News
Two lakh accounts opened under PMJDY in the State
Chief Secretary P. Mitra complimented the banks for opening 1,92,500 accounts within a week under Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojna (PMJDY) in the State. He said that bankers should aim to open bank account of all left out households both in urban and rural areas of the State before the end of October this year.
P. Mitra, while presiding over H.P. State level Bankers Committee (SLBC) meeting here today, said that Himachal Pradesh was well placed in banking sector as economy and education of the people was quite good as compared to other States. He said that in Himachal Pradesh there was 3757 per branch population against national average of above 13000 having high proportion of 89 percent of households availing banking services.
Chief Secretary said that still there was a need of greater participation by financial sector to increase usage of basic banking services through technology enabled services, innovation of products and services.
P. Mitra said that the credit growth during the first quarter of current fiscal was 20.15 percent as compared to deposit growth of 12.23 percent which has helped in improved Credit Deposit (CD) ratio. He said that the national parameters set by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for financing to priority sector, agriculture sector, weaker section and women were achieved by the banks except Differential Rate of Interest (DRI). He said that banks should open branches in unbanked areas as out of 16 branches opened during the first quarter only 6 branches were opened in unbanked areas.
He said that all the sponsoring agencies and departments should sponsor 150% to 200% loan proposals under different government sponsored programmes and schemes to the banks as the performance was not upto the mark in this area. He said that banks should provide liberal funding in the rural areas as there was vast scope of development in agriculture and allied activities in the State.
Principal Secretary, Finance Dr. kant Baldi said that State Government would provide all assistance to achieve the allocated targets of the banks. He said that State Government would also coordinate in improving recovery performance of the banks and a Joint Sub Committee of Government officers and bankers could be formed, if needed.
Chairman and Managing Director, UCO Bank Arun Kaul said that the outreach of banking services in the State was one of the best in the country and under the new PMJDY scheme, banks were identifying the left out households to achieve the cent percent target. He said that the total deposits of the banks in the State have recorded year over year growth of 12.23 percent to Rs. 65877.48 crore from Rs. 58698.36 crore during the previous year. He said that total advances of the banks have recorded growth of 20.15 percent to Rs. 29899.17 crore from Rs. 24884.41 crore during the previous year.
Kaul said that CD ratio in the State was 65.96 percent as of June, 2014 and it has registered growth of 1.23 percent over the previous year. He said that Banks in the State have network of 1827 branches with more than 80 percent branches located in rural areas out of which 149 branches had been opened previous year. He said that there were 1497 ATMs operational in the State. He sought the help of State Government to improve the recovery performance of banks which was recorded 71.33 percent upto June last.
General Manager, UCO Bank and Convenor, SLBC V.K. vastva while welcoming the Chief Guest highlighted the performances of various banks during first quarter.
Principal Secretary, Social Justice and Empowerment P.C. Dhiman, Special Secretary Finance Amandeep Garg, Director, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj R. Selvam, Regional Director, RBI I.S. Negi, Chief General Manager NABARD K.P. Chand, senior executives from banks and senior officers of the State Government participated in the meeting.
Solan—In a shocking incident on Monday, an 18-year-old youth, Pravesh, survived a vicious leopard attack in Sarli village of Arki subdivision. The teenager reportedly fought the leopard for nearly 12 minutes before breaking its jaw, killing the animal on the spot.
Quick Thinking Saved His Life
Pravesh told the media that he was walking from the fields to a nearby shop in the morning to fetch milk when the leopard, hidden in the crops, lunged at him. Noticing the leopard’s tail, he attempted to run but fell after a short distance. During the attack, he covered his neck with his hands to protect himself from fatal bites.
The teenager continued to struggle with the leopard, repeatedly attempting to put distance between himself and the predator. In a desperate move, he grabbed the leopard by its mouth, twisted its jaw, and broke it, killing the animal instantly. Pravesh sustained multiple injuries, including deep claw marks, and is currently receiving treatment at Arki Hospital. Police and forest department teams have launched an investigation into the incident.
Serious Allegations of HP Forest Department’s Negligence
One of Pravesh’s relatives accused the forest department of negligence, noting that similar attacks had occurred in the area previously.
Earlier, a leopard had attempted to attack a scooter rider, who managed to escape. The family said they had informed the forest department on March 6 about potential danger, but no concrete action was taken. Villagers waited for three hours for a forest team to arrive, but none came. When the Block Officer eventually visited, he reportedly told villagers to ensure their own safety. Requests for cages to capture the leopard were also denied, with officials asking for written complaints instead.
