HIMACHAL PRADESH

The states Forest Department has decided to deploy drones in the forest areas of Himachal for tracking and monitoring purposes with an aim of better management and conservation of the forest and wildlife Resources of the state.

Out of a total geographical area of 55,673 square kilometres, Himachal has a forest area of 66.52 per cent (37,033 sq km) and a forest cover of 27.72 per cent (15,433.52 sq km), as per the India State of Forest Report 2019.

As per the Departments plan, drone technology driven information will also be used to monitor the Growth and survival rate of plantations in the state.

The performances of various districts in Himachal has marginally improved and Mandi figured in the Uttam category in the performance grading index for districts released by the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education, on Monday.

The index has been released for 2018-19 and 2019-20 and Mandi district, which improved its score from 357 out of 600 in 2018-19 to 388 in 2019-20, figures in the Uttam category (61-70 per cent).

Meanwhile, Kangra, Shimla, Hamirpur, Una, Kullu, Bilaspur, Kinnaur and Chamba with scores between 300 and 359 are in the PrachestaI category (51 to 60 per cent) and Sirmaur, Solan and Lahaul and Spiti with scores between 270 and 300 are in the PrachestaII category (41 to 50 per cent).

The score card is based on performance of districts on 83 indicators in six domains, namely outcome, effective classroom transaction (ECT), , facilities, student entitlements, school safety and child protection, digital Learning and Governance process.

He announced that Rs four lakh each would be provided to the families of the deceased and financial help would

be given to the people whose houses had been damaged in this natural calamity for construction of houses.

Rescue operations were still underway in Boh valley following a landslide in which one person died and nine others are still feared trapped beneath the debris till the evening.

The Chief Minister took stock of the losses suffered due to flash flood on July 12 and also met the affected families of the area. He directed the Kangra District Administration to take up the relief and rehabilitation work on war-footings in the affected area.

Thakur said that a team of NDRF is coordinating with the District Administration in rescue and relief works and all out efforts are being made to trace the missing persons.

He also talked telephonically to DC Sirmaur Ram Gautam and enquired about the efforts being made by the NDRF and District Administration to rescue the persons who got stranded on the island in Giri river in Paonta Sahib sub-division of Sirmaur district on Monday.

Notably, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said on Monday that the situation caused by heavy rains in Himachal Pradesh was being closely monitored with central authorities working in coordination with the .

The Met Department has forecast heavy rainfall may likely continue in Kangra, Hamirpur, Mandi, Bilaspur, Shimla, Sirmaur and Solan districts in the next 24 hours.

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Monday said a policy would be framed to find alternatives to plastic within a year and industries would also be encouraged to seek substitutes for plastic.

Presiding over a state-level function on the World Environment Day, Sukhu said that gradually thereafter, the would enforce a complete ban on use of plastic.Emphasising on utilisation of plastic waste in road construction, he also called for incorporating culture and environment-oriented courses in the educational curriculum to promote environmental awareness amongst children.

The chief minister said that his dedication towards shaping a greener future for Himachal Pradesh was visible in the first green budget which emphasised on addressing environmental issues.Funds have been allocated for RENEWABLE ENERGY initiatives besides focusing on combating single-use plastic, and the government’s vehicles will be gradually replaced with electric vehicles in the next three years, he added.

Himachal Pradesh is taking the lead in establishing green corridors thereby becoming the first state in the country to do so and Infrastructure development is underway for this purpose, he said.At the event, Sukhu was presented with a jacket made of recycled plastic waste as a symbol for promoting environmental awareness.He also inaugurated an exhibition of various self-help groups and other organizations

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said a centrally-funded cancer institute in Hamirpur district is on the cards. Sukhu said this after a meeting in Delhi with oncologist Dr G K Rath, who heads the National Cancer Institute (NCI) at Aiims.

