HIMACHAL PRADESH

Himachals highest polling booth sees 100% voting

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The highest polling booth in Himachal Pradeshs Mandi parliamentary bypoll, which saw a low of minus 16 degrees, on Saturday recorded 100 per cent polling, election officials said here.

The polling booth in Tashigang village in Lahaul-Spiti district had 47 voters, including 18 Women. Donning traditional dresses, most of the electorate reached the booth to cast their votes.

Tashi Chojam, who was the first to cast her vote, said: We must exercise our franchise. I am happy to be part of the democratic process. Seventy-year-old Sakya Dolma said she exercised her right to vote every time. Today also I did it. The had set up the model polling booth with a selfie point with the Himalayas in the background.

A Himachal Pradesh farmer has created an innovative self-pollinating apple variety that does not require long chilling hours to flower and set fruit.

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Commercial cultivation of this apple variety has started in the low-lying areas of Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Jammu, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka and , and the fruit set has expanded to 23 states and UTs so far.

The apple variety is called HRMN 99.

According to the farmer, growing apples in low chilling conditions is no longer impossible.

His claims were validated by the National Innovation Foundation (NIF), an autonomous body of the Government of India’s Department of Science and Technology (DST).

NIF assessed the variety’s distinctiveness and potential by facilitating molecular and diversity analysis studies as well as fruit quality testing.

NIF also provided financial and technical assistance for the establishment and expansion of the nursery, as well as assistance with the registration of the variety under the Plant Variety Protection and Farmers’ Rights Act of 2001.

This apple variety is larger in size than others, with very soft, sweet, and juicy pulp and striped red over yellow skin colour when mature.

State Govt. committed to redress grievances of outsourcing employees: HP Minister

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Himachal Jal Shakti and Revenue Minister Mahender Singh Thakur on Friday said that the cabinet sub-committee after obtaining suggestions from the departments will prepare its report before the upcoming budget session for giving final shape to redress the grievances of employees.

Thakur said that thousands of youth are rendering their Services on an outsource basis in various departments, boards and corporations in the state and their services are being outsourced through various agencies. The State Government had constituted the cabinet sub-committee to ensure best of the interests of outsourcing employees and to protect them from any kind of exploitation, he said.

Himachal govt mulls setting up investment and facilitation bureau

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Himachal Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has directed officials of the department to work on a proposal for setting up a dedicated Investment and facilitation bureau in the State.

Presiding over a review meeting with the department of Industries on Wednesday evening, he saidthis will help in providing all clearance and approvals in time bound manner, thereby enhancing the momentum of investment in the State. This proposal would play a pivotal role in making Himachal Pradesh as the most preferred investment destination for investors.

Sukhu said this bureau will provide one stop solution for the investment in various sectors such as Industries, Tourism, Food Processing, Ayurveda, IT/Information Technology Enabled Services (ITeS), Power, Health and Education Institutions. He directed to prepare a document with all the requisite policies and rules for the bureau. Directions were also given to expedite the process of appointing a transaction Advisor for selection of Strategic Investor for the Bulk Drug Park.

PM Modi dedicates projects worth Rs 11,581 cr to Himachal

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi said it has benefited the people of Himachal Pradesh to have a double-engine government in the state and at the Centre as the speed of development projects and the implementation of different schemes have got momentum.

Addressing a rally at the Paddal ground to mark four years of the Jai Ram Thakur-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state, he underscored the advantages of a double-engine government. With less than a year to go for the 2022 Himachal Pradesh Assembly polls, Modi said the people of the hill state have benefitted a lot over the last four years as various welfare schemes launched by the Centre were implemented in a more efficient manner by the Thakur Government.

The Prime Minister said that he also an emotional bonding with Himachal Pradesh and congratulated the State Government for completing four years of its eventful tenure. He said that this double engine Government has ensured that the pace of development goes uninterrupted during the pandemic. He also appreciated the efforts made by the State Government for effectively controlling the Covid-19 pandemic, adding that the vaccine coverage of cent percent eligible Population in the State was the result of dedicated and committed efforts of the State Government. He said that the State got Aiims, Atal Tunnel and four Medical Colleges during the tenure of the present Government.

Himachal Pradesh Governor launches telemedicine, meditation schemes for prisoners

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Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar launched seven new schemes for inmates initiated by the Prisons and Correctional Services Department at the Model Central Prison, Kanda.

The schemes launched today include meditation programme, telemedicine project, financial Literacy programme, Waste Management, free online coaching and audio library. The occasion was also marked by release of a poetry collection Parwaz.

The Governor also launched a financial literacy programme for prisoners in collaboration with the Reserve Bank Of India. Free online coaching for children of prisoners with the help of Smile Foundation was also launched. An audio library was also started for the prisoners, who could not read books due to paucity of time.

COP26: Climate change must be addressed on cooperative global level, says Dalai Lama

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Ahead of the crucial Climate conference in Glasgow, the Dalai Lama said issues of must be addressed on a cooperative global level for everyones benefit.

In his message to the UN conference on climate change known as the Conference of Parties (COP26), the Tibetan spiritual leader said realistic action founded on scientific understanding was needed to tackle climate change.

The COP26 summit starting on Sunday will bring parties together to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

In Himachal Pradesh, district road safety panels to identify all black spots

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TheHimachal Governmenthas constituted DistrictRoad SafetyCommittees (DRSC) in all administrative districts to formulate, coordinate and monitor road safety programmes.

The committee, to be headed by thedistrict magistrateand collector (ex-officio), will monitor the implementation of State Road Safety Policy and the targets set under it.

It will regularly track and updateState Road Safety Council(SRSC) on details of road crashes that took place in the district, including detail of vehicle, cause of crash, spot investigation, evidence, offenders and details of victims and their latest condition, type of injury caused and FIR registered etc.

GST regime complex, says Himachal Pradesh Veopar Mandal

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The Centre has made the GST regime more complicated by bringing in numerous amendments, causing hardships to the trading community, said Sumesh Sharma, president of the HP Veopar Mandal.

He said the government had made 950 amendments to the GST structure in the past four years without taking the traders into confidence. After the amendments the traders were facing confusion. Some of them had been forced to leave their trade as they could not cope with the complex tax system. He added that the government should sensitise the traders before and after making amendments to the GST to make them aware about the new provisions.

The present structure of the GST has not only made trading a complex affair but has also stamped traders as culprits if they are not aware of the amendments made to the tax structure in the past four years,