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Missing Pakistani woman trapped in Himachal shelter home due to ignorance of Govt.
SHIMLA – Umang Foundation, a public welfare trust, has urged the Government of Himachal Pradesh to immediately inquire about a Muslim woman lodged in Nari Sewa Sadan, Mashobra since August last, who claims herself to be a Pakistani. Mahammada (45) says that she is from Mohalla Noorana, District Gujarat of Pakistan. But the Directorate of Women and Child Welfare of Himachal Pradesh which run the Shelter Home did not bother to verify the address as told by the woman.
Ajai Srivastava, a human rights activist and chairman of Umang Foundation, who had filed a PIL in the High Court of Himachal Pradesh in January this year to save the innocent mentally sick inmates of State run Shelter from gross violation of human rights, while addressing a press conference here today disclosed the story of Mahammada. He said that he visited the Shelter Home two days ago with Ms. Jyoti Gutam and Rhythm Goswami, both young volunteers of the Foundation to inquire about the well-being of the all the 34 inmates. There are a number of innocent women lodged in the Shelter Home who gives clues about their native places and kith and kin.
Mahammada was brought to the Shelter Home by the Police from Kasauli by the order of an executive magistrate. The Director of Women and Child Development stated that she belonged to Gujarat State of India.
When Ajai Srivastava communicated with Mahammada, she said told that she was from Gujarat. But he felt that her language and accent was not that of Gujarati people. When he asked about her mother tongue, she said it was neither Gujarati. In the record of the Shelter Home, her name has been entered as “Mamta alias Mahammada, w/o Rajaah, Mohalla Noorana, Gujarat.” She was admitted to the Home on 10th August, 2015 on the orders of the Director when she was presented before him by the police.
As per Police record, she was found in a rain shelter near Kasauli on 7th August, 2015 and Police brought her to the Director of Women and Child Development in Shimla on 10th August who sent her to the Shelter Home. But no one knew the Pakistani connection of this innocent woman.
When Ajai Srivastava asked her whether she was from the Gujarat State of India or the District Gujarat of Pakistan, she immediately smiled and gave a stunning reply, “Zila Gujarat, Pakistan. Main Pakistani hun Hindustani nahin. (I am a Pakastani, not Hindustani)”.
She repeatedly said that she was a Pakistani. She also said that she was married to one Mr. Rajjak when she was 20 and her nikah was performed in District Gujarat of Pakistan. On a question, she said, “Mere do bachche hain (I have two kids) – Raul (14) and Jamila(16) who live with her father in Bihar.” But she could not explain that how her husband lives in Bihar when she was married in Pakistan.
Mahammada says, “I don’t remember how I came to the hills. Police brought me to this Home.” She repeatedly said that she wanted to go to her home in Pakistan. Unfortunately the Directorate of Women and Child Development did nothing in the last two and half months to trace her roots. She offers namaz and says, I am a Muslim. But I don’t know why people call me by a new name Mamta? Srivastava also emphasized on the proper mental health check-up and counselling of the woman to enable her to reveal more about her background.
Interestingly, in its judgment dated 4th June, 2015, on Srivastava’s PIL on gross violation of human rights at Nari Sewa Sadan, the Division Bench of High Court comprising Justices Rajiv Sharma and Tarlok Singh Chauhan had categorically ordered the government that “efforts be made to find out the next kith and kin of inmates by constituting a committee by the Superintendent of Police, Shimla within a period of two weeks from today.” The committee was constituted but no serious efforts are visible by the government to trace the roots of the inmates, he alleged.
Shimla-Himachal Pradesh Government employees working in different departments before January 3, 2022, would be given a higher scale at par with other employees on completion of two years tenure of regular service. A higher pay scale was also announced for the Junior Office Assistants (IT) on completion of two years of regular service.
Chief Minister Jairam Thakur made these announcements during the Karamchari Maha Sammelan of the Himachal Pradesh Non-Gazetted Employees Federation at the hotel Peterhof on Sunday.
He appreciated the role played by the employee especially frontline workers in the battle against the pandemic.
He said most of the government employees in the state have been given revised pay scales and on average, every employee has got the benefit of a 12 to 15 percent salary hike. There has also been an increase in the pension of about 1.50 lakh pensioners of the state. The financial benefits of Rs. 7801 crore have been given to state government employees and pensioners from the year 2018 to 2022. The pensioners who retired before 2016 are getting the benefit of a 15 to 20 percent increase in the pension while around 40 thousand pensioners who retired after 2016 would be benefitted soon, he said.
He said the daily wages were Rs. 210 in the year 2017 which has been increased by the present state government to Rs. 350. Similarly, 12 per cent interim relief annually has been provided to government employees and pensioners during the present government’s tenure. He said the Himachal government has provided Dearness Allowance to its employees and pensioners on the lines of Punjab and Central governments from the due date. The Punjab government has given only 5 percent interim relief to the employees while the Himachal government has provided 21 percent interim relief to its employees.
