Traders say there is a slump of around 20-30 per cent as compared to last year. This has caused a hike in the prices of the apples. Arhtiyas selling apples in the wholesale market say there is a hike of Rs 20-30.
While the production doubled this year, the quantity of apples of large size, which are usually sold in Punjab, remained lower than the last year. Consequently, private firms procured fine quality apples before they could be transported to other states.
He said that an integrated and comprehensive food policy would help in directing Himachal on the path of a healthy state. He added that the government was ensuring that every eligible citizen gets the benefits of various schemes such as the (PDS), mid-day meal, integrated child development Services and the Pradhan Mantri Matri Vandana Yojana.
Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, Lady Governor Anagha Arlekar were also present on the occasion. The Governor was also given a Guard of Honour on the occasion.
Chief Secretary Anil Khachi read out the warrant of appointment and Secretary to the Governor Priyatu Mandal obtained the signature of the Governor on the charge certificate.
Cabinet Ministers, MLAs, DGP Sanjay Kundu, chairman, vice-chairman and members of various commissions, boards and corporations, Vice-Chancellors of Universities, senior officers of the Police and civil and other prominent people were also present on the occasion.
Notwithstanding the states precarious financial condition, the Himachal Pradesh Government is striving to maintain the pace of development in the state. The is committed to enhance the state’s own Resources and ensuring that the lack of funds does not hinder the state’s progress, said the Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Sunday.
Despite inheriting a substantial debt of Rs 75,000 crore from the previous BJP Government and facing financial restrictions on restoring the old pension scheme from the Union Government, the State Government is actively focused on resource mobilization, he said.
The Chief Minister said that the State Government has initiated several measures to generate additional revenue for the state exchequer, including seeking a larger share in power projects of Central PSUs that have recouped their costs. The government has also conducted auctions for liquor vends, resulting in an additional 40 per cent revenue for the state coffers, he said.
Sukhu pointed out that the Centre has imposed a ceiling on new proposals for external assistance through external aided agencies from Himachal Pradesh, which will be in place for three years from 2023-24 to 2025-26. By the end of the financial year 2025-26, Himachal Pradesh will only be eligible for approval of proposals up to Rs 2,944 crore from the Government of India, he added.
He said that the State Governments decision to reinstate the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for the government employees has led to a deduction of Rs 1,779 crore from the borrowing ceiling for the financial year 2022-23.
Additionally, the limit of open market borrowing has been reduced by around Rs 5,500 crore as compared to the previous year. The State Government has obtained authorization for borrowing Rs 4,259 crore until December 2023, and it is expected to receive authorization for around Rs 8,500 crore.
The is committed for the welfare of tribal areas and has enhanced the budget under Tribal Sub-Plan, said Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur while interacting with mediapersons at Reckong Peo.
He said the government offices would also function with 30 per cent staff. He expressed satisfaction that the number of Covid cases had been decreasing 40,000 to 18000 but the increase in the number of deaths was still a matter of concern.
It was inaugurated by Yogoda Satsanga Society of India vice-president Swami Smaranananda Giri. He completed his PhD in Electronics and Communication Engineering from the IIT-Kharagpur and a post-doctoral fellowship from Concordia University in Montreal (Canada).
Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said that rural areas could be re-merged into panchayats if their residents desire so in the future as the Population of the Solan would cross the stipulated 50,000 mark after the 2021 Census.
The Chief Minister while urging the people to vote for BJP candidates said the State Government had ensured balanced and equitable development of all areas, especially those which had remained neglected during the Congress tenure. He also accused the Congress leaders for misguiding people by raking up non-issues in a bid to divert attention from core issues of development.
The grim national economy has prevented the Centre from offering any help to the hill state in the Union Budget earlier this month. Rising demands of the employee organisations for higher scales, regularisation of jobs, removal of pay anomalies, etc, has aggravated his problems in the election year as meeting them will need thousands of crores of rupees.
Major challenges before the Chief Minister are huge debt liabilities, and compulsion of announcing special packages to small and medium industries, creation of jobs, addressing the sky-rocketing prices of essential commodities like petrol and diesel, besides enhancing the allocations in MGNREGA, Health, Education, etc.
The latest report of CAG has made a startling revelation that Himachals debt burden has mounted to Rs 62,212 crore in the financial year 2019-20 as compared to previous year i.e. Rs 53,147 crore. This needs to be addressed in the upcoming budget on urgent basis.
Twin factors, checking fiscal deficit and debt liabilities, make it necessary to increase allocation in capital expenditures which was pegged at Rs 11,701 crore in 2021-22. It was a huge dip of 31.81 per cent as compared to 2020-21 (Rs 17,449) and 3 per cent down from previous year i.e. 2019-20 (Rs 12,333 crore).
TheGoods and Service Tax(GST) collection inHimachal Pradeshregistered an increase of 25% in February, amounting to a collection of Rs 377 crore.
The GST collection in the current financial year so far is Rs 4,933 crore, which is 21% more than the previous year.
The department has trained around 450 tax officers recently and verified 12 lakh e-way bills during road checking in the current fiscal.
The department is also committed to improve voluntary compliance with time-bound redressal of the issues of the stakeholders, he said.
In the wake of subsidence of Joshimath in Uttarakhand, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has directed the departments concerned to identify areas prone to Earthquakes, particularly in Chamba, Kangra, Kullu and Kinnaur districts They have also been directed to prepare a detailed report on landslides and sinking zones in the state.
The Chief Minister directed the officials to develop an advance warning system to mitigate disasters and improve Disaster Management response capacity.
He stressed the need to adopt measures to strengthen the response system, besides preparedness at the institutional and individual level. He examined damage caused and loss to life and property due to various disasters in the past few years.