Himalaya Heading News

India`s swine flu toll reaches 967, over 26,000 infected

1/2/2010 6:38:50 AM

New Delhi: At least 13 more people have died due to swine flu in India taking the toll due to the pandemic virus to 967, health authorities said on Friday.

Of the 13 deaths, Maharashtra and Uttarakhand reported three deaths each, and Delhi and Karnataka reported two deaths each. Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab reported one death each.

With these deaths, the casualty figure has reached 268 in Maharashtra and 133 in Karnataka. While 13 people have so far lost their lives in Uttarakhand, the number of deaths in Madhya Pradesh and Punjab are nine and 33, respectively.

In the national capital, the death roll has reached 72.

HC orders UP to hand over irrigation assets to Uttarakhand

10/8/2009 11:10:32 PM

In a major decision pertaining to the ownership of irrigation department properties in Uttarakhand that have been under the control of Uttar Pradesh government, the Nainital High Court has directed that these properties be handed over to the Uttarakhand government.

The properties are said to be worth more than Rs 1000 crore.

Despite Uttarakhand becoming a state in 2000, these properties were still being controlled by the Uttar Pradesh government. State Chief Minister Dr. Ramesh Pokhariyal Nishank has welcomed the decision of the bench comprising Justice BK Gupta and Justice BK Bisht.

According to the Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Indu Kumar Pande the properties that are to be transferred to Uttarakhand include 65 bighas of agricultural land in Hardwar along with 28 big canals and some water bodies and buildings located in Udham Singh Nagar.

News Source: IndianExpress

Fee for Uttarakhand technical colleges fixed

10/8/2009 11:09:24 PM

The fee committee constituted by the Uttarakhand government today fixed the fees for technical colleges of the hill state.
Official sources today said that the fee committee fixed the fee for eight technical colleges of Dehradun and four colleges from rest of the state.

The yearly fee includes tuition fee and development fee, they said adding that the fee will be from Rs 59,000 to 67,000.

The committee has also asked other technical colleges in the state to submit relevant documents, so that their fee could also be fixed.

News Source: PTI

Uttarakhand ideal for setting up Herbal Export Zones

10/8/2009 11:08:25 PM

Uttarakhand, with its over 172 varieties of medicinal and aromatic plant, fruits and vegetables, is an ideal place for herbal export zones or HEZs, an Assocham study said.

The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) in a paper recently submitted to the state government said the state has the potential to raise annual turnover of its herbal industry by Rs 4000 to Rs 16000 crore by the end of the next year.
The report also said HEZs have a capacity to provide employment to over 1.20 lakh skilled workforce and farmers.
However, it said there is a need to generate awareness on various aspects of medicinal plants among the farmers and people of Uttarakhand.

News Source: PTI

Uttarakhand Annual Plan 2009-10 finalized

10/8/2009 11:07:25 PM

The Annual Plan outlay for Uttarakhand for the year 2009- was finalized at a meeting, here today, between the Deputy Chairman Planning Commission, Shri Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Chief Minister of Uttaranchal Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal. The Annual Plan size was agreed at Rs.5574.70 crores. This includes additional Central assistance of Rs.400 crores for infrastructure needed for Kumbh Mela.

Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission complimented the State Government for new initiatives aimed at making the growth more inclusive. He said more focused attention was needed in education and health sector and policy initiatives should aim at promoting public private partnership to accelerate pace and generate human capital that is a critical input into the development process

Mr. Ahluwalia said that the State needs to give higher priority to infrastructure development as future growth will depend critically on the rapid development of this sector. He said this was even more important if the emphasis was on inclusive growth, since there is a direct link between the availability of infrastructure facilities in the backward regions and the standard of living of the people living there.

He said the State has immense tourism potential and effort should be to further strengthen infrastructure for the sector. Investment friendly policy initiatives including provision of land to the private sector should be promoted.

Briefing the Commission on Plan performance of the State, the Chief Minister said that in pursuance of national policy to ensure that growth is more inclusive and benefits reach to all sections of the society, the State would accord highest priority to social services with transport sector as the next priority. He said efforts are on to encourage private sector participation in both physical and social infrastructure.

The Chief Minister pointed out that the State has to protect forests which constitute over 65 per cent of the land area, and constraints their economic activity. He said Centre should compensate State government for this. Private sector is being encouraged to participate in the development of both physical and social infrastructure and many new projects in public private partnership mod are expected this year. He said the State expects to reach 100 per cent of villages by year end and would work towards further promoting horticulture and floriculture.

News Source: Press Information Bureau