HIMACHAL PRADESH

Rs 18.34 cr being spent under Jal Jeevan Mission

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Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania during a tour of Bhattiyat villages said that Rs 18.34 crore was being spent under the Jal Jeevan Mission.

He said the National Bank for Agriculture-notes-for-state-psc-exams”>Agriculture and Rural Development had also approved a lift drinking water scheme for 13 panchayats of Sihunta in Chamba district.

Pathania said under the project, Rs 13.44 crore would be spent on the gravity-fed drinking water scheme for various villages of Samot in the Bhattiyat development block. He added that technical approval of the scheme was in the pipeline.

He said Rs 86 lakh was being spent to improve the drinking water scheme of Samot, Jasaur and Dukhar in Samot gram panchayat. A sum of Rs 1.17 crore would be spent on remodelling of the upper Samot flow Irrigation scheme, he added.

Earlier, he performed bhumi pujan for the Kiyod-Malwan road to be constructed at a cost of Rs 4.03 crore. He said the road would be completed within a year to provide connectivity to locals.

Himachal to become hub of best health institutions: Jai Ram Thakur

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Himachal Pradesh will emerge as a hub of best Health institutions in the country and people will come here not only for tourism but also for health purposes, said Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur here today.

He directed the CPWD to ensure time-bound construction of the campus of Dr Radhakrishnan Government Medical College at Jol Sappar here. Despite heavy rain and muddy slopes, the Chief Minister visited the construction site and inspected the work being done on various blocks.

He said that six government medical colleges and one in the private sector would transform the healthcare vision into reality. Prime Minister Narendra Modi would dedicate Aiims to the nation by June this year. All these medical institutions would provide world-class medical facilities to the people of the region.

Rs5,784 cr plan to revamp power sector in Himachal

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The government has approved the action plan and DPR of the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) for Rs 5,784 crore. The scheme comprises a total outlay of Rs 2,224 crore towards the replacement of existing feeders, distribution transformers and consumer meters with smart meters.

Besides, Rs 3,559 crore will be directed towards strengthening, renovation and augmentation of existing distribution in the entire state.

Under this scheme, about 28 lakh meters will be replaced with smart meters. Further, for strengthening distribution infrastructure, there is a provision of 5,653 kms of HT line, 4,483 km of LT lines, 6,369 distribution transformers (DTs), 6,905 km reconductoring and augmentation of LT Lines, augmentation of 5,373 DTs and 704 kms conversion of bare Conductors into cable, etc.

The present annual technical and commercial (AT&C) losses of the HPSEBL have been reduced below 10 per cent and ACS-ARR gap to zero by FY 25. The implementation of this scheme will enable HPSEBL to reduce losses to make it financially sustainable and operationally efficient.

Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and Rajasthan are offering the best elderly care, reveals the first national Quality of Life for Elderly Index that assesses preparedness of states/UTs for the challenges posed by the ageing Indian population.

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Rajasthan with the score of 54.61 leads the rankings in the aged category; Himachal (61.04) is the top ranker in the relatively aged states category with Uttarakhand and Haryana bagging the second and third spots and Punjab eighth.

Among UTs, Chandigarh is the leader with a score of 61.81. It also leads India on the income security for elderly pillar with the highest score of 61.54 as against the national Average of just 33.03. Himachal and Haryana are among better performers on income security with scores of 55.70 and 49.56. Most states finished below the national average on this parameter.

On social well-being, Himachal is among the top four performers with Meghalaya, and Mizoram. The index, prepared by the Institute for Competitiveness, maps the states/UTs on four pillars of elderly well-being financial, social, Health and income security.

The rankings have been published in four categories aged states (elderly Population more than 5 million), relatively aged states (elderly population below 5 million), UTs and northeastern states.

Nationally, the health system pillar of the elderly has the highest score of 66.97, followed by 62.34 in the social wellbeing category.

Himachal board to award marks to Class X pupils

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With the deciding to promote all Class X students without examinations due to the pandemic, the Himachal Pradesh School Education Board (HPBSE) is considering developing a criteria to promote students.

