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Chief Minister invites business houses to invest in Himachal

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Chief Minister invites business houses to invest in Himachal

Chief Minister invites business houses to invest in Himachal

State Government proposes to make Himachal Pradesh an ideal destination for the entrepreneurs and we have envisioned transforming the State as the most preferred destination in the country for the entrepreneurs and at the same time we expect co-ordination from the industrialists and we also seek their participation to make Himachal Pradesh a favourite industrial hub, said Chief Minister,Virbhadra Singh while interacting with big business houses at Mumbai in Maharashtra today.

He said that the State electricity regulator had already announced freezing of the power tariff upto 2018 at one fixed rate, adding that the rates of power in HP were 20 to 30 percent lower than bordering States in Northern India.

“I foresee and I hope that meet would be a platform and an opening avenue for the big business houses to invest in the State” he said speaking during one to one interaction meet with entrepreneurs at Mumbai today.

The State Government together with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) had joined hands to introduce the potential for investments in various projects in Himachal Pradesh and the meet was held jointly by Government of Himachal Pradesh and Confederation of Indian Industries (CII).

The Government proposes to invite big industrial houses as to invest in the State and foreseeing the vast potential for the entrepreneurs by assuring ease of business, quality and reliable power, proactive and investor friendly administration besides attractive sector specific facilities. As far as power is concerned, Himachal is a Power State and instead we want to give uninterrupted power to the industrial houses in the State, he said while talking to the entrepreneurs..

We endorse and appreciate the role of private players in providing desired impetus to the economy of the State

Those who interacted with the Chief Minster were the TATA Company limited proposed to invest in Hydro-Power Sector in a big way and proposed to set up five to six projects and that to within a given time period. They also proposed the introduction of cable cars and ropeways in the State.

Mr Arun Nanda, Chairman and Director Mahindra & Mahindra while interacting in one to one meet proposed setting up Arts and crafts village and expanding resorts in lower belt of Himachal Pradesh for boosting tourism and setting up International educational institutes. He said that Mahindra & Mahindra have purchased their own land in Himachal and if the Government steps ahead to extend help in providing land to them at Dharamsala in Kangra District.

Mr. Apurva Parekh, Executive Director Pidlite, which at present is a major investor in the State intends to invest/expand its manufacturing facilities with an additional investment. The Chief Minister assured to extend help in whatever possible manner.

Mr. Manoj from Amarson limited and Meridian Group offered an investment of rupees 600-700 crore with interest-area in Solar and Bio Mass energy using obnoxious weed lantana and Pine needles for generating electricity and planning 10 MW Solar Energy project in the State immediately and a introducing House Boats in Pong besides Bird Culture towers on their own private land.

The Chief Minister welcomed their initiative said that the Government was paying for removal of lantana at Rs. 10 per quintal or so and there was no dearth of lantana which will also provide indirect employment to the local people. To start with they offered to produce 250 KW of Bio Mass energy project.

The Chief Minister also welcomed the Proposal of opening Medical Colleges in private sector in the State by DY Patil Group which at present were having as many 230 medical college in the Country and the World.

Ms. Arti Sharma and Mohnish Managing Director, representing Luminous Power Technology India also sought more investment and expansion in manufacturing facilities with additional investment of rupees 100 crore or so.

The investors who gathered appreciated the decision of the Government for holding such type of meet for the first time and evinced interest keen interest to invest in the State. Few Pharma companies also approached for expansion and investments in the State.

More companies as Glenmark, Hindustan Levers, United Phosphorous Limited, (UPL), HI Tech India Private Ltd besides, many other small and big business houses interacted with the Chief Minister and proposed to invest in the State.

Mukesh Agnihotri, Industries Minister, V.C. Pharka, Additional Chief Secretary, Tarun Shridhar, Principal Secretary, Revenue, Dr. Shrikant Baldi, Principal Secretary, Finance & Taxation, S.K.B.S. Negi, Principal Secretary, Power, R.D. Dhiman, Principal Secretary, Industry & Labour, Rajinder Singh, Director, Industries, Rajinder Chauhan, Advisor Industries and Mohan Chauhan, Director, Tourism were also present on the occasion.

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Kotkhai Custodial Death Case: CBI Court Sentences IGP Zaidi, 7 Other Policemen to Life Imprisonment

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Zahur H Zaidi

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

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HP Cabinet Decisions January 2025

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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hp cabinet meeting january 9, 2024

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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