HIMACHAL PRADESH

Chief ministerSukhvinder Singh Sukhupresented theHimachal Pradesh Economic Survey 2022-23in the Vidhan Sabha on Thursday which states that the state;s or GDP atConstant Priceswill grow by over Rs 8,143 crore during the current financial year 2022-23 as compared to the previous financial year 2021-22.

CM Sukhu said this translates into Growth in real GDP during Financial Year 2022-23 at 6.4 per cent as compared to 7.6 per cent in Financial Year 2021-22, according to first advance estimates of State Income. He said that Per Capita Income of Himachal Pradesh is more than the estimatedNational Per Capita Incomefor 2022-23 by Rs 51,607.

He said that state’s RealGross Domestic Product(GDP) or GDP at Constant Prices (2011-12) in Financial Year 2022-23 is estimated to attain a level of Rs 1,34,576 crore, as against the provisional estimate of GDP for Financial Year 2021-22 of Rs 1,26,433 crore.

The Nominal GDP or GDP at Current Prices in Financial Year 2022-23 is estimated to attain a level of Rs 1,95,404 crore, as against the provisional estimate of GDP for Financial Year 2021-22 of Rs 1,76,269 crore showing an absolute increase of Rs 19,135 crore. The growth in Nominal GDP during Financial Year 2022-23 is estimated at 10.9 per cent as compared to 13.5 per cent in Financial Year 2021-22.

As per advance estimates for Financial Year 2022-23, the Gross Value Added (GVA) from Primary Sector is likely to grow at a pace of 2.0 per cent at constant prices.

During financial year 2022-23 (AE), the GVA of Primary sector moved up to Rs 16,717 crore as against Rs 16,395 crore in Financial Year 2021-22 (FR) at constant prices. As per advance estimates for Financial Year 2022-23 the GVA of the Secondary Sector is estimated at Rs 60,444 crore against Rs 56,408 crore for Financial Year 2021-22(FR) at constant (2011-12) prices, expected to register a growth rate of 7.2 per cent over the previous year.

The chief minister said that the Services-sector”>services sector has a significant and fast growing share in the State’s GVA. The advance estimates for the Financial Year 2022-23 at Constant (2011-12) prices for Services Sector is estimated at Rs 49,527 crore as against Rs 46,350 crore in Financial Year 2021-22(FR) showing a growth rate of 6.9 per cent over last year.
According to advance estimates, the Per Capita Income at current prices for Financial Year 2022-23 is estimated at Rs 2.22,227 against Rs 2,01,271 in 2021-22 showing a growth rate of 10.4 per cent as against 13.1 per cent in 2021-22(FR)

Himachal Pradesh which falls in the high-risk, high-intensity seismic zones IV and V. Successive state governments strengthened disaster response but left most of the public andprivate buildingsnon-resistant to tremors. Of the 25,75,947 (25.7 lakh) structures that state counted in 2011, it found 14,64,458 (14.6 lakh) or 56.8% in the unsafe category A, of mud walls and unburnt-clay bricks. Another 10,07,568 (10 lakh) or 39.11% of the structures were in category B, ofburnt bricks.None of the categories are resistant to earthquake.

A high-intensity earthquake is more catastrophic in the Mountains, for it triggers landslides, rockslides, and avalanches. Seven Himachal Pradesh districts – Chamba, Kullu, Kangra, Una, Hamirpur, Mandi, and Bilaspur – are in the very high damage risk seismic zone V, while five districts – Shimla, Kinnaur, Lahaul-Spiti, and Sirmaur – fall in the high damage risk seismic zone IV. More than 90% of Hamirpur, Kangra, and Mandi is prone to “destructive” Earthquakes measured by the Medvedev-Sponheuer-Karnik (MSK) scale of intensity.

Himachal Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Thursday thanked the Union Government for according approval to the proposals of about Rs. 10,620 crore of various externally aided projects in Himachal Pradesh during the last four years.

While participating in a pre-budget consultation meeting on union budget 2022-23, at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, presided over by the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the Chief Minister said that the Finance Ministry was continuously providing generous financial assistance to the state. He said that the interest free loan of Rs. 400 crore was sanctioned for the development of in the state during this financial year and an additional Rs. 600 crore may be provided in the form of special assistance.

Raising the issue of import duty on apples, Thakur emphasized on the need to increase the same from 50 percent to 100 percent to protect Himachali Apple and the livelihood of 2.5 lakh families. He said that the apple was the main horticultural crop of the state which was also the primary source of the livelihood of a large Population. However, due to a large influx of the imported apples in the national market, prices of the Himachal Apple had fallen sharply, leading to revenue losses of the horticulturists of the state. Therefore import duty should be increased and apple crop should be excluded from the list of fruits and other commodities brought under Open General License (OGL).

Himachal Pradeshchief ministerSukhvinder Singh Sukhusaid that the was contemplating to create a few Municipal Corporations in the state particularly in growing towns likeUna,Hamirpurand Baddi-Barotiwala provided they fulfil all the required norms.

He said that this would not only stop unplanned construction but also ensure planned development of these fast-emerging towns. He said that the authorities must also ensure planned development of these areas, besides laying special thrust on construction of parking and children parks.

He asked the officers to come up with a concrete plan to provide proper housing for slum dwellers, particularly in Shimla town so that they can live in a better and hygienic Environment by providing them affordable houses and better living conditions.

Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that various welfare schemes were being implemented in the State but people were not aware of these schemes. He directed the officers to ensure wide publicity of these schemes so that the general public could be benefitted at large.

He said out of this, 90 per cent would be loan amount which would be supported by Government of India whereas 10 per cent would be State share, as Himachal Pradesh is a special category State. The Screening Committee, Department of Economic Affairs of Union Ministry of Finance has given its in-principle approval for funding from the ADB.

The Chief Minister said the project is aimed at giving a fresh impetus to tourism in the State through creation of new destinations, improving existing destinations besides ensuring maintenance and preservation of heritage. The project also envisages development of eco tourism by ensuring development of lesser known places to lower burden on already crowded tourist destinations, he said.

Thakur added he had personally taken up the matter with the Union Finance Minister and presentations were also made before the Ministry of Tourism, and Ministry of Finance.

The project would be implemented in two tranches. The first tranche would be worth more than Rs 900 crore while the second tranche would be more than Rs 1,100 crore. The work on formulation of DPR would be taken in hand at the earliest and the project would kick start from March next year, he added.

Himachal Pradesh-based Shoolini University has been ranked best private universities in India in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings for 2023. Terming the achievement as a matter of national pride, university Chancellor and Founder Dr PK Khosla said, It is a collective result of the untiring efforts of our faculty in TEACHING and research. The university has been ranked 351-400 overall and 39th in the category Citations in the world.

The Lawrence School, Sanawar, has been ranked best In the country in the category Vintage Legacy Co-ed Boarding Schools by the Education World, which announced its India-Schools Ranking (EWISR) for 2022-23.