For this purpose, committees have been formed at the school level. There will be tabulation committees and data entry committees headed by school principals. Then there will be tabulation verification committees that will check data entered by the other two committees. It is only after verification committees certify data that it will be entered and marks will be awarded to students.

Himachal taking steps to reform transport sector, to introduce new EV policy: Deputy CM

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Himachal Pradesh is taking steps to reform the state’s transport sector with innovative ideas and will introduce a new electric vehicle policy, Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri said on Monday.

Agnihotri test-drove an electric vehicle from the Secretariat and inquired about its technical aspects and said positive efforts would be made to radically change the transport sector. Discussions are being held at various levels to introduce the new policy, he said.

The government will take appropriate steps to provide charging facilities. ”In the initial phase, this facility will be provided in various government institutions, including the Secretariat and at Himachal Sadan and bhawans outside the state,” he said. A fleet of electric vehicles will be inducted in the Transport department soon and necessary instructions have already been issued to the transport director.

Himachal Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Monday inaugurated developmental projects worth about Rs 32 crore at Jhatingari in Drang Vidhan Sabha of Mandi district. He inaugurated the upgraded Gathasni-Barot Road, Lanjnu Bridge over Uhl river and Barot-Maiot Road constructed under PMGSY Phase-II by spending an amount of Rs 25.19 crore, Rs 1.96 crore and Rs 4.90 crore respectively.

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At Multhan in Chotta Bhangal area of Baijnath Vidhan Sabha area of Kangra district, the Chief Minister also laid foundation stone of Combined Office Building at Multhan to be completed by spending an amount of Rs 9.79 crore and also performed Bhumi Pujan of Government Degree College Building at Multhan to be constructed at a cost of Rs 5 crore.

The Chief Minister while addressing a public meeting at Multhan also announced the opening of an ITI in the area. He also announced Rs 30 lakh each for both the Vidhan Sabha areas for construction of roads.

Thakur said that an ambulance would be provided at CHC Barot and a PWD rest house would be constructed at Multan.

Asia’s pharma hub Baddi has no drug-testing lab

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Himachal lacks a fully equipped drug-testing laboratory even as it houses Asias biggest pharmaceutical hub in the Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh (BBN) industrial belt.

The pace at which a new lab is being set up since 2017 speaks volumes about the concerns to promote quality drug manufacturing.

The Composite Testing Lab (CTL) at Kandaghat is the lone drug-testing lab in the state which caters to 690 pharmaceutical units and 5,500 sale premises.

The absence of facilities for testing injections, Microbiology-related tests as well as those using sophisticated equipment is a major handicap for the Drug Control Administration (DCA) in maintaining effective quality control. These tests are outsourced to other states. The lab which was set up in 1992 has failed to get any appreciable enhancement in equipment and staff, adversely hitting the working of the officials of the DCA.

The project was sanctioned under the Assistance to the States for Development of Export and Allied Activities Scheme of the Central Government and funds worth Rs 8.9 crore were supposed to be received. The scheme was, however, discontinued in 2014 and only Rs 3.25 crore were made available for this lab.

Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar today released a book titled “Devdhara: Himachal Pradesh” written byDr Rachna Gupta, a member of the Public Service Commission, and published by the National Book Trust.

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He said that the book would act as a ready reckoner not only for the people of Himachal but also for tourists, as it narrates the HISTORY of all 12 districts and informs about all sectors since the inception of the state in 1971.

The Governor said that the book would pave the way for the readers to learn, research, and explore information about Himachal. He emphasised on the need to developing the habit of reading books and making it a campaign, as books build character.

Chief Secretary Ram Subag Singh said that the details of development of Himachal in the past 50 years in various sectors had been incorporated in the book. It also mentions the Simla Agreement, visits of Mahatma Gandhi, right to vote for Women, and the struggle for becoming an independent state.

Baira Siul Power Station – NHPC

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The National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) Co., Ltd. carried out a indigenously renovation & modernization of its 180 MW Baira Siul power station and began commercial operations.

Highlights:
The project is in Himachal Pradesh’s Chamba district. The Baira Siul Power Station is the first power station of NHPC. It has been put into commercial operation since April 1, 1982, and has a 35-year service life. For another 25 years, the existence of Baira Siul Power Station has now been extended.