HIMACHAL PRADESH

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.

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.

Himachal Pradesh finished lowly at the 24th position in the medal tally of the National Games that concluded in Gujarat recently.

With a total of nine medals (two gold, four silver and three bronze), the state finished with lesser medal than all its neighbouring states, including the Union Territory of Chandigarh, which won 11 medals.

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.

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.

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,

Raising the demand, Chauhan also brought out the anomaly in the prices offered to the growers of the two states through MIS. Even though the scheme is same, Kashmiri apple growers get Rs 24for their Grade C variety,while their counterparts in Himachal get only Rs 9.50. The difference is huge. he said.

Not just Grade C, NAFED also buys Grade A and Grade B apple in Kashmir. In Himachal, the MIS is applicable only to Grade C apple. Chauhan said last year, NAFED offered Rs 60 per kg, Rs 44 and Rs 24 for Grade A, B and C, respectively, to Kashmiri growers.

Himachal Pradesh Kaushal Vikas Nigam (HPKVN) has signed 10 new memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with various Sector Skill Councils (SSCs) to create better academic avenues for the youth of Himachal Pradesh.

These MoUs were signed between the Managing Director HPKVN, Jatin Lal and representatives of 10 different SSCs here today. A total of 4,000 combined seats would now be available for different free courses to the youth. The HPKVN will spend almost Rs 15 crore on these training programmes.

The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet on Saturday approved to engage 3,970 para workers on an honorarium basis in theJal Shakti Departmentfor schemes across the state. Consent was given to fill up 389 posts of panchayat secretaries throughStaff Selection Board. Moreover, the Cabinet also underlined that steps will be taken to ensure jobs for Agniveers.

In order to encourage innovation and research in Agriculture-notes-for-state-psc-exams”>Agriculture and sector, the Cabinet meeting chaired by chief ministerJai Ram Thakurgave its approval to provide research fund of Rs 5 crore each for Agriculture and Horticulture Universities of the state.

The Cabinet also decided to amend the Himachal Pradesh Widow Remarriage Rules-2013 by making a provision of providing grant of Rs 65,000 instead of existing Rs 50000 to the couple.

Shimla and Dharamsala, two Smart Cities of the state, have secured 16th and 90th positions, respectively, in the Climate Smart City Assessment Framework (CSCAF). As many as 125 cities had participated in the assessment.

Launched recently by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), the objective of this initiative is to provide a clear roadmap for cities towards combating while planning and implementing their policies and inculcate a climate-sensitive approach to urban planning and development in the country.

The Climate Smart City Assessment Framework initiative was recently launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA)

Four other cities Mandi, Hamirpur, Palampur and Solan also participated in the initiative

All these finished with the rankings over 100, with Palampur taking the 125th place

The cities were judged on five parameters energy and green building, urban planning, green cover and Biodiversity, mobility and air quality, water management and Waste Management.