Decks cleared for appointment of CPSs and PSs

Shimla, Feb 1 (UNI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today said his government will create posts for Chief Parliamentary Secretaries and Parliamentary Secretaries in the Cabinet meeting to be held here on February six.

''Decks have been cleared for their appointments with the enactment of the Bill,'' he told reporters here, while refusing to give any specific date for it.

Replying to a question, Mr Singh said he was not against the creation of new districts of the state, but, added, ''it should not be on political grounds.'' ''There should be administrative and geographical requirement for having new districts. Each district involves a basic expenditure of Rs 25 crore on the administrative set up,'' he said.

The Chief Minister said, at present, the creation of districts was not his priority.

''My priorities are hydel sector, boost to education and health services in the state. The issue of districts can wait. And if it has to, then it should come through the recommendation of a regular commission and it has to be a complete exercise on re-organisation of districts.'' Asserting that the Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVNL) was a joint venture of the Centre and the Himachal government, he said ''the Union government must listen to state government's concern.'' The state government would not hand over Luri and Khab hydel projects to the SJVNL, if the state's views on the issue were not addressed by the Centre, he added.

Mr Singh expressed satisfaction over the five-day visit to Hamirpur district, saying the tour had ''rattled'' BJP.

''In almost all the Constituencies of the district, I received a rousing reception and people were positive and affectionate. Only five or six office-bearers of BJP were seen showing ''black flags'', he said.

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