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CM Inaugurates Auditorium and Library Hall of Seema College
![CM Inaugurates Auditorium and Library Hall of Seema College](https://himachalwatcher.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/CM-Inaugurates-Auditorium-and-Library-Hall-of-Seema-College.jpg)
The State Government was considering for the channelization of river Pabbar and the designs of the same have been prepared. The river will be channelized from Sandasu onwards towards Rohroo and work of channelization would be allotted to a reputed agency. This was stated by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh after inaugurating the elegantly constructed auditorium and library hall of the Government Post Graduate Degree College (Seema), Rohroo, constructed at a cost of Rs.7.25 crore today
He said that the road from Dodra Kwar to Rohroo would be further improved to pave the way for boosting tourism activities, adding that Chanshal slopes were more suited to skiing and other adventure sports activities and once developed will provide direct and indirect employment to the youth of the area.
He expressed happiness over dedicating the new block of the college to the coming generations, the foundation stone of which was laid by him in year 2005.
He said that the location was quite suitable for the college as it was centrally located and the students from as far as Dodra Kwar could pursue higher studies here. He said the Colleges at Seema in Rohroo and Saawra at Saraswati Nagar were started simultaneously and the Seema College had excelled in pursuing academic and sports. He announced for construction of an additional block for office and staff room for Seema College behind the present principal’s office. It would also house class rooms in the same complex, and the staff residences would soon be completed.
The Chief Minister stressed the need for playing ground in the college. He said that the people should not quote higher rates for the land whose land falls within the purview of the Government developmental surveys. Few development works were being hindered because of land acquisition problems. He exhorted the people to co-operate in carrying out the development works and other such activities.
He said that there was need to check that no hindrances were created in development activities. As much as 25 Bigha of land will be acquired by the Government for constructing play ground for Seema college and the adequate compensation would be paid to those whose land would be acquired for the purpose. He appealed to the people to donate land voluntarily.
Referring to the agitation in HP University, he said that the studies were going on well in all the colleges of the State adding that no union or association would be allowed to become a sub-branch of student politics and elections should be held in a peaceful and decent manner.
The Chief Minister said, “if anybody promotes mischief and violence it will not be tolerated at any cost”. He stressed for holding elections to the Students Association through common consensus and in a harmonious manner.
“If anybody tries to lock the gates of the colleges or restrict the students from entering into the classes, he should be ready to face the consequences.” said he, repeating that he was there to listen to them and their genuine demands, but the indecent behavior won’t be tolerated.
“We have not enhanced the hostel fee or the tuition fee but there was a little hike in examination fee due to which furore was being created by few who want to keep themselves alive in politics. The fee issue was the matter of the University to see. He said that only examination fee was enhanced and that too was quite nominal.
To provide quality higher education to the children at their very doorsteps the Government has opened as many as 15 colleges in the State and that too in rural and far-flung areas during its present regime. Emphasis is being laid on educating girl child in far flung and rural areas, he said.
Local MLA, Sh Mohan Lal Bragta and Block Congress President Rohroo, Sh Ishwar Dass Choharu thanked the Chief Minister for dedicating the auditorium complex to the students of the College and for the developments which had taken place during the regime of Congress party.
Earlier, Principal of the College Dr B.L. Vinta honoured the Chief Minister and other distinguished guests on the occasion. He also read the annual report of the college and said that this was the only college in the State where the studies were not disrupted due to recent agitations.
A colorful cultural programme was also organized on the occasion followed by Dance Drama.
The Chief Minister honoured the meritorious students both in academics and sports and also the staff and faculty of the college for dedicating themselves in teaching profession.
B. S. Thakur proposed vote of thanks.
District Congress President Shimla (Rural), Kehar Singh Khachi, Chairperson, State Child Welfare Council, Smt. Raj Kumari Soni, Member Women Commission Smt. Kiran Datta, General Secretary, Block Congress Committee and Member, Board of Directors, HP Marketing Board Vikram Sen Negi, Member , Board of Directors, HIMURJA Sanjay Singh, Ex- Pradhan Gram Panchayat Jangla, Pratap Sharma, Deputy Commissioner, Dinesh Malhotra and other officers of the State Government were also present on the occasion amongst others
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Kotkhai Custodial Death Case: CBI Court Sentences IGP Zaidi, 7 Other Policemen to Life Imprisonment
![Zahur H Zaidi](https://himachalwatcher.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/zahur-h-zaidi.jpg)
SHIMLA – A special CBI court has convicted and sentenced Inspector General of Police (IGP) Zahur Haider Zaidi and seven other policemen to life imprisonment in connection with the 2017 custodial death case of 29-year-old Suraj Singh.