The chief minister held discussions with Rath on strengthening cancer treatment facilities and overall Health in the state, a statement issued here said. Sukhu said cancer cases in Himachal Pradesh were rising alarmingly with a Growth rate of 2.2 percent against the country’s overall growth rate of 0.6 percent. He said though 8,500 cancer cases were detected every year on Average, many cases went unreported in the remotest belts of the state, the statement said.

He urged the authorities concerned to hold cancer awareness programmes and organise workshops in collaboration with the NCI. He also asked them to ramp up screening so that proper treatment could be provided to the patients at the early stages of cancer.

Rath apprised the chief minister that 50 percent of cancer cases are curable and also briefed him about the latest technologies available for cancer treatment.

Himachal Pradesh chief ministerSukhvinder Singh Sukhu has said to increase states revenue, a technical committee would be constituted that would submit its recommendations within a month. He added that the economic condition of the state was precarious and the present was working vigorously towards resource mobilization to improve financial condition of the state.

The CM said this while presiding over a meeting ofHimachal Pradesh Power Transmission Corporation Limited(HPPTCL) in Shimla on Saturday late evening. In the meeting he stressed upon the need to prioritize revenue generation for the HPPTCL through its transmission lines. He asked the corporation to speed up its construction works and reduce the duration of its tender process to maximize revenue and benefit the people of the state.

The state is unlikely to face Oxygen shortage to fight the second corona wave.

Apart from seven oxygen Plants, already sanctioned for five medical colleges and two zonal hospitals (DDU and Dharamsala), the government is setting up oxygen plants at five more hospitals. Of the initially sanctioned seven plants, three are ready and the remaining four will be functional before April 10, said Amitabh Awasthi, Secretary, Health. Besides, we are setting up five more plants in regional hospitals. These are all 200-bedded hospitals. The plants should be functional in around 2-3 months, said Awasthi.

Of the four makeshift Covid hospitals with a capacity of 234 beds, three are ready in Shimla, Tanda and Nalagarh. The makeshift hospital at Nerchowk is the biggest of all four. Its not ready, yet we have asked the CBRI, Roorkee, to complete its 60-bedded segment by March 31, said Awasthi.

The will approach Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for financial assistance of Rs 2,835 crore for enhancing Health Infrastructure across various health institutions in the state. The Health Department is preparing a preliminary project report for discussion with JICA.

The government plans to allocate Rs 1,620 crore of this funding towards tertiary care infrastructure, including the strengthening of new medical colleges in Hamirpur, Chamba and Nahan with an expected financial outlay of Rs 1010 crore

Two flagship schemes of the Centre and the Ayushman Bharat (AB) and Mukhya Mantri Himachal Health Care Yojana (HIMCARE) are ailing due to the non-payment of around Rs 80 crore to private clinics and Rogi Kalyan Samitis (RKS) at government hospitals for the past several months.

The state has to pay Rs 80 crore as part of its share under the Ayushman Bharat (AB) scheme and the Mukhya Mantri Himachal Health Care Yojna (HIMCARE)

The state pays 10 per cent for the AB following which the Centre pools in the remaining 90 per cent; HIMCARE is totally funded by the state

Private clinics are now reluctant to provide Services under the two schemes due to the delay in their payment worth crores

The state pays 10 per cent of its share for the AB following which the Centre pools in the remaining 90 per cent. HIMCARE is totally funded by the state government where RKS and private hospitals empanelled under the scheme receive funds for providing cashless services

Investors termed the Union Budget as a demand booster that would make India self-reliant and reinforce the focus on a sustainable Growth. The Baddi-Barotiwala- Nalagarh Industries Association said that the Budget was balanced, progressive and visionary.

Schemes like the ECLGS or production-linked incentive (PLI) have been extended and a provision has been made to provide more for these. The credit guarantee scheme for micro and small industries will further be improved so that the Industry can avail of the maximum benefits, said president Rajinder Guleria.

To support the industry, 68 per cent of the DEFENCE budget would be spent on materials manufactured in India. The Union Government has increased Infrastructure expenditure substantially, which will generate more EMPLOYMENT and support the industry by generating demand. This will further aid Economic Development of the country, added Guleria.