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HP Govt Proposes Rs. 9405.41 crore Outlay Under Development Budget 2021-22
Shimla-The Himachal Pradesh Government has proposed an outlay of Rs. 9405.41 crore under the developmental budget for the year 2021-22. It was informed by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur while presiding over the morning session of MLA’s priority meeting for the financial year 2021-22 yesterday.
This meeting is held to offer elected representatives an opportunity to underline their developmental priorities.
Jai Ram Thakur said that as many as 251 projects worth Rs. 926.24 crore have been approved under NABARD under MLA priorities during the year 2020-21. He said that out of this, Rs. 565.52 crore has been provided for roads and bridges whereas Rs. 360.72 crore have been provided for minor irrigation and drinking water schemes. He said that a provision of Rs. 13,300 crore was made during the first three years tenure of the previous State Government under the annual plan outlay whereas during the first three years tenure of the present State Government a provision of Rs. 21,300 crore were made as annual plan outlays.
Chief Minister said that during the first three years tenure of the previous State Government, 433 MLA priority schemes worth Rs. 2033 crore were approved, whereas during the tenure of the present State Government 639 MLA priority schemes worth Rs. 2382 crore have been approved. He said that a provision of Rs. 1276 crore were made for implementation of the MLA priorities during the first three years tenure of the previous State Government, whereas a provision of Rs. 2221 crore has been made during the first three years tenure of the present State Government.
Further, under the Him Care Scheme, he claimed, 4.63 lakh families got registered and till date and 1.25 lakh families have been provided financial assistance of Rs. 121 crore. He said that financial assistance of Rs. 3000 per month was being provided to a family with the chronically ill patient under the Sahara Yojna.
Demands Put Forth by MLAs
District Sirmour:
MLA Pachhad Reena Kashyap urged for providing equipment and other facilities in the Hospital to facilitate patients of the area, develop the area from tourism point of view, IPH division be opened at Rajgarh as presently it falls in another constituency, PG classes be started in the Degree College Rajgarh, and work of 33 KV sub-station at Shilabagh be completed at the earliest.
MLA Nahan Dr. Rajiv Bindal said that three bridges must be sanctioned under CRF for Nahan Vidhan Sabha area, better sewerage facilities be provided in Nahan town, channelization of Markandye river should be taken in hand at the earliest under the Flood Management project, proper facilities and equipment must be provided in Nahan Medical College, Atal Adarsh Vidhalaya be opened in the constituency, Police Post be opened at Mata Balasundri temple in the constituency.
MLA Renuka Vinay Kumar said buildings be provided for two newly upgraded Sub Tehsils and one Tehsil, land be transferred for Degree College Dadahu, Development Block to be provided at Dadahu as about 40 panchayats falls under the area, bedsides Electrical subdivision at Sangrah. He also felt the need for plying more buses in the area to facilitate the commuters.
MLA Shillai Harshwardhan Chauhan said the delay in preparation of DPR under NABARD was a matter of concern, several water supply schemes need to be augmented and maintained, adequate staff be provided in the Degree College Shillai, the college has a strength of over 1000, out of which 700 were girl students, a girls’ hostel be constructed in the college to facilitate the girl students. He said that Paonta-Shillai-Menus Road must be upgraded to a double lane at the earliest.
District Una
MLA Chintpurni Balbir Singh said that adequate funds be provided for construction of bridge leading towards Baba Barbhagh Singh, Jhalera-Amb road be upgraded into a four-lane road.
MLA Gagret Rajesh Thakur said that DPRs of augmentation of water supply scheme under NABARD must be approved at the earliest, 19 villages of the constituency should be excluded from the Town and Country Planning Area, work on the construction of 20 tube-wells must to taken in hand soon, proper ground be provided for construction of Degree College Daulatpur.
MLA Haroli and Leader of Opposition Mukesh Agnihotri said that special thrust must be laid on timebound completion of DPRs under MLA priorities, expressed concern over the increasing cases of mining in Swan river. He said that 5th Phase of Swan River Channelization must be got sanctioned at the earliest and greater stress must be laid on setting up of tubewells in the area.
MLA Una Satpal Raizada said that building of PHC at Basoli village should be constructed at the earliest, better sewerage facilities must be provided for Una town to facilitate the people of the area, illegal mining on Swan Channelization must be stopped.
Shimla-Himachal Pradesh Government employees working in different departments before January 3, 2022, would be given a higher scale at par with other employees on completion of two years tenure of regular service. A higher pay scale was also announced for the Junior Office Assistants (IT) on completion of two years of regular service.
Chief Minister Jairam Thakur made these announcements during the Karamchari Maha Sammelan of the Himachal Pradesh Non-Gazetted Employees Federation at the hotel Peterhof on Sunday.
He appreciated the role played by the employee especially frontline workers in the battle against the pandemic.
He said most of the government employees in the state have been given revised pay scales and on average, every employee has got the benefit of a 12 to 15 percent salary hike. There has also been an increase in the pension of about 1.50 lakh pensioners of the state. The financial benefits of Rs. 7801 crore have been given to state government employees and pensioners from the year 2018 to 2022. The pensioners who retired before 2016 are getting the benefit of a 15 to 20 percent increase in the pension while around 40 thousand pensioners who retired after 2016 would be benefitted soon, he said.