CBI Public Prosecutor Amit Jindal argued for exemplary punishment, emphasizing the gravity of the crime.
After considering the arguments, CBI Special Judge Alka Malik sentenced the eight police personnel to life imprisonment.
On January 18, the accused were found guilty under Sections 302, 330, 348, 218, 195, 196, 201, and 120B of the IPC in connection with the custodial death of suspect Suraj Singh. However, the court acquitted former Shimla SP DW Negi.
The incident occurred on July 18, 2017, when Suraj Singh, an accused in the alleged gang rape and murder of a minor girl in Kotkhai, Shimla district, died in police custody. The CBI investigation revealed that Suraj Singh was tortured and murdered by police personnel.
The court convicted Zaidi, who was the then Inspector General of Police, along with seven other policemen, including Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Manoj Joshi, Sub-Inspector Rajinder Singh, Assistant Sub-Inspector Deep Chand Sharma, Head Constables Mohan Lal, Surat Singh, and Rafee Mohammad, and Constable Ranjit Sateta.
CBI public prosecutor Amit Jindal stated that the court sentenced the eight convicts to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh each on them. The accused were convicted under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including murder, voluntarily causing hurt to extort confession, and wrongful confinement to extract confession.
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HP Cabinet Decisions: Approves Pilot Study on Cannabis Cultivation, Seema College Renamed as Raja Virbhadra Singh Govt. College
![HP Cabinet Decisions January 2025](https://himachalwatcher.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/HP-Cabinet-Decisions-January-2025.jpg)
Shimla-The State Cabinet, in its recent meeting held at Dharamshala in Kangra district, made several key decisions across various sectors.
Cannabis Cultivation Study:
The Cabinet approved a pilot study on cannabis cultivation, which will be jointly conducted by Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Krishi Vishvavidyalaya in Kangra and Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture in Solan. The study aims to evaluate the potential of cannabis cultivation and recommend future actions. The Agriculture Department will serve as the nodal agency for this initiative.
Disaster Relief for Tandi Village:
The Cabinet extended the special relief package for disaster-affected families to those impacted by the fire in Tandi Village, Kullu. Under the package, families with fully damaged houses will receive Rs. 7 lakh, those with partially damaged houses will receive Rs. 1 lakh, and families who lost cowsheds will receive Rs. 50,000. Additionally, monthly rental assistance of Rs. 5,000 will be provided to affected families until June 30, 2025.
Robotic Surgery Equipment Procurement:
The Cabinet approved Rs. 56 crore for the procurement of state-of-the-art machinery and equipment for robotic surgery at AIMSS Chamiyana in Shimla and Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College in Tanda, Kangra. The approval follows a model similar to AIIMS New Delhi, aimed at enhancing medical facilities.
Forest Department Order Amendment:
The Cabinet amended the Forest Department’s previous order to allow the extraction of berberis roots (Kashmal) until February 15, 2025. Furthermore, it permitted the transportation of forest produce extracted from open spaces prior to January 4, 2025, until February 15, 2025, in line with the HP Forest Produce Transit (Land Routes) Rules, 2013.
Ropeway Project and Transportation Improvements:
The Cabinet approved the establishment of a ropeway between Kullu Bus Stand and Peej Paragliding Point. Additionally, it sanctioned the procurement of 24 air-conditioned super luxury buses for the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) to improve passenger services.
Rural Development and Infrastructure Reorganization:
Nine posts of Block Development Officers will be filled in the Department of Rural Development. The Cabinet also approved the reorganization of the PWD National Highway Circle in Shahpur, creating two new divisions, Nankhadi and Kholighat, and the Kharahan Section.
