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Kotkhai Case: Blacklist DC Shimla for display of incompetency, says RTI activist in letter to PMO India and Governor
Shimla – The Deputy Commissioner, Shimla, Rohan Chand Thakur, yesterday visited the family of Kotkhai rape and murder victim. It was the first time the DC met the family or visited the crime spot or talked to locals since July 6. The DC faced criticism for his alleged indifference toward the sensitivity of the case. He should have visited the grieving family and the spot much earlier.
On Friday, the DC Shimla, along with the new Superintendent of Police, Shimla, Somya Sadasivan, visited the area and met the family. The DC offered the family a Rs. 2 lakh from District Red Cross Fund with assurance to take full responsibility for the education of victim’s brother. He said the administration is taking confidence building measures to restore peace.
However, people are still miffed over the fact that, as the head of the administration, he remained completely silent earlier.
RTI Activist, Dev Ashish Bhattacharya, called it a “display of incompetency, indifference, and callous attitude” by the IAS officer. In a letter written to the Governor, HP, PMO India, the Secretary, Department of Personnel & Training, Delhi, and the Union Home Secretary, Delhi, the RTI activist demanded blacklisting IAS Rohan so that he isn’t assigned any sensitive post.
The activist said the most unfortunate incident of rape and murder of a school girl “Gudiya” took place in Kotkhai area of Shimla district, entire state boiled under rage, and mass demonstrations were held daily. However, said Bhattacharya, the DC remained seated in his office and did not use his sense and acumen to deal with the situation.
Astonishingly, the DC did not visit the spot of the crime even once during this entire period of turmoil, he said.
Thus, Rohan Chand Thakur, IAS, demonstrated an act of cowardice and displayed the least of leadership qualities as were expected from any well-trained direct IAS recruit,
said Bhattacharya.
The law and order situation kept degrading, and distress of public over discrepancies in the probe conducted by HP Police SIT continued to rise. Despite all this, the DC just watched the show, alleged Bhattacharya.
The activist asked the authorities to take action against him, and ask him to explain his position that why he did not perform his duties as District Magistrate on receiving information of the gruesome crime. The DC should be asked that why he did not visit the crime scene even once as the head of the district administration.
An explanation should be sought from the DC that why he did not come out amid distressed people as law and order situation worsened with each passing day, he said.
Bhattacharya has requested the Secretary DOP&T to put Mr. Thakur in the blacklisted category of the IAS officers till the time proves that he has improved upon his competency in administration.
Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBi) took over the case from HP Police on Friday and initiated a probe. Sources suggest the team had arrived in Shimla on Thursday, but CBI did not make any official confirmation.
The State High Court had directed CBI on Tuesday to form an SIT within two days and submit its report within two weeks.
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.
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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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