He said the daily wages were Rs. 210 in the year 2017 which has been increased by the present state government to Rs. 350. Similarly, 12 per cent interim relief annually has been provided to government employees and pensioners during the present government’s tenure. He said the Himachal government has provided Dearness Allowance to its employees and pensioners on the lines of Punjab and Central governments from the due date. The Punjab government has given only 5 percent interim relief to the employees while the Himachal government has provided 21 percent interim relief to its employees.
“Out of the total interim relief amount given to the employees and pensioners amounting to about Rs. 6500 crore, Rs. 3500 crore has been paid during the tenure of our government” added the Chief Minister.
He said that the state government has increased the government contribution for NPS employees from 10 percent to 14 percent benefitting more than one lakh employees. The NPS employees are being given the benefits of retirement and death gratuity at par with employees falling under the old pension scheme. The government has also increased the upper limit of death gratuity from Rs. 10 lakh to Rs. 20 lakh.
The Chief Minister said the state government has also increased the honorarium of para-workers working in various departments. The salary of outsource workers has been hiked by Rs 1,500 per month.
Non-Gazetted Employees Federation President Ashwani Thakur thanked the Chief Minister for providing various financial and other benefits to different categories of government employees.
New Delhi-The Centre has issued a notification to the States informing that the provisions of the Disaster Management (DM) Act, 2005 will not be invoked in the country after March 31. The Union Health Ministry said that the use of face masks and following hand hygiene will continue.
It implies that most of the Covid-related rules and restrictions would end.
Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla issued the notification which said that the decision was taken following the overall improvement in the situation and the preparedness of the government in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, local authorities and State police can still invoke fines and criminal cases against persons violating COVID-19 norms under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), a senior government official said.
The DM Act was invoked on March 24, 2020, due to the pandemic
“Over the last seven weeks or so there has been a steep decline in the number of cases. The total caseload in the country stands at 23,913 only and the daily positivity rate has declined to 0.28%. It is also worth mentioning that with the combined efforts, a total of 181.56 Cr vaccine doses have been administered,” the notification said.
“I would like to mention that in view of the nature of the disease, we still need to remain watchful of the situation. Wherever any surge in the number of cases is observed, the States/UTs may consider taking prompt and proactive action at a local level, as advised by MoHFW (Health Ministry) from time to time,” the notification said.
The Indian government had issued various guidelines and measures for the first time on March 24, 2020, under the Disaster Management Act to curb the COVID-19 situation in the country, which have been modified several times thereafter.
India currently has 23,087 active COVID-19 cases and recorded 1,778 new cases and 62 deaths in the last 24 hours. The daily positivity rate has also declined to 0.28%.
Shimla-A meeting of the Himachal Pradesh Cabinet was held on March 20, 2022, under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur.
The excise policy for the financial year 2022-23 was approved. Approval was also given for the renewal of retail excise vends in the state for the financial year 2022-23 at the renewal fees of 4% of the value of unit/vend.
The State Government said that wants to enhance the government revenue and curb the smuggling of country liquor from the neighbouring states by a reduction in its price.
The brands of Country Liquor will be cheaper as license fees have been reduced. This will help in providing good quality liquor at a cheaper rate to the consumers.
In the new excise policy, the 15% fixed quota of country liquor for manufacturers and bottlers to be supplied to the retail licensees has been abolished. According to the government, this step will give the retail licensees to lift their quota from the suppliers of their choice and further assure the supply of good quality country liquor at competitive prices. The MRP of country liquor will be cheaper by 16% of the existing price.
In this year’s policy, the Gaudhan Vikas Nidhi Fund has been enhanced by Re.1/- from the existing Rs.1.50 to Rs.2.50.
The fixed annual license fee of Bars has been rationalized by abolishing the area-specific slabs of license fee. Now throughout the State, there will be uniform license slabs based upon the room capacity in hotels.
Rates of the annual fixed license fee of Bars in the tribal areas has been reduced considerably.
Further, all the above stakeholders will have to install CCTV cameras at their establishments as it was made mandatory for them.
Wholesale vends and retail vends, the penalty provisions under the H.P. Excise Act, 2011 have been made more stringent.
An end to end online Excise Administration System would be established in Himachal Pradesh, the government said.
HP Government estimates a collection of Rs 2131 crore revenue during the year, which will be Rs. 264 crores higher than the financial year 2021-22 – growth of 14% in state excise revenues.
The Cabinet also gave its nod to amend Himachal Pradesh Disaster Relief Manual-2012 to include deaths due to biting of honey bees, hornet and wasps, accidental drowning and deaths due to accidents of vehicles (including land, water and air) under this Manual.
The Cabinet gave its approval for filling up 11 posts of ‘A’ Class Tehsildar in Revenue Department through direct recruitment on regular basis through Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission.
HP State Toll Policy 2022-23
The HP Cabinet also gave its nod to HP State Toll Policy for the year 2022-23 which envisages auction cum tender for all the toll barriers in the State. During the year 2021-22, toll revenue has registered a growth of 20 percent of the previous year’s revenue.
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