HIMACHAL PRADESH

Underlining the hidden cost of sops andpoll-centricannouncements, forHimachal Pradesh, which is slated to go to polls later this year, the promise of reverting to the old pension scheme will come at a spend of 450% of its own tax revenue, according to the Special Report on Towards A New India Freedom fromFreebiescompiled bySBIResearch. In case ofPunjab, the liability of re-introduction of old pension regime, which the is considering, will be amount to 242% of state’s tax revenue.

The re-introduction of the old pension scheme, which was discontinued in 2004, has been one of the key poll planks in Himachal while the Bhagwant Mann government in Punjab on September 20 announced that it is looking at the possibility of going back to the old pension regime under which an employee used to get 50% of the last drawn salary and the entire amount was paid by the government.

The buffalo breeding farm will be set up at a four hectare plot in Una district at a cost of Rs 5.06 crore under the aegis of Himachal Pradesh and Poultry Development Board.

Murrah buffaloes, popularly known as Black Gold, are highly suitable for professional and organised Dairy farming for yielding high quality milk.

The State Government will set up three ultra modern sheds at a cost of around Rs 75 lakh to rear 50 buffaloes 30 of them adults and 20 heifers. The adult buffaloes will be brought in two batches while the heifers will be brought in three batches of 10 each.

So far, only two states have set up the Swarna Ayog and people pleading for the Ayog in Himachal.

BJP national president JP Nadda visited flood-affected areas in Mandi district on Friday. He was accompanied by Union Minister Anurag Thakur, Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Jai Ram Thakur, BJP state president Rajiv Bindal and other local party leaders.

Interacting with media persons, Nadda said the Central Government is in touch with the over the rain fury. The Centre has provided 13 teams of the NDRF for the rescue and relief operations, while Army choppers have also been engaged in rescue efforts, he said.

Nadda assured the state government of all possible cooperation from the Central Government.

As many as 9,83,580 persons above 45 years of age and 7,36,647 persons above 60 years of age have received doses of Covishield vaccination in the state. Out of these, 70693 of 45 plus and 255966 of 60 plus have received their second dose of Covishield vaccination, said an official spokesman.

Himachal has an estimated Population of 75 lakh.

The spokesman said that as per recommendation by the national expert group on vaccine administration for Covid-19 , the schedule of Covishield vaccine under national Covid-19 vaccination strategy is to administer the second dose at 12-16 weeks (i.e. 84 days) interval after administration of first dose.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that the government was planning to introduce new technical courses in educational institutions to enhance EMPLOYMENT and self-employment opportunities for the youth. He presided over a function of the Hamirpur Students Union here.

Sukhu said that courses such Robotics, cyber security, cloud computing, data analytics, (AI) and machine Learning could provide better employment opportunities to the youth.

He said that to provide quality Education in rural areas, one Rajiv Gandhi Day Boarding School was being established in every Assembly constituency. The State Government has made a provision of Rs 300 crore for this ambitious scheme. Additionally, to ensure that poor students are not deprived of higher education, they will be provided loans at one per cent interest rate, he added.

Sukhu said that the government was making all efforts to provide quality higher education to students. Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) has been given an additional grant of Rs 50 crore for the purpose, he added.

SP Guleria, principal of Jawahar Lal Nehru Government Engineering College, Sundernagar, said they had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the University of Texas, Arlington.

The University of Texas had agreed to help Jawaharlal Nehru Government Engineering College, Sundernagar, in research and development, joint consultancies, curriculum design, laboratory modernization, training of students and faculty on the University of Texas campus.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had during the Budget session exhibited resolve to salvage the hill state, which has a debt of over Rs 75,400 crore, from a near bankruptcy situation. At the same time, the BJP tried to corner the government over delay in fulfilling the 10 guarantees that the Congress had given to people before the 2022 Assembly .

Sukhu, during the Budget session, reiterated that his government would tread cautiously and exercise fiscal prudence with thrust on resource mobilisation. He announced the setting up of a committee to prepare a White Paper on the states finances.

The Assembly passed eight Bills, including regarding Sukhashraya and water cess, and an amendment to the Tenancy on Land Ceiling Act 1972, giving right to girls to own land in their names on a par with boys.

Sukhu showcased his conviction to generate additional Rs 4,000 crore revenue by imposing water cess on hydroelectric projects amidst a protest by Punjab and Haryana. Besides, the Excise Department earned Rs 520 crore more through an open auction of liquor vends.

The major projects included the inauguration of Rs 2.47 crore 10-bedded Ayurvedic hospital building at Bijhari, a Rs 6.33 crore bridge over the Sirhali khud, a Rs 4.07 crore Chor Nullah bridge, Rs 1.34 crore metalling and tarring of the Bara Gram Kalwal road, a Rs 1.16 crore science lab building in senior secondary school, Dhangota, and the Rs 34.59 crore water supply scheme from the Beas.

The Chief Minister laid foundation stone of a Rs 6.88 crore bridge over the Sukkar Khud and Rs 15.96 crore Swarnim Yatri Niwas at the Baba Balak Nath Temple complex to facilitate devotees.

The inauguration of Rs2.47 cr 10-bedded Ayurvedic hospital building at Bijhari

A Rs6.33 cr bridge over the Sirhali khud and a Rs 4.07 cr Chor Nullah bridge

Rs1.34 cr metalling of Bara Gram Kalwal road

A Rs 1.16 cr science lab building in senior secondary school, Dhangota

Rs34.59 cr water supply scheme from Beas

The BKS lamented that the benefits of government-sponsored welfare schemes for farmers were not reaching the beneficiaries, forcing them to abandon fields.

In the memorandum, the BKS said that abandoned stray cattle were causing enormous losses to farmers and demanded an effective solution to the problem. It also demanded the e-portal facility for the welfare schemes so that farmers could avail of their benefits without hassles.

It also underlined the need to promote , rearing of milch cattle and curbing the menace of illegal mining, which has spoiled agricultural land and underground Resources“>Water Resources in the region. The BKS stated in the memorandum that the farmers, who suffered losses due to natural calamities such as drought, hailstorm, storms and heavy snowfall, should be provided compensation directly in their bank accounts.