“Out of the total interim relief amount given to the employees and pensioners amounting to about Rs. 6500 crore, Rs. 3500 crore has been paid during the tenure of our government” added the Chief Minister.
He said that the state government has increased the government contribution for NPS employees from 10 percent to 14 percent benefitting more than one lakh employees. The NPS employees are being given the benefits of retirement and death gratuity at par with employees falling under the old pension scheme. The government has also increased the upper limit of death gratuity from Rs. 10 lakh to Rs. 20 lakh.
The Chief Minister said the state government has also increased the honorarium of para-workers working in various departments. The salary of outsource workers has been hiked by Rs 1,500 per month.
Non-Gazetted Employees Federation President Ashwani Thakur thanked the Chief Minister for providing various financial and other benefits to different categories of government employees.
New Delhi-The Centre has issued a notification to the States informing that the provisions of the Disaster Management (DM) Act, 2005 will not be invoked in the country after March 31. The Union Health Ministry said that the use of face masks and following hand hygiene will continue.
It implies that most of the Covid-related rules and restrictions would end.
Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla issued the notification which said that the decision was taken following the overall improvement in the situation and the preparedness of the government in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, local authorities and State police can still invoke fines and criminal cases against persons violating COVID-19 norms under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), a senior government official said.
The DM Act was invoked on March 24, 2020, due to the pandemic
“Over the last seven weeks or so there has been a steep decline in the number of cases. The total caseload in the country stands at 23,913 only and the daily positivity rate has declined to 0.28%. It is also worth mentioning that with the combined efforts, a total of 181.56 Cr vaccine doses have been administered,” the notification said.
“I would like to mention that in view of the nature of the disease, we still need to remain watchful of the situation. Wherever any surge in the number of cases is observed, the States/UTs may consider taking prompt and proactive action at a local level, as advised by MoHFW (Health Ministry) from time to time,” the notification said.
The Indian government had issued various guidelines and measures for the first time on March 24, 2020, under the Disaster Management Act to curb the COVID-19 situation in the country, which have been modified several times thereafter.
India currently has 23,087 active COVID-19 cases and recorded 1,778 new cases and 62 deaths in the last 24 hours. The daily positivity rate has also declined to 0.28%.
Shimla-A meeting of the Himachal Pradesh Cabinet was held on March 20, 2022, under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur.
The excise policy for the financial year 2022-23 was approved. Approval was also given for the renewal of retail excise vends in the state for the financial year 2022-23 at the renewal fees of 4% of the value of unit/vend.
The State Government said that wants to enhance the government revenue and curb the smuggling of country liquor from the neighbouring states by a reduction in its price.
The brands of Country Liquor will be cheaper as license fees have been reduced. This will help in providing good quality liquor at a cheaper rate to the consumers.
In the new excise policy, the 15% fixed quota of country liquor for manufacturers and bottlers to be supplied to the retail licensees has been abolished. According to the government, this step will give the retail licensees to lift their quota from the suppliers of their choice and further assure the supply of good quality country liquor at competitive prices. The MRP of country liquor will be cheaper by 16% of the existing price.
In this year’s policy, the Gaudhan Vikas Nidhi Fund has been enhanced by Re.1/- from the existing Rs.1.50 to Rs.2.50.
The fixed annual license fee of Bars has been rationalized by abolishing the area-specific slabs of license fee. Now throughout the State, there will be uniform license slabs based upon the room capacity in hotels.
Rates of the annual fixed license fee of Bars in the tribal areas has been reduced considerably.
Further, all the above stakeholders will have to install CCTV cameras at their establishments as it was made mandatory for them.
Wholesale vends and retail vends, the penalty provisions under the H.P. Excise Act, 2011 have been made more stringent.
An end to end online Excise Administration System would be established in Himachal Pradesh, the government said.
HP Government estimates a collection of Rs 2131 crore revenue during the year, which will be Rs. 264 crores higher than the financial year 2021-22 – growth of 14% in state excise revenues.
The Cabinet also gave its nod to amend Himachal Pradesh Disaster Relief Manual-2012 to include deaths due to biting of honey bees, hornet and wasps, accidental drowning and deaths due to accidents of vehicles (including land, water and air) under this Manual.
The Cabinet gave its approval for filling up 11 posts of ‘A’ Class Tehsildar in Revenue Department through direct recruitment on regular basis through Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission.
HP State Toll Policy 2022-23
The HP Cabinet also gave its nod to HP State Toll Policy for the year 2022-23 which envisages auction cum tender for all the toll barriers in the State. During the year 2021-22, toll revenue has registered a growth of 20 percent of the previous year’s revenue.
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