SHIMLA | 7 August 2025 –The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast light to moderate rainfall across Himachal Pradesh over the next two weeks, with isolated heavy to very heavy showers likely over the low hills, plains, and adjoining mid-hill regions. While the ongoing monsoon remains vital for agriculture, it also brings an elevated risk of localized flooding and landslides.
Week of August 8–14
Maximum temperatures will range from 22°C to 34°C, depending on elevation—22°C to 28°C in high hills, 26°C to 30°C in mid-hills, and up to 34°C in lower regions. Minimum temperatures are expected to remain near normal, between 12°C and 24°C. Cooler conditions may persist in districts like Kullu and Lahaul-Spiti.
Week of August 15–21
Similar rainfall patterns are expected to continue, with scattered heavy rain episodes. Temperature trends will remain stable, though slightly below-normal maximum temperatures are likely in parts of Lahaul-Spiti, Mandi, Kangra, and Kullu districts.
Outlook for Late August
Rainfall is expected to remain broadly normal, with region-specific variations. Districts such as Kinnaur, Shimla, and Sirmaur may see below-normal precipitation, while Una, Kangra, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, and Solan are likely to receive above-average rainfall. Both maximum and minimum temperatures are forecast to stay close to seasonal norms.
Officials at the Meteorological Centre in Shimla have urged residents and local authorities to remain alert for sudden heavy downpours, which could disrupt road connectivity and trigger landslides—especially along vulnerable hillside routes. Past monsoon episodes have blocked key highways, including routes between Mandi and Kullu and near Banjar, underscoring the ongoing challenges in the region.
This advisory comes as Himachal Pradesh continues to face the dual pressures of sustaining its agriculture-dependent economy while managing the life and infrastructure risks posed by an active monsoon. Continued vigilance and preparedness remain crucial.
SHIMLA | 7 August 2025 –Himachal Pradesh continues to deal with the impacts of the 2025 monsoon season, reporting extensive property damage, loss of lives, and widespread disruptions across the state. According to the official reports from the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC), the Department of Revenue, and the India Meteorological Department, from June 20 to August 6, 2025, heavy monsoon rains caused significant damage across multiple districts:
- Casualties: 199 deaths due to landslides, flash floods, cloudbursts, drowning, lightning, electrocution, and accidents; 304 injuries reported.
- Property Loss: Extensive damage to houses (both pucca and kaccha), shops, factories, labor sheds, animal shelters, and substantial crop losses in agriculture and horticulture.
- Public Infrastructure: Over ₹1,900 crore in damages to roads (including PWD), power supply, health, education, fisheries, rural and urban development, and animal husbandry.
Most affected districts include Mandi, Kangra, and Hamirpur, with severe crop and infrastructure losses.
Additionally, 91 deaths occurred due to monsoon-related road accidents.
Public Utilities and Infrastructure Disruptions
The SEOC report dated August 7, 2025, highlights ongoing disruptions:
- Roads Blocked: About 493 major roads and 3 national highways (NH-305, NH-21, NH-05) remain blocked by landslides and floods.
- Power Supply: Disruption of 1,120 distribution transformers (DTRs).
- Water Supply: 245 water schemes affected, threatening access to potable water for communities.
Key blockages include NH-21 between Mandi and Kullu and NH-305 near Banjar and Jhed.
Weather Forecast and Warnings
The India Meteorological Department’s forecast valid from August 7, 2025, includes:
- Isolated heavy rainfall expected throughout the week.
- Thunderstorms and lightning predicted in isolated areas.
- Minimum temperatures near normal or slightly below.
- Maximum temperatures showing a moderate increase.
The public is urged to remain vigilant due to the risks of further landslides and flash floods.
Himachal Pradesh remains vulnerable as the monsoon season continues, with thousands affected by damage, displacement, and disruption of essential services. Authorities are continuing with rescue and recovery operations and are urging residents to stay alert to the ongoing adverse weather. This situation highlights the pressing need for enhanced infrastructure and disaster management strategies to mitigate monsoon-related risks.
Himachal’s LPG Supply Hit Amid Global Tensions, Likely to Affect Hospitality Industry
Himachal Teen Survives 12-Minute Leopard Attack, Kills Predator in Self-Defense
Weather Forecast for Himachal Pradesh For the Next Two Weeks
Monsoon 2025: Himachal Pradesh Suffers 199 Casualties, Over ₹1,905.50 Cr in Damages
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