IE Briefs

BJP govt denies Cong charges

Retorting to the allegations of Congress president Kaul Singh Thakur,the BJP government on Friday said the new power policy framed by the present government was aimed at getting more income for the state. In a statement issued here by chief parliamentary secretaries Satpal Singh Satti and Virender Kanwar said the new hydro power policy aimed at ensuring more income to the state by way of getting free power more than 12 per cent which has earlier been the limit. “The policy would also ensure more mini-micro hydro power projects to people of the state as up to 2 megawatt projects had been reserved for people of the state and up to 5 MW,Himachalis were being given preference,” they said in a joint statement.- The CPS also refuted other allegations made by Thakur against the government and termed his announcement of restoring State Administrative Tribunal when the Congress comes to power as a financial burden on people of the state.

Himachal to adopt embryo transfer technology for animal breeding

A specialised laboratory is being set up in the state for adoption of latest embryo transfer technology for animal breeding that would enable female milch cattle to act as surrogate mothers for reproducing high-yielding species. Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said this after reviewing functioning of the Animal Husbandry department,a portfolio held by him. The state would advance from artificial insemination technology to embryo transfer technology to give birth to best milk yielding species of animals,said the said CM. “The embryo transfer technology laboratory was being set up at Banuri in Palampur of district Kangra at a cost of Rs 3 crore. The lab would soon start functioning,” Dhumal said. He also reviewed functioning of the Mukhya Mantri Arogya Pashudhan Yojna for providing one veterinary dispensary in each left out gram panchayats. Of the 1,272 gram panchayats where dispensaries were required,183 had already been notified and 80 had started functioning.