are in the red when it comes to green energy, namely renewable energy. Pertinently, while Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Gujarat nearly met their targeted solar power requirements last year, their compliance vis-à-vis the non-solar segment is negligibly woeful. This is not all. The States have also failed to meet their renewable energy purchase obligation (RPO) for 2011-2012. The culprit? Poor policy enforcement and lack of awareness. According to the India Energy Exchange, while solar power is costly and suffers from supply shortfall, non-solar sources of energy (wind, biomass) have few takers due to lack of steady returns. Meanwhile, even as the Central Government wants the State Electricity Regulatory Committees (SERC) to penalise defaulting distributions companies, the Central Electricity Regulation Commission (CERC) advocates a wait and watch policy. Questionably, for how long?

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Kashmir Unveils New Hospitality

 

Buoyed by its ever-burgeoning tourism and record footfalls, the Kashmir University has launched a Masters programme in Travel and Hospitality to churn out trained professionals for the tourism industry. Pertinently, the course which was in the pipeline for the past three years but it was only after the State recorded over 1.5 million tourist this year alone, that the University decided to go ahead. Also, with pleasure seekers exploring new vistas other than the golden triangle of Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Srinagar there was need of trained professionals in the industry. Additionally, the university, has recorded a first in the country by launching another two-year course, Masters in Craft Management and Entrepreneurship. Needless to say, not only will this measure give a much needed impetus to bridge the yawning gap of lack of trained and professional manpower, has the potential to become one of the largest employers in the beautiful State and also help streamline the State’s tourism policy.

 

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Odisha & Goa Mines Tangle

 

In a harbinger of curbing the rot in mining, the Odisha Government has amended the mining theft rules by levying a charge of Re 1 for each tonne of mineral extracted by miners as “user fee” recently. Under the modified Orissa Mineral Prevention of Theft, Smuggling and Illegal Mining and Regulation of Possession, Storage, Trading and Transportation Rules 2007, the miner would have to deposit the fee at the time of issuance of the e-permit which would go towards installation of CCTV cameras, high mast lights and payment to security guards manning check-gates. That it means business was made plain when the State’s mines department cancelled applications for renewal of leases made between 1987 and 1994.  Meanwhile, in Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar is busy trying to find a solution to the mining maze after the Supreme Court halted extraction and transportation of iron ore pending inquiry report from the Centrally Empowered committee (CEC probing mining illegalities totaling a whopping Rs 35,000 crore loss to the exchequer in the last 12 years recently.  In the continuing uncertainty, the miners too have threatened to sue even as Parrikar hopes for a miracle.

 

 

 

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Gujarat’s ‘Nympho’ Lioness

 

Believe it or not, Gujarat which boasts of a bachelor Chief Minister, has a “nymphomaniac” lioness in its Savarkundla forest in Amreli district. The 10 year old yellow-black cat called Varol is busy turning the heat on the lions and is seen mating with them very frequently, an abnormal behaviour according to wildlife experts. Unlike normal lioness,  which do not mate for 12 to 18 months after the mating season, this lioness comes into the heat regularly and is seen in the ‘act’ every fortnight. The last such behaviour was spotted in a lioness was at the famed Gir forest in 2003. Wildlife enthusiasts are busy tailing this lion devouring diva! ----- INFA

 

(Copyright India News & Feature Alliance)

                                                                                                     

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