State Taxes and Excise Enforcement:
To enhance enforcement, the Cabinet approved the allocation of 100 motorbikes to field offices of the State Taxes and Excise Department for surprise checks and improved monitoring.
State Cadre Posts:
The Cabinet decided to bring the posts of Drivers, all Class-III and Class-IV posts in District Collector (DC) offices, and staff members in the offices of the three Divisional Commissioners, Director of Land Records, Revenue Training Institute (Jogindernagar), Directorate of Consolidation of Holdings (Shimla), and the Settlement Offices in Kangra and Shimla under the State Cadre. This move aims to standardize governance and improve administrative efficiency.
Educational Institutions Renamed:
The Cabinet approved the renaming of several educational institutions. Government College Seema in Shimla will now be known as Raja Virbhadra Singh Government College Seema. GGSSS Sports Hostel (Girls) Jubbal will be renamed Sh. Ram Lal Thakur GGSSS Sports Hostel (Girls), Jubbal, and Government College Khad in Una will be renamed Mohan Lal Dutt Government College Khad.
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HP Cabinet Decisions: Eligibility Criteria for BPL List, Special Task Force to Combat Drug Abuse & Other Decisions
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Shimla-The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet, in its meeting held on Thursday, approved the inclusion of the following families in the BPL list:
- Families with no adult members between the ages of 18 and 59.
- Women-headed families.
- Families whose head has a disability of 50 per cent or more.
- Families that worked for at least 100 days under MNREGA in the previous financial year.
- Families whose earning members are suffering from chronic diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, muscular dystrophy, thalassemia, or any other condition resulting in permanent disability.
The Cabinet also approved the establishment of a Special Task Force to combat drug abuse and dismantle drug trafficking and organized crime networks in the state through a comprehensive and multi-faceted approach.
Additionally, the Cabinet decided to promulgate an ordinance to amend Schedule 1A of the Indian Stamp Act of 1899. This amendment will facilitate the levy of a uniform stamp duty rate of 12 per cent on transfer and lease transactions secured under Section 118(2)(H) of the Himachal Pradesh Tenancy and Land Reforms Act, 1972, with prior approval from the State Government.
The Cabinet approved a ban on the felling of trees, except for Safeda, Poplar, Bamboo, and Khair (for sale), in accordance with a ten-year program.
The Cabinet reiterated its request to the Government of India to adopt a 90:10 funding formula for the power component of the Kishau Multipurpose Project, similar to the formula adopted for its water component. Alternatively, the Cabinet proposed providing a 50-year interest-free loan for the entire amount payable by the State Government for the power component under the Inter-State Agreement.
It approved the establishment of a 1 MW Green Hydrogen Project in Nalagarh, to be executed by HPPCL.
The Cabinet sanctioned the imposition of Green Energy Development Charges for Pumped Storage Projects. A charge of ₹2.5 lakh per MW per year will be levied for the first 10 years after the project’s commissioning, increasing to ₹5 lakh per MW per year thereafter.
Approval was given to introduce the Himachal Pradesh Sadbhawana Legacy Cases Resolution Scheme 2025 to resolve pending cases, litigations, and arrears under subsumed enactments such as VAT, CST, Entry Tax, etc.
The Cabinet decided to designate the area surrounding the Tara Devi Temple in Shimla district as a Green Area.
It approved the creation and filling of 10 Junior Office Assistant (IT) posts for the Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission, Shimla.
The Cabinet selected the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India, to conduct computer-based tests for the recruitment of Group-C posts through the Himachal Pradesh Rajya Chayan Aayog, Hamirpur.
Approval was granted for creating the Block Primary Education Office at Rohnat by bifurcating the existing Block Primary Education Office at Shilai in the Sirmaur district.
The Cabinet decided to transfer three-gram panchayats — Matyal, Kudal, and Dhadol — from Development Block Lambagaon to Development Block Baijnath in Kangra district to serve the residents of these areas better.
The Cabinet approved the Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh Development Authority Land Pooling Policy-2025.
It also approved the establishment of the Himachal Pradesh State Water Informatics Centre to collect data from domain-specific bodies, develop new databases, and disseminate comprehensive water-